Verbal
19%of exam
Word KnowledgeParagraph CompContext CluesMain IdeaAFQT Core
Math
22%of exam
Arithmetic ReasoningMath KnowledgeRatiosAlgebraGeometry
Science Technical
48%of exam
Spatial
11%of exam
Assembling ObjectsConnector ItemsJigsaw ItemsRotationProcess Picker
Quick Facts
- Exam
- ASVAB
- Owner
- DoD/USMEPCOM
- Purpose
- Enlistment and jobs
- CAT scored
- 135 questions
- CAT max
- 197 minutes
- CAT average
- About 90 minutes
- P&P
- 225 questions / 149 min
- AFQT
- Percentile 1-99
- Calculator
- Not allowed
- Validity
- Up to 2 years
AFQT Four
AFQT = AR MK WK PC
AR: word mathMK: conceptsWK: wordsPC: passages
ASVAB vs AFQT
ASVAB
- Full test battery
- Job line scores
- Ten tests
AFQT
- Eligibility score
- Four subtests
- Percentile 1-99
Battery vs eligibility
Score Priority
- Need eligibility→AFQT four(WK PC AR MK)
- Weak vocabulary→Word roots(Decode synonyms)
- Weak reading→Main idea(Evidence first)
- Weak word problems→AR setup(Translate units)
- Weak formulas→MK drills(No calculator)
- Need job options→All subtests(Line scores)
Test Map
- GS
- General Science
- AR
- Arithmetic ReasoningAFQT
- WK
- Word KnowledgeAFQT
- PC
- Paragraph CompAFQT
- MK
- Math KnowledgeAFQT
- EI
- Electronics Info
- AI
- Auto Info
- SI
- Shop Info
- MC
- Mechanical Comp
- AO
- Assembling Objects
CAT vs P&P
CAT
- Adaptive items
- No answer review
- AI/SI split
P&P
- Fixed forms
- Review within subtest
- AS combined
Adaptive vs fixed
CAT Timing
- GS
- 15 q / 12 min
- AR
- 15 q / 55 min
- WK
- 15 q / 9 min
- PC
- 10 q / 27 min
- MK
- 15 q / 31 min
- EI
- 15 q / 10 min
- AI
- 10 q / 7 min
- SI
- 10 q / 6 min
- MC
- 15 q / 22 min
- AO
- 15 q / 18 min
WK vs PC
WK
- Word meaning
- Synonyms
- Context words
PC
- Passage meaning
- Details
- Inferences
Word vs passage
Scoring Core
- Standard score
- Mean 50, SD 10
- AFQT
- Enlistment eligibility
- Percentile
- Compared to norm group
- Norm group
- Ages 18-23 sample
- Category I
- 93-99
- Category II
- 65-92
- IIIA
- 50-64
- IIIB
- 31-49
- Category IV
- 10-30
- Category V
- 1-9
Verbal Tools
- Synonym
- Similar meaning
- Antonym
- Opposite meaning
- Context
- Nearby clues
- Root
- Core meaning
- Prefix
- Before root
- Suffix
- After root
- Main idea
- Central point
- Detail
- Text support
- Inference
- Evidence plus logic
- Tone
- Author attitude
Test Rules
- CAT
- Adaptive computer test
- P&P
- Fixed paper test
- MEPS
- Main testing site
- MET
- Satellite testing site
- PiCAT
- Unproctored adaptive option
- Vtest
- PiCAT verification
- Tryout items
- Unscored new questions
- Retest one
- Wait one month
- Later retests
- Wait six months
- C-test
- Confirms large AFQT gain
AR vs MK
AR
- Word problems
- Applied math
- Units matter
MK
- Math concepts
- Formulas
- Algebra/geometry
Translate vs know
Math Picker
- Of means multiply→Percent setup
- Per means divide→Rate setup
- Same ratio→Proportion
- Unknown number→Variable
- Distance around→Perimeter
- Space inside→Volume
Math Foundation
- Sum
- Add result
- Difference
- Subtract result
- Product
- Multiply result
- Quotient
- Divide result
- Ratio
- Compare quantities
- Proportion
- Equal ratios
- Percent
- Per hundred
- Average
- Sum divided count
- Rate
- Per one unit
- Unit price
- Cost per unit
Algebra Geometry
- Variable
- Unknown value
- Equation
- Balanced statement
- Expression
- No equals sign
- Exponent
- Repeated multiplication
- Square root
- Inverse square
- Perimeter
- Distance around
- Area
- Surface inside
- Volume
- Space inside
