// DRW · MENTAL MATH
DRW Mental Math Test and Quantitative Challenge
DRW does not publish its test formats; it says the details arrive in the invitation email. What candidates for trading roles report is a timed numerical screen early in the process, in the same speed-arithmetic family as Optiver's, followed for many roles by a longer quantitative challenge.
The format at a glance
| Numerical screen | Speed arithmetic; length and item count vary by role and cycle (not published) |
|---|---|
| Quantitative challenge | 6 multi-step problems, about 45 minutes (candidate-reported) |
| Challenge topics | Binomial closed forms, Bayes, Markov chains, regression, a game, a logic puzzle |
| Marking | No negative marking reported on the challenge: answer everything |
| Navigation | No going back once a question is submitted |
| Tools | Assume no calculator on the numerical screen |
Train under DRW-style rules
Sit the six-problem quantitative challenge on the clock, and warm up the arithmetic on the free drill.
The numerical screen
Treat it as an 80-in-8 style test until your invitation says otherwise: several seconds an item, mixed operations, fractions and percentages. If the invitation mentions a penalty for wrong answers, switch to triage and skip anything without a fast route.
The quantitative challenge
Here the pace relaxes to about seven minutes a problem, and the difficulty moves into the working. One long struggle can sink the sitting because there is no going back, so set a time budget per problem and move on when it runs out.
- Binomial and geometric closed forms.
- Bayes with a noisy signal.
- A small Markov chain: stationary distribution or absorption probability.
- Reading a regression slope and its standard error.
Frequently asked questions
Does DRW have a mental math test?
Candidates for trading roles report a timed numerical screen early in the process. DRW does not publish its length; it is given in the invitation email.
How long is the DRW quantitative challenge?
Candidates report six problems in about 45 minutes, with no negative marking and no going back. DRW says the length varies by role.
Related
Outcry is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any firm named on this page. Formats are candidate-reported unless stated otherwise, and firms change them between cycles.