PMA Entrance Exam Exam Flashcards

Q: What is the PMAEE passing score?

There is no fixed passing score. The PMAEE uses competitive selection: candidates are ranked by score, and only the top performers (roughly the top 4-5% of all applicants who complete the full pipeline) advance toward regional cadet quotas.

Q: How many questions and subtests are on the PMAEE?

The PMAEE typically has 150-200 multiple-choice items completed in about 3 hours. Prep sources and past examinees describe five subtests: English, Mathematics, Science, Abstract Reasoning (SPMA), and General Information, though the PMA's own published materials emphasize Mathematics, English, and Abstract Reasoning as the three core sections.

Q: Is there a fee to take the PMAEE?

No. Application and testing for the PMAEE are completely free at all official testing centers nationwide.

Q: Can I retake the PMAEE if I don't pass?

Yes. Candidates may reapply in a future admission cycle as long as they still meet the age requirement (17 to 22 years old on June 1 of the admission year) and other eligibility criteria.

Q: What topics does the General Information subtest cover?

General Information draws on the 1987 Philippine Constitution, AFP knowledge (ranks, structure, missions), PMA-specific history and traditions, Philippine military history, current military/defense events, and world history and geography.

Question 1

Order of Operations

Accepted Answer

Solve expressions using PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication/Division (left to right), Addition/Subtraction (left to right). Errors here are a top cause of missed arithmetic items.

Question 2

Solving a linear equation

Accepted Answer

Isolate the variable by performing the same operation on both sides: combine like terms, then undo addition/subtraction before multiplication/division. Example: 3x + 5 = 20 -> 3x = 15 -> x = 5.

Question 3

Solving a system of two equations

Accepted Answer

Use substitution (solve one equation for a variable, plug into the other) or elimination (add/subtract equations to cancel a variable). Both methods give the same (x, y) solution.

Question 4

Quadratic formula

Accepted Answer

For ax^2 + bx + c = 0, x = (-b +/- sqrt(b^2 - 4ac)) / 2a. Use it when a quadratic doesn't factor cleanly.

Question 5

Percentage word problem formula

Accepted Answer

Part = Percent x Whole (as a decimal). To find percent change: (New Value - Old Value) / Old Value x 100%.

Question 6

Ratio and proportion

Accepted Answer

A ratio compares two quantities (a:b); a proportion sets two ratios equal (a/b = c/d). Solve by cross-multiplying: a x d = b x c.

Question 7

Distance-rate-time word problems

Accepted Answer

Distance = Rate x Time (d = rt). Rearrange to r = d/t or t = d/r depending on what's unknown. Watch for unit conversions (hours vs minutes).

Question 8

Area formulas for common shapes

Accepted Answer

Rectangle: length x width. Triangle: 1/2 x base x height. Circle: pi x r^2. Trapezoid: 1/2 x (base1 + base2) x height.

Question 9

Perimeter and circumference formulas

Accepted Answer

Perimeter of a polygon = sum of all side lengths. Circumference of a circle = 2 x pi x r (or pi x diameter).

Question 10

Pythagorean theorem

Accepted Answer

For a right triangle with legs a and b and hypotenuse c: a^2 + b^2 = c^2. Used to find a missing side when two sides are known.

Question 11

Sum of interior angles of a polygon

Accepted Answer

Sum of interior angles = (n - 2) x 180 degrees, where n is the number of sides. A triangle's angles always sum to 180 degrees; a quadrilateral's to 360 degrees.

Question 12

Subject-verb agreement rule

Accepted Answer

A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb. Ignore intervening phrases: 'The list of items is long' (subject is 'list,' not 'items').

Question 13

Pronoun-antecedent agreement

Accepted Answer

A pronoun must match its antecedent in number and gender. Example: 'Each student must bring his or her ID' (singular 'each' takes a singular pronoun, not 'their' in strict formal usage).

Question 14

Commonly confused homophones

Accepted Answer

their (possessive) vs there (place) vs they're (they are); its (possessive) vs it's (it is); your (possessive) vs you're (you are).

Question 15

Vocabulary strategy: synonyms

Accepted Answer

When unsure of a word's meaning, use context clues in the surrounding sentence and eliminate answer choices with the opposite or unrelated meaning first.

Question 16

Vocabulary strategy: antonyms

Accepted Answer

Identify the given word's core meaning, then look for the choice that expresses the most direct opposite - not just a loosely related or milder contrast.

Question 17

The eight parts of speech

Accepted Answer

Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection - the building blocks tested in grammar and sentence-correction items.

Question 18

Verb tense consistency

Accepted Answer

Keep verb tense consistent within a sentence or passage unless a clear time shift is indicated. Watch for shifts like 'She walks to school and finished her homework' (inconsistent).

Question 19

Active vs. passive voice

Accepted Answer

Active voice: subject performs the action ('The cadet fired the rifle'). Passive voice: subject receives the action ('The rifle was fired by the cadet'). Active voice is usually clearer and preferred.

Question 20

Reading comprehension: main idea vs. supporting details

Accepted Answer

The main idea is the passage's central point (often in the topic sentence); supporting details are the facts, examples, or reasons that back it up. Don't confuse a supporting detail for the main idea.

Question 21

Commonly confused words: affect vs. effect

Accepted Answer

'Affect' is usually a verb meaning to influence ('The heat affected performance'). 'Effect' is usually a noun meaning a result ('The heat had an effect on performance').

Question 22

Sentence types

Accepted Answer

Simple (one independent clause), compound (two independent clauses joined by a conjunction), complex (independent + dependent clause), compound-complex (two+ independent clauses plus a dependent clause).

