Mathematics
30%of exam
Science
30%of exam
Language Proficiency
20%of exam
Reading Comprehension
20%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- UPCAT
- Owner
- UP Office Admissions
- Format
- Paper MCQ
- Time
- About 5 hours
- Subtests
- Four
- Score
- UPG ranking
- UPG
- Scores + grades
- Language
- English + Filipino
- Guessing
- Right-minus-wrong
Math Order
Simplify, isolate, substitute, verify.
SimplifyIsolateSubstituteVerify
Linear vs Quadratic
Linear
- Constant rate
- Highest power 1
Quadratic
- Parabola shape
- Highest power 2
Check highest exponent
Formula Picker
- Unknown in equation→Isolate variable
- Two variables→System method
- Percent change→Change/original
- Right triangle→Pythagorean
- Angle ratio→SOH-CAH-TOA
- Data center→Mean/median
Algebra Moves
- Linear equation
- Isolate variable
- Inequality
- Flip negative multiply
- System
- Substitute or eliminate
- Factoring
- Product and sum
- Quadratic
- Factor or formula
- Function
- Input maps output
Mean vs Median
Mean
- Uses every value
- Outlier sensitive
Median
- Middle after sorting
- Outlier resistant
Sort before median
Arithmetic Stats
- Percent
- Part per hundred
- Discount
- Subtract from original
- Ratio
- Compare quantities
- Mean
- Sum divided count
- Median
- Middle after sorting
- Probability
- Favorable over total
Geometry Trig
- Triangle sum
- 180 degrees
- Pythagorean
- a^2+b^2=c^2
- Circle area
- pi*r^2
- Slope
- Rise over run
- SOH
- Sine opposite hypotenuse
- Scale factor
- Multiply matching lengths
Science Scale
Cell, system, ecosystem, planet.
CellSystemEcosystemPlanet
Mitosis vs Meiosis
Mitosis
- Body cells
- Two identical cells
Meiosis
- Sex cells
- Four varied cells
Gametes need meiosis
Science Picker
- Cell process→Biology
- Atoms or pH→Chemistry
- Motion or light→Physics
- Rocks or climate→Earth science
- Food web→Ecology
- Trait pattern→Genetics
Biology
- Cell
- Basic life unit
- Nucleus
- DNA control center
- Mitochondria
- ATP producer
- Photosynthesis
- Light to glucose
- Respiration
- Glucose to ATP
- Genetics
- Trait inheritance
Weather vs Climate
Weather
- Daily conditions
- Short term
Climate
- Long pattern
- Many years
Time scale decides
Chemistry Physics
- Atom
- Matter unit
- Ion
- Charged atom
- Acid
- pH below 7
- Base
- pH above 7
- Force
- Mass times acceleration
- Energy
- Work capacity
Earth Science
- Plate tectonics
- Crustal plate motion
- Rock cycle
- Rock type changes
- Weather
- Short-term atmosphere
- Climate
- Long-term pattern
- Tides
- Moon gravity effect
- Ecosystem
- Organisms plus environment
Grammar Check
Agreement, case, modifier, punctuation.
AgreementCaseModifierPunctuation
Denotation vs Connotation
Denotation
- Dictionary meaning
- Neutral definition
Connotation
- Emotional color
- Positive or negative
Match sentence tone
English Usage
- SVA
- Subject verb agreement
- Pronoun case
- Subject or object
- Modifier
- Place near target
- Parallelism
- Match grammar form
- Punctuation
- Control sentence joins
- Idiom
- Fixed expression
Filipino Usage
- Pang-uri
- Describes noun
- Pang-abay
- Describes verb/adjective
- Pandiwa
- Action word
- Panghalip
- Pronoun substitute
- Salawikain
- Proverb meaning
- Tayutay
- Figurative speech
Vocabulary
- Synonym
- Similar meaning
- Antonym
- Opposite meaning
- Context clue
- Nearby meaning signal
- Root
- Core word meaning
- Prefix
- Before root
- Connotation
- Emotional shade
Reading Evidence
Point, proof, purpose before answer.
PointProofPurpose
Detail vs Inference
Detail
- Directly stated
- Line evidence
Inference
- Not directly stated
- Text plus logic
Do not overreach
Reading Picker
- Whole passage asked→Main idea
- Line proof exists→Detail
- Implied conclusion→Inference
- Feeling asked→Tone
- Why author wrote→Purpose
- Word meaning asked→Context
Reading Skills
- Main idea
- Central point
- Detail
- Stated support
- Inference
- Evidence plus logic
- Tone
- Author attitude
- Purpose
- Author goal
- Structure
- Text organization
Common Traps
Discount Trap
Discount amount ≠ Sale price
Median Trap
Unsorted list ≠ Sorted list
Filipino Trap
Literal translation ≠ Idiomatic meaning
Inference Trap
Supported conclusion ≠ Personal opinion
Science Trap
Correlation ≠ Causation
Guessing Trap
Random guess ≠ Eliminate first
Last Minute
- 1.Know four subtests
- 2.Respect right-minus-wrong
- 3.Sort before median
- 4.Check units every step
- 5.Use passage evidence
- 6.Match Filipino context
- 7.Track science scale
- 8.Eliminate impossible choices
- 9.Do not over-infer
- 10.Pace all subtests
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