20 Clerical Accuracy Practice Questions & Answers
Every Clerical Accuracy practice question from the Postal Exam 474 (USPS) Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.
Start practice test →1. Compare the two numbers: 48213765 and 48213765. Which statement is correct?
- A.Exactly alike✓ Answer
- B.Differ in one digit
- C.Differ in two digits
- D.Differ in three digits
Checking the numbers position by position (4-4, 8-8, 2-2, 1-1, 3-3, 7-7, 6-6, 5-5), every digit matches, so the two strings are exactly alike. Exact-match comparison requires each character in the same position to be identical.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: exact-match string comparison (character-by-character)Report a problem with this question
2. Compare the two numbers: 5093418 and 5093148. Which statement is correct?
- A.Exactly alike
- B.Differ in one digit
- C.Differ in two digits✓ Answer
- D.Differ in three digits
Aligning the digits, positions 5 and 6 differ: the first number has 4 then 1, while the second has 1 then 4 (all other positions match). Because two positions hold different digits, the numbers differ in two digits.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: positional digit comparisonReport a problem with this question
3. How many of these four number pairs are EXACTLY alike? (A) 720163 / 720163 (B) 559080 / 559080 (C) 384712 / 384172 (D) 100294 / 100294
- A.1 pair
- B.2 pairs
- C.3 pairs✓ Answer
- D.4 pairs
Pairs A, B, and D match digit for digit. Pair C differs because 384712 has 71 in the middle while 384172 has 17, so only three pairs are exactly alike.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: counting matched string pairsReport a problem with this question
4. Which pair of numbers is NOT exactly alike?
- A.6647329 / 6647329
- B.8125067 / 8125067
- C.4390218 / 4390281✓ Answer
- D.7012956 / 7012956
In the third option the endings differ: one number ends in 218 and the other in 281, so the last three digits are transposed. The other three pairs match in every position.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: detecting transposed digitsReport a problem with this question
5. A clerk must find the entry that exactly matches the tracking number 9405 5118 9876. Which option matches?
- A.9405 5118 9867
- B.9405 5118 9876✓ Answer
- C.9405 5181 9876
- D.9450 5118 9876
Only the second option repeats every group exactly: 9405 5118 9876. The others each transpose one pair of digits (9867, 5181, or 9450), so they are not exact matches.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: exact-match selectionReport a problem with this question
6. In the number 7,048,391, which digit is in the thousands place?
- A.8✓ Answer
- B.3
- C.4
- D.0
Reading right to left, the places are ones (1), tens (9), hundreds (3), then thousands. The digit in the thousands place is 8, because place value in base ten increases by a factor of ten with each position to the left.
Source: Base-10 place value (clerical numeric reading)Report a problem with this question
7. Compare the two names: 'Kathryn M. Ashworth' and 'Kathryn N. Ashworth'. Which statement is correct?
- A.Exactly alike
- B.They differ in the middle initial✓ Answer
- C.They differ in the first name
- D.They differ in the last name
The first name 'Kathryn' and last name 'Ashworth' are identical, but the middle initial is 'M.' in one and 'N.' in the other. Exact-match name comparison must check the middle initial too, so they differ there.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: name string comparison incl. middle initialReport a problem with this question
8. Which name is EXACTLY the same as 'Delacroix-Fernández'?
- A.Delacroix-Fernandez
- B.Delacroix-Fernández✓ Answer
- C.Delacroix-Fernándes
- D.Delakroix-Fernández
Only the second option keeps the accented 'á' and the correct spelling with 'z' and 'c'. The others drop the accent, change 'z' to 's', or change 'c' to 'k', so they are not exact matches. Diacritical marks count in exact comparison.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: exact match including diacritics/spellingReport a problem with this question
9. How many of these four name pairs are EXACTLY alike? (A) Stephen Wright / Stephen Wright (B) Stephen Wright / Stephan Wright (C) O'Connell, Mary / O'Connell, Mary (D) McDonough, T. / McDonough, T.
- A.1 pair
- B.2 pairs
- C.3 pairs✓ Answer
- D.4 pairs
Pairs A, C, and D match letter for letter. Pair B differs because one spells 'Stephen' and the other 'Stephan', so only three pairs are exactly alike.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: counting matched name pairsReport a problem with this question
10. Which pair of names is NOT exactly alike?
- A.Nguyen, Thanh / Nguyen, Thanh
- B.Rodríguez, José / Rodríguez, José
- C.Abernathy, Cole / Abernathy, Cole
- D.Whitfield, Ana / Whitfield, Anna✓ Answer
In the fourth option one first name is 'Ana' and the other is 'Anna', differing by an added letter 'n'. The other three pairs match in every character.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: detecting an added/omitted letterReport a problem with this question
11. A clerk sorts to the route 'Sgt. Alvin C. York Blvd.' Which entry matches EXACTLY?
- A.Sgt. Alvin C. York Blvd.✓ Answer
- B.Sgt. Alvin G. York Blvd.
- C.Sgt. Alvin C. Yorke Blvd.
- D.Sgt. Alvan C. York Blvd.
The first option reproduces every element exactly. The others change the initial 'C' to 'G', add an 'e' to 'Yorke', or misspell 'Alvin' as 'Alvan', so they fail exact matching.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — Check for Errors: exact-match address/name selectionReport a problem with this question
12. Which surname comes FIRST in alphabetical order: Carlson, Carlsen, Carson, Carlton?
- A.Carlson
- B.Carlsen✓ Answer
- C.Carson
- D.Carlton
All four share 'Car'; comparing letter by letter, 'Carlsen' and 'Carlson' share 'Carls', then 'e' comes before 'o', so 'Carlsen' is first. Alphabetical filing compares one letter at a time from the left.
Source: Alphabetical filing rule: left-to-right letter-by-letter orderingReport a problem with this question
13. Which surname comes LAST in alphabetical order: Thompson, Thomson, Thomas, Thornton?
- A.Thompson
- B.Thomson
- C.Thomas
- D.Thornton✓ Answer
All four begin 'Tho'. At the fourth letter, three have 'm' but 'Thornton' has 'r', and 'r' comes after 'm', so 'Thornton' sorts last. The first differing letter decides the order.
Source: Alphabetical filing rule: first differing letter determines orderReport a problem with this question
14. Placed in ascending numerical order, which of these numbers comes THIRD: 4821, 4218, 4812, 4281?
- A.4821
- B.4218
- C.4812✓ Answer
- D.4281
Sorted from smallest to largest the order is 4218, 4281, 4812, 4821, so the third value is 4812. Numeric sequencing compares whole numeric value, not just the first digit.
Source: Numeric sequencing: ascending order by full valueReport a problem with this question
15. A carrier's tray holds 3 bundles of 25 letters each plus 4 loose letters. How many letters are in the tray?
- A.79 letters✓ Answer
- B.75 letters
- C.82 letters
- D.104 letters
Multiply the bundles first: 3 × 25 = 75, then add the 4 loose letters for 79. Following order of operations (multiply before adding) gives 79 letters.
Source: Clerical arithmetic: order of operations (multiplication before addition)Report a problem with this question
16. One package weighs 2 lb 12 oz and another weighs 1 lb 8 oz. What is their combined weight? (16 oz = 1 lb)
- A.4 lb 4 oz✓ Answer
- B.3 lb 20 oz
- C.4 lb 0 oz
- D.3 lb 4 oz
Add ounces (12 + 8 = 20) and pounds (2 + 1 = 3). Since 20 oz equals 1 lb 4 oz, carry the extra pound: 3 lb + 1 lb 4 oz = 4 lb 4 oz. Weights must be regrouped whenever ounces reach 16.
Source: Avoirdupois weight: 16 oz = 1 lb (carry/regroup)Report a problem with this question
17. A clerk processes 144 packages in 6 equal hours. On average, how many packages does the clerk process per hour?
- A.24 per hour✓ Answer
- B.22 per hour
- C.26 per hour
- D.18 per hour
To find a per-hour rate, divide the total by the number of hours: 144 ÷ 6 = 24. Division distributes the total evenly across the six hours.
Source: Clerical arithmetic: rate = total ÷ time (division)Report a problem with this question
18. Use this sorting table. Bin A: ZIP 00000–19999, 34 packages; Bin B: ZIP 20000–39999, 52 packages; Bin C: ZIP 40000–59999, 27 packages; Bin D: ZIP 60000–79999, 41 packages. How many packages are in Bin B?
- A.52✓ Answer
- B.34
- C.27
- D.41
Find the row labeled Bin B and read across to its package count, which is 52. Table lookup means matching the correct row label before reading the value.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — reading a data table: row lookupReport a problem with this question
19. Use this sorting table. Bin A: ZIP 00000–19999; Bin B: ZIP 20000–39999; Bin C: ZIP 40000–59999; Bin D: ZIP 60000–79999. A package addressed to ZIP 45300 goes in which bin?
- A.Bin A
- B.Bin B
- C.Bin C✓ Answer
- D.Bin D
45300 falls between 40000 and 59999, which is the range assigned to Bin C. Assigning a value to a range means finding the row whose lower and upper bounds contain it.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — reading a data table: range/interval lookupReport a problem with this question
20. Use this sorting table. Bin A: 34 packages; Bin B: 52 packages; Bin C: 27 packages; Bin D: 41 packages. How many packages are in Bins A and C combined?
- A.61✓ Answer
- B.86
- C.79
- D.68
Read the two named rows and add only those values: 34 (Bin A) + 27 (Bin C) = 61. Combining table values requires selecting exactly the rows asked for and ignoring the others.
Source: USPS VEA 474 — reading a data table: selecting and summing specified rowsReport a problem with this question
Practice questions modeled on the objective sections of the USPS Virtual Entry Assessment 474. The actual assessment also includes a non-scored personal-experience/personality portion that has no correct answer and is not practiced here. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Postal Service. Study the official careers materials at usps.com/careers. USPS Careers →