- Right angle
- 90 degrees
- Pythagorean
- a^2+b^2=c^2
Ohm Law
V = I x R
V: pressureI: currentR: resistance
AI vs SI
AI
- Vehicles
- Engines
- Systems
SI
- Tools
- Materials
- Shop practices
Vehicle vs shop
Technical Picker
- Circuit current→Ohm law(V=IR)
- Rotating force→Torque
- Force advantage→Lever/pulley
- Engine cooling→Radiator
- Battery charging→Alternator
- Precise diameter→Micrometer
General Science
- Atom
- Matter unit
- Proton
- Positive nucleus
- Electron
- Negative shell
- Neutron
- Neutral nucleus
- Cell
- Life unit
- Mitochondria
- ATP maker
- Photosynthesis
- Light to sugar
- Osmosis
- Water diffusion
- Inertia
- Resists motion change
- Gravity
- Mass attraction
Mechanical Advantage
MA = output force / input force
Bigger MA: easierLonger arm: less force
Voltage vs Current
Voltage
- Electrical pressure
- Measured volts
- Pushes charge
Current
- Charge flow
- Measured amps
- Through circuit
Push vs flow
Electronics
- Voltage
- Electrical pressure
- Current
- Electron flow
- Resistance
- Opposes current
- Ohm law
- V=IR
- Power
- P=VI
- Series
- One path
- Parallel
- Multiple paths
- Fuse
- Overcurrent protection
- Ground
- Safe return path
- Capacitor
- Stores charge
Auto Shop
- Engine
- Converts fuel energy
- Transmission
- Changes gear ratio
- Alternator
- Charges battery
- Radiator
- Removes engine heat
- Brake
- Converts motion heat
- Ripsaw
- Cuts with grain
- Crosscut
- Cuts across grain
- Micrometer
- Precision diameter
- Ferrous
- Contains iron
- SDS
- Chemical safety sheet
Mechanical
- Lever
- Force around fulcrum
- Fulcrum
- Pivot point
- Pulley
- Changes force direction
- Gear
- Transfers rotation
- Torque
- Rotational force
- Friction
- Opposes motion
- Pressure
- Force over area
- Work
- Force times distance
- Power
- Work per time
- MA
- Output/input force
Spatial Scan
Count, anchor, rotate, verify.
Count piecesFind anchorCheck gapsAvoid flips
Rotation vs Reflection
Rotation
- Same handedness
- Turned shape
- Valid move
Reflection
- Mirror image
- Flipped shape
- Common trap
Turn vs flip
Spatial Picker
- Marked points→Connector check
- Loose pieces→Jigsaw check
- Shape turned→Rotation
- Shape flipped→Reflection trap
- Many similar pieces→Anchor feature
- Answer looks close→Gap check
Spatial Tools
- Connector
- Match marked points
- Jigsaw
- Assemble all pieces
- Rotation
- Turn without flipping
- Reflection
- Mirror image
- Proportion
- Relative size
- Anchor
- Distinctive feature
- Edge match
- Sides fit
- Overlap
- Impossible assembly
- Gap
- Missing fit
- Notch
- Unique cutout
Common Traps
ASVAB vs AFQT
ASVAB is full battery ≠ AFQT is eligibility score
CAT guessing
Answer legitimately near end ≠ Random runs can penalize
CAT navigation
Cannot go backward ≠ Confirm before advancing
P&P pacing
Can review same subtest ≠ Cannot change prior sections
Calculator rule
No calculator allowed ≠ Use hand calculations
AI/SI reporting
CAT tests split ≠ AS score combined
Scores vs jobs
AFQT gates enlistment ≠ Lines gate jobs
Rotate vs flip
Rotation preserves shape ≠ Reflection mirrors shape
Last Minute
- 1.AFQT uses AR MK WK PC
- 2.AFQT is percentile 1-99
- 3.Subtest mean is 50
- 4.Standard deviation is 10
- 5.CAT has no backtracking
- 6.P&P allows same-subtest review
- 7.No calculator on ASVAB
- 8.CAT random-end guessing hurts
- 9.Retests: 1mo, 1mo, 6mo
- 10.Scores valid up to 2 years
- 11.AI plus SI reports AS
- 12.Line scores determine jobs
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