ASVAB - AR: Test Structure and Strategy

ASVAB - AR: Test Structure and Strategy

The Arithmetic Reasoning Test Structure

• There are two math sections (subtests) in the ASVAB.

• One is called: Arithmetic Reasoning

• The other is: Mathematical Knowledge

• This lesson will focus on the Arithmetic Reasoning Subtest

• The Arithmetic Reasoning subtest asks you to read a word problem, determine what the question is asking, and select the correct answer. (Then you have to repeat the process 29 more times.)

• The next slide is an easy (and I mean EASY) example of this type of question.

Multiple Choice

Jane walks 5 miles to work each morning and 5 miles home each evening. How many miles does Jane walk in a day?

• 6 miles

• 8 miles

• 7 miles

• 10 miles

Taking the Arithmetic Reasoning Subtest

• There are NO CALCULATORS.

• You are supplied with scratch paper.

• You’ll see a mixture of hard questions, medium questions, and easy questions on this subtest.

• The hard ones are worth more points than the medium ones, which are worth more points than the easy ones. 

• You have 36 minutes to answer 30 questions, so you have to work quickly to finish, but you’re not being tested on speed.

• You don’t get extra points for finishing the subtest early.

Multiple Choice

You have to take a test consisting of 30 multiple-choice questions. You have 36 minutes to complete the test. How much time do you have for each question?

• 1 minute, 12 seconds

• 90 seconds

• 1 minute

• 1 minute, 20 seconds

You have to take a test consisting of 30 multiple-choice questions. You have 36 minutes to complete the test. How much time do you have for each question?

• It would be best to just deal in terms of seconds so we won't have to deal with fractions or decimals. To convert the minutes to seconds: 36 × 60 = 2,160 seconds. 

• Now, divide the total number of seconds by the number of test questions: 2,160 ÷ 30 = 72 seconds.

• You have 72 seconds, or 1 minute and 12 seconds to complete each question.

So KEEP TRACK OF TIME!!!

• 1 minute and 12 seconds is not much time, considering that you’re expected to...

• Read the question

• Determine what the question is asking,

• Translate the problem into mathematical equations,

• Solve those equations,

• And then answer the question,

• AND if you have time, check your answer

KEEPING TRACK OF TIME!!!

• Again you have 1 minute and 12 seconds for each question.

• Don’t spend too much time on any one question.

•  If a question is stumping you, admit defeat, and choose an answer. (yes...guess. we will go over making a logical guess)

•  Then move on to the next question.

• You don’t want to find yourself in a position where you only have 15 minutes left, and you’re on question 3.

When you're STUCK on a question...

You can often answer the question by seeing which of the answer choices work.

Try the question on the next slide

(we will look at using the choices)

Multiple Choice

The product of two consecutive negative even integers is 24. Find the smallest number.

•  $-2$  

•  $-4$  

•  $-6$  

•  $-7$  

The product of two consecutive negative even integers is 24. Find the smallest number.

• Granted you need to understand the math terms

• Product: means multiplication

• Consecutive: means one after the other in order from small to big

• The numbers have to be negative

• And the numbers have to be even

• Integers: no decimals or fractions

• So there was one answer we could just eliminate (answer next slide)

Multiple Choice

WHICH ANSWER BELOW CAN WE ELIMINