EDPT Exam Flashcards

Q: What score do I need to pass the EDPT?

There is no single universal passing score — the minimum varies by the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) you're pursuing. Reported minimums include 57 for 9S100 (Technical Applications Specialist), 60 for 1B4X1 (Cyber Warfare Operations), and up to 71 for Computer Programmer-track AFSCs. Competitive AFSCs often see selectees scoring well above the minimum, and the maximum possible score is 120 (one point per question).

Q: Do I need programming or computer experience to take the EDPT?

No. The EDPT does not test coding ability or technical knowledge — it measures raw analytical reasoning through number sequences, arithmetic word problems, verbal analogies, figural/spatial patterns, and formal logic. Someone with no programming background can outscore an experienced programmer if their pattern-recognition and mental-math speed are stronger.

Q: How long do I have to wait to retake the EDPT if I fail?

Retake timing is set at the command level, but a roughly 6-month (about 180-day) wait between attempts is the typical policy reported across Air Force and Marine Corps sources. Unlike some civilian licensing exams, there is no widely documented policy that shortens or lengthens the wait based on how many times you've failed — the same waiting period generally applies each time, though exceptions can be granted if the testing environment itself was disrupted.

Q: What topics does the EDPT actually cover?

Five areas: number sequences (pattern recognition and series completion), arithmetic reasoning (word problems, percentages, ratios), verbal reasoning (word analogies and reading inference), figural reasoning (spatial transformations and matrix patterns), and logical analysis (conditional logic, syllogisms, truth tables). The Air Force and Marine Corps have not released an official public item-count breakdown by topic, so treat any percentage weighting you see — including on this site — as a study-planning estimate rather than a published blueprint.

Q: Can I use a calculator on the EDPT?

No. The EDPT is a paper-based test with no calculator allowed, so all arithmetic must be done mentally or on scratch paper within the roughly 45-second-per-question pace across 120 questions in 90 minutes. There is no fee to take the EDPT and no penalty for guessing, so answering every question — even with an educated guess — is better than leaving it blank.

Question 1

How do you identify an arithmetic sequence?

Accepted Answer

Check if consecutive terms share a constant difference (e.g., 3, 7, 11, 15 add 4 each time). If the differences are constant, the next term equals the last term plus that constant.

Question 2

How do you identify a geometric sequence?

Accepted Answer

Check if consecutive terms share a constant ratio (e.g., 3, 6, 12, 24 doubles each time). Divide each term by the one before it; if the ratio is always the same, multiply the last term by that ratio to continue.

Question 3

What comes next: 2, 5, 11, 23, 47, __?

Accepted Answer

95. Each term equals the previous term doubled plus one (2×2+1=5, 5×2+1=11, 11×2+1=23...), so 47×2+1=95.

Question 4

What is a second-order (difference-of-differences) sequence?

Accepted Answer

A sequence where the first differences aren't constant, but the differences BETWEEN those differences are. Example: 1, 2, 5, 10, 17 has differences 1, 3, 5, 7 (itself arithmetic), so the next difference is 9, giving 26.

Question 5

What comes next: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, __?

Accepted Answer

13. This is a Fibonacci-style sequence: each term is the sum of the two terms before it (5+8=13).

Question 6

How do you spot an interleaved (two hidden sequences) pattern?

Accepted Answer

List the odd-position terms and even-position terms separately. If each subset follows its own simple rule (e.g., one increases by 2, the other by 5), the sequence is actually two sequences merged into one list.

Question 7

What comes next: 3, 6, 5, 10, 9, 18, __?

Accepted Answer

17. Positions alternate ×2 and −1: 3×2=6, 6−1=5, 5×2=10, 10−1=9, 9×2=18, 18−1=17.

Question 8

Why are perfect squares (1, 4, 9, 16, 25...) a common EDPT trap pattern?

Accepted Answer

Their differences (3, 5, 7, 9...) grow by a constant 2 each time, so test-takers who only check for ONE constant difference miss the square-number pattern entirely.

Question 9

How do triangular numbers (1, 3, 6, 10, 15...) grow?

Accepted Answer

Each term adds one more than the previous addition (add 2, then 3, then 4, then 5). Recognizing this differences-increase-by-one pattern instantly flags a triangular-number series.

Question 10

What is the fastest first move when you see a sequence with rapidly accelerating numbers?

Accepted Answer

Test for a geometric (multiplicative) or exponential pattern before checking arithmetic differences — rapid growth almost always signals multiplication, not addition.

Question 11

What comes next: 100, 95, 85, 70, 50, __?

Accepted Answer

25. The amount subtracted itself increases by 5 each step (5, 10, 15, 20, 25), a second-order pattern — 50 minus 25 equals 25.

Question 12

Why should you verify a sequence rule on at least two term-pairs before answering?

Accepted Answer

A rule that fits only the first pair can be a coincidence; confirming it holds across two or more consecutive pairs protects against picking a trap answer that only matches one transition.