Question 23

Newton's three laws of motion (basic)

Accepted Answer

1st: an object stays at rest or in motion unless acted on by a force (inertia). 2nd: Force = mass x acceleration. 3rd: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Question 24

States (phases) of matter

Accepted Answer

Solid (fixed shape/volume), liquid (fixed volume, takes container shape), gas (no fixed shape or volume), plasma (ionized gas). Phase changes: melting, freezing, evaporation, condensation, sublimation.

Question 25

Basic atomic structure

Accepted Answer

An atom has a nucleus containing protons (positive charge) and neutrons (no charge), surrounded by electrons (negative charge) in orbitals. Protons determine the element's identity.

Question 26

Photosynthesis

Accepted Answer

Plants convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen using sunlight energy captured by chlorophyll: 6CO2 + 6H2O + light -> C6H12O6 + 6O2.

Question 27

Human circulatory system - basic function

Accepted Answer

The heart pumps blood through arteries (carry blood away from the heart) and veins (carry blood back to the heart), delivering oxygen and nutrients to body tissues.

Question 28

pH scale basics

Accepted Answer

pH ranges from 0 to 14. Below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral (pure water), above 7 is basic (alkaline). Lower pH means a stronger acid.

Question 29

Layers of the Earth

Accepted Answer

From surface to center: crust (thin outer layer), mantle (thick, mostly solid rock that flows slowly), outer core (liquid metal), inner core (solid metal under extreme pressure).

Question 30

Basic physics formula: speed

Accepted Answer

Speed = Distance / Time. Velocity adds direction to speed. Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over time.

Question 31

The water cycle

Accepted Answer

Evaporation (water turns to vapor from heat) -> condensation (vapor cools into clouds) -> precipitation (rain/snow falls) -> collection/runoff (water returns to bodies of water and repeats).

Question 32

Figure sequence strategy

Accepted Answer

Scan each figure for one changing attribute at a time - rotation direction/angle, added or removed lines/shapes, size change, or shading - then predict the next logical step in that single pattern.

Question 33

Analogy strategy (A is to B as C is to ?)

Accepted Answer

First define the precise relationship between the first pair (e.g., part-to-whole, cause-effect, synonym), then find the answer choice that reproduces that exact relationship with the second pair.

Question 34

Pattern matrix strategy

Accepted Answer

In a 3x3 grid, check for a rule that holds consistently across each row AND each column (e.g., shapes rotate, elements are added, or attributes alternate) before selecting the missing piece.

Question 35

Number series strategy

Accepted Answer

Test the differences between consecutive terms first (constant, increasing, or decreasing), then test ratios or alternating patterns (e.g., +2, x2, +2, x2) if a simple difference doesn't fit.

Question 36

Odd-one-out / classification strategy

Accepted Answer

Identify the shared property among most items in a set (category, function, or attribute) and eliminate the one item that breaks that shared rule.

Question 37

Mirror/reflection symmetry pattern

Accepted Answer

A reflected figure flips across an axis (line of symmetry) - left and right (or top and bottom) elements swap position and orientation without changing size.

Question 38

Verbal/logical reasoning: syllogisms

Accepted Answer

A syllogism draws a conclusion from two premises (e.g., 'All A are B; all B are C; therefore all A are C'). Check that the conclusion follows strictly from the given premises, not from outside assumptions.

Question 39

Shape rotation strategy

Accepted Answer

Track how many degrees a figure rotates each step (e.g., 45, 90, or 135 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise) and apply the same consistent rotation to find the next figure.

Question 40

Letter-number substitution codes

Accepted Answer

Some series use alphanumeric substitution (A=1, B=2, ... Z=26). Convert letters to numbers to reveal an underlying numeric pattern, then convert the answer back to a letter.

Question 41

Philippine Independence Day

Accepted Answer

June 12, 1898 - Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence from Spain at his residence in Kawit, Cavite.

Question 42

Jose Rizal

Accepted Answer

The Philippines' national hero; wrote 'Noli Me Tangere' and 'El Filibusterismo'; executed by Spanish authorities on December 30, 1896, at Bagumbayan (present-day Rizal Park/Luneta), Manila.

Question 43

Three branches of Philippine government

Accepted Answer

Executive (headed by the President, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the AFP), Legislative (Congress), and Judicial (headed by the Supreme Court), as established under the 1987 Constitution.

Question 44

Philippine Congress structure

Accepted Answer

Congress is bicameral: the Senate (24 senators elected at-large, six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (members elected from legislative districts and the party-list system).

Question 45

Founding of the Philippine Military Academy

Accepted Answer

The PMA was established on December 21, 1936, under the National Defense Act of 1935, patterned after the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Question 46

PMA campus location

Accepted Answer

The PMA is located at Fort General Gregorio H. del Pilar, Loakan, Baguio City - about ten kilometers from downtown Baguio.

Question 47

PMA Honor Code

Accepted Answer

"We, the cadets, do not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate among us those who do." It is enforced through the Academy's Honor System and underlies all cadet conduct.

Question 48

Major service branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)

Accepted Answer

The AFP has three major service branches: the Philippine Army, the Philippine Navy (which includes the Philippine Marine Corps), and the Philippine Air Force.

Question 49

Philippine archipelago basics

Accepted Answer

The Philippines has 7,641 islands (per NAMRIA's revised count) grouped into three main island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Question 50

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces

Accepted Answer

Under Article VII of the 1987 Constitution, the President of the Philippines is the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces, including the AFP.

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