Free PiCAT Exam Flashcards

An unproctored, internet-delivered version of the computerized ASVAB. It is used before enlistment processing, but the score must be verified before it becomes official.

The code a recruiter issues so an applicant can start the PiCAT. Without the access code, an applicant cannot self-register for the exam.

Once the PiCAT is started, it must be finished within 48 hours. There are no individual subtest time limits, but the overall completion window still matters.

A short, proctored follow-up taken at a MEPS or MET site. It checks whether the applicant's proctored performance is consistent with the unproctored PiCAT score.

If the VTest is successful, the verified PiCAT score becomes the official ASVAB score used for enlistment eligibility and job qualification.

The PiCAT must be completed independently. Using a calculator, asking another person, searching for answers, or sharing test content can invalidate the score and hurt verification.

The Armed Forces Qualification Test score determines basic enlistment eligibility. It is built from the verbal and math subtests, not from every ASVAB subtest.

The AFQT uses Arithmetic Reasoning, Mathematics Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, and Word Knowledge. These four areas deserve the first study priority.

A combined verbal score based on Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension. VE is important because verbal performance carries heavy weight in the AFQT.

AFQT scores are reported as percentiles from 1 to 99. A percentile compares performance with a reference group; it is not the percent of questions answered correctly.

ASVAB subtests use standard scores with a fixed mean and spread. They support comparisons across subtests and feed into AFQT and service line-score calculations.

Service-specific composites made from ASVAB subtests. AFQT may qualify a person to enlist, but line scores help determine which military jobs are available.

The verbal subtest focused on word meanings and synonyms. Study roots, prefixes, suffixes, and context clues instead of memorizing isolated word lists only.

Hints inside a sentence that reveal a word's meaning. Look for contrast words, examples, definitions, and cause-effect signals before choosing a synonym.

A tempting answer that means the opposite of the target word. Slow down on words with negative prefixes such as un-, in-, im-, dis-, and non-.

Break unfamiliar words into meaningful parts. For example, bene usually points to good or well, while mal often points to bad or wrong.

The central point of a passage. A good main-idea answer is broad enough to cover the whole paragraph but specific enough to reflect what the author actually says.

A conclusion supported by evidence in the passage even if it is not stated word for word. Avoid choices that require outside knowledge or unsupported guesses.

Why the passage was written: to explain, persuade, compare, describe, or instruct. Match the purpose to the whole passage, not just one vivid sentence.

A question that asks for information directly stated in the passage. Re-read the relevant sentence and avoid answers that are true in general but absent from the text.

A comparison of two quantities. Keep the order fixed: a ratio of officers to enlisted members of 1:8 means 1 officer for every 8 enlisted members.

Percent change = change divided by original amount, then multiplied by 100. Always compare the difference to the starting value, not the ending value.

Use distance = rate x time. For catch-up problems, find the head start distance first, then divide by the difference in speeds.

Treat the job as total work. If one person takes 12 hours, the rate is 1/12 job per hour; combined rates add when people work together.

Convert units before calculating. A common mistake is mixing inches with feet, minutes with hours, or gallons with quarts in the same equation.

Evaluate parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division from left to right, then addition/subtraction from left to right. This prevents different answers from the same expression.

When multiplying powers with the same base, add the exponents: x^a * x^b = x^(a+b). The base must be the same for this rule to apply.

Slope is rise over run: (change in y) divided by (change in x). Positive slope rises left to right; negative slope falls left to right.

A = pi r^2. Use the radius, not the diameter. If the diameter is given, divide it by 2 before substituting into the formula.

Undo operations in reverse order to isolate the variable. Whatever you do to one side of the equation, do to the other side as well.

A structured way to test ideas: observe, form a hypothesis, test with an experiment, analyze results, and revise the conclusion if evidence requires it.

Mitosis creates two genetically identical body cells for growth and repair. Meiosis creates reproductive cells with half the chromosome number and genetic variation.

A formula shows which elements are present and how many atoms of each are in a molecule. H2O means two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

From low to high energy: radio, microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, gamma ray. Higher frequency means shorter wavelength.

Voltage = current x resistance, written V = I x R. Use it to solve circuit questions when two of the three values are known.

A circuit with only one path for current. Current is the same through each component, and total resistance is the sum of all resistances.

A circuit with multiple current paths. Voltage is the same across each branch, and adding branches usually lowers total resistance.

A circuit component or arrangement that converts alternating current into direct current. Diodes are commonly used because they let current flow mainly one way.

A component that stores electrical charge. In power supplies, capacitors can smooth voltage ripple after rectification.

The basic cycle is intake, compression, power, and exhaust. The piston and valves coordinate these strokes to draw in mixture, compress it, burn it, and remove exhaust.

A vehicle system that removes excess engine heat. Coolant, radiator, water pump, thermostat, fan, and hoses work together to prevent overheating.

Oil reduces friction, carries heat, and helps protect moving engine parts. Low oil can cause rapid wear, overheating, and engine failure.

A twisting force. Torque equals force times perpendicular distance from the pivot, so a longer wrench produces more torque with the same applied force.

A comparison of gear teeth or rotational speeds. A small driving gear turning a larger driven gear increases torque but reduces output speed.

A rigid bar that pivots around a fulcrum. Moving the effort farther from the fulcrum increases mechanical advantage and reduces the force needed.

A fixed pulley changes force direction; a movable pulley reduces the force needed. More supporting rope segments generally mean greater mechanical advantage.

Pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted equally throughout the fluid. Hydraulic brakes and lifts use this principle to multiply force.

Faster-moving fluid has lower pressure. Airplane wings use pressure differences above and below the wing as one contributor to lift.

The spatial subtest asks how parts fit together. Rotate pieces mentally, match edges, and eliminate answers with impossible overlaps or reversed orientation.

Prepare by studying honestly, practicing without a calculator, and using mixed sets across AFQT topics. Consistent performance matters more than a one-time unproctored score spike.