Question 13

A word problem gives you wholesale cost and a markup percent — what do you apply the percent to?

Accepted Answer

Always apply the markup percentage to the wholesale (original) cost, never to the final retail price — using retail as the base is one of the most common EDPT arithmetic traps.

Question 14

How do you combine two workers' rates on a combined-work problem?

Accepted Answer

Add their individual rates (jobs per hour), not their times. If Worker A finishes a job in 4 hours (1/4 per hour) and Worker B in 6 hours (1/6 per hour), the combined rate is 1/4+1/6=5/12 job per hour.

Question 15

Two trains start 300 miles apart and move toward each other at 40 and 60 mph — how do you find when they meet?

Accepted Answer

Add the two speeds to get the closing speed (100 mph), then divide the distance by that closing speed: 300 ÷ 100 = 3 hours until they meet.

Question 16

A price rises 20% then falls 20% — what is the net change?

Accepted Answer

Not zero. Multiply the factors: 1.20 × 0.80 = 0.96, a net 4% decrease, because the second percentage applies to a different (larger, then smaller) base than the first.

Question 17

How do you set up a ratio-and-total word problem (e.g., split $600 in a 2:3 ratio)?

Accepted Answer

Add the ratio parts (2+3=5), divide the total by that sum ($600÷5=$120 per part), then multiply each part's share by $120 (giving $240 and $360).

Question 18

What is the 'overlap' rule for two-group word problems (e.g., students who play chess or read)?

Accepted Answer

Total = Group A + Group B minus the overlap (people counted in both groups). Forgetting to subtract the overlap is a classic EDPT error that produces an inflated total.

Question 19

How do you solve a mixture problem asking for a target concentration?

Accepted Answer

Multiply each solution's volume by its concentration, add the results together, then divide by the total combined volume to get the new blended concentration.

Question 20

Why can't you simply average two speeds to get the overall average speed over equal distances?

Accepted Answer

Average speed for equal distances is the harmonic mean, not the arithmetic mean, because more TIME is spent traveling at the slower speed. Use total distance divided by total time instead.

Question 21

A gear with 40 teeth drives a gear with 10 teeth — how many times does the small gear turn per turn of the large gear?

Accepted Answer

4 times. Gear ratio is inverse to tooth count: turns of the small gear equal the large gear's tooth count divided by the small gear's tooth count (40÷10=4).

Question 22

What is the fastest way to compute 'percent of' without a calculator?

Accepted Answer

Convert the percent to a decimal and multiply directly (e.g., 15% of 80 = 0.15 × 80 = 12) rather than working through fractions — this saves critical seconds under the 45-second-per-question pace.

Question 23

How do you correctly compute a percentage change?

Accepted Answer

Always divide by the ORIGINAL (starting) value, never the new value: percent change = (new − original) ÷ original × 100.

Question 24

After a store loses 20% of an item's value, why does it need MORE than a 20% gain to break even?

Accepted Answer

Because the required gain is calculated on the smaller, already-reduced base. Recovering from a 20% loss actually requires a 25% gain on the discounted price, not 20%.

Question 25

If you know a group's average and then remove one member, what is the fastest way to find the new average?

Accepted Answer

Subtract the removed member's value from the original total, then divide by the new (smaller) count — don't recompute the whole sum from scratch.

Question 26

In a word analogy like DOCTOR : STETHOSCOPE, what relationship type is this?

Accepted Answer

Tool-to-user (or user-to-tool): a professional paired with the instrument they characteristically use. Confirm the answer pair mirrors the same direction (professional-then-tool, or tool-then-professional).

Question 27

What is the fastest way to solve any word analogy?

Accepted Answer

Build one precise sentence bridging the first pair (e.g., 'A stethoscope is the tool a doctor uses'), then test each answer choice in that exact same sentence — the pair that fits without altering the bridge wins.

Question 28

How do you distinguish a synonym-pair analogy from a degree-pair analogy?

Accepted Answer

Synonym pairs share the same core meaning at the same intensity (happy : glad). Degree pairs share a category but differ in intensity (warm : hot). Check whether the second word intensifies the first.

Question 29

In verbal reasoning, what does a word like 'despite' or 'however' signal in a passage?

Accepted Answer

An upcoming contrast or reversal of the idea just stated — the correct inference must account for this shift in direction, not simply continue the initial idea.

Question 30

What is the 'best supported' rule for reading-inference questions?

Accepted Answer

Choose only the conclusion the passage's actual wording directly supports — reject options that require outside knowledge or a bigger leap than the text justifies, even if they sound plausible.

Question 31

Why is 'overreach' wording (always, never, all, none) a common wrong-answer trap?

Accepted Answer

Passages rarely support absolute claims. An answer choice with unqualified extreme language usually goes further than the evidence allows and should be eliminated first.

Question 32

In a category-pair analogy like OAK : TREE, what is the relationship?

Accepted Answer

Member-to-class: the first word is a specific instance belonging to the general category named by the second word. Look for the same specific-to-general direction in the answer pair.

Question 33

How does a cause-effect analogy differ from a function-pair analogy?

Accepted Answer

Cause-effect pairs show one word triggering or producing the other (spark : fire). Function pairs share a common purpose or use without one causing the other (hammer : wrench — both are tools).

Question 34

What should you do if two analogy answer choices both seem to fit loosely?

Accepted Answer

Re-tighten your bridge sentence to be as specific as possible (adding direction, degree, or causation detail) — the more precise bridge usually eliminates one of the two close choices.

Question 35

Why should you eliminate 'not stated' assumptions before selecting a verbal-reasoning answer?

Accepted Answer

Correct answers rely only on information given, or a small direct logical step from it. Any choice needing an assumption the passage never mentions should be ruled out.

Question 36

What distinguishes a rotation from a reflection in a figure sequence?

Accepted Answer

A rotation turns a shape around a point while preserving its handedness (a clockwise L stays a clockwise L). A reflection flips the shape across an axis, reversing its handedness (left becomes right).

Question 37

What is a translation in figural reasoning?

Accepted Answer

The shape slides to a new position without turning, flipping, or resizing — only its location on the grid changes, not its orientation or size.

Question 38

What is dilation in a figure pattern?

Accepted Answer

A change in size only (bigger or smaller) with the shape's orientation and form otherwise unchanged — distinguish it from rotation or reflection, which don't alter size.

Question 39

How do you solve a 3x3 matrix figural-reasoning item?

Accepted Answer

Check whether the pattern changes consistently across each row, down each column, or both at once (a 'dual rule'). The missing cell must satisfy every row rule and every column rule simultaneously.

Question 40

What is the 'no repeat within a row' matrix constraint?

Accepted Answer

In many matrix items, each shape, fill, or color variant appears exactly once per row and once per column — if an answer choice would duplicate an element already used in that row, eliminate it.

Question 41

How do you solve a cube-net folding question?

Accepted Answer

Mentally fold the six-square flat pattern along its shared edges and track which faces end up adjacent versus opposite. Faces separated by one square in the net usually become adjacent when folded; faces at the two ends of a straight line of four are usually opposite.

Question 42

What is a 'side progression' figure pattern?

Accepted Answer

Each figure in the sequence gains exactly one more side than the previous one (triangle, square, pentagon...) — count sides across the sequence to confirm the rule and predict the next figure.

Question 43

In a rotating-view question (a 3D solid shown from different angles), what should you check first?

Accepted Answer

Confirm which features (like a sphere's circular outline) stay identical from every viewing angle versus which features (like a cube's visible corners) change — this quickly rules out impossible answer views.

Question 44

What is the 'doubling lines' figure pattern?

Accepted Answer

The number of internal lines or divisions within a shape doubles at each step in the sequence — spot it by counting internal segments across consecutive figures, not just the outer shape.

Question 45

How do you approach an 'odd one out' figural item?

Accepted Answer

Compare all the figures against each other to find one differing trait (an extra line, a different fill, a mismatched rotation) rather than searching for what's 'wrong' in isolation — the odd figure breaks a rule the rest all share.

Question 46

If 'If P then Q' is true and P is true, what can you conclude (modus ponens)?

Accepted Answer

Q must be true. This is the only direct, always-valid way to affirm the consequent from a true conditional paired with a true antecedent.

Question 47

If 'If P then Q' is true and Q is false, what can you conclude (modus tollens)?

Accepted Answer

P must be false. Denying the consequent of a true conditional always lets you validly deny the antecedent.

Question 48

Is the converse of 'If P then Q' ('If Q then P') logically equivalent to the original?

Accepted Answer

No. The converse is NOT guaranteed true just because the original conditional is true — this is one of the most common EDPT logic traps.

Question 49

Is the contrapositive of 'If P then Q' ('If not Q then not P') logically equivalent to the original?

Accepted Answer

Yes, always. The contrapositive is the only reformulation of a conditional guaranteed to be logically equivalent, making it safe to substitute anywhere in a reasoning chain.

Question 50

In a syllogism, why doesn't 'Some A are B' plus 'Some B are C' let you conclude 'Some A are C'?

Accepted Answer

The 'some' portions named in each premise may not overlap with each other at all, so no valid conclusion follows — this undistributed-middle pattern is a frequent trap on formal-logic items.

Free EDPT Exam Flashcards

Filter by Topic

Jump to Card

About These EDPT Flashcards

Topics Covered

Frequently Asked Questions

EDPT Electronic Data Processing Test

Explore More Military Aptitude Tests

ASVAB Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

PiCAT Pre-employment iCAT

DLAB Defense Language Aptitude Battery

DoD Cyber Test

AFCT Armed Forces Classification Test

NAPT Navy Advanced Programs Test

More From This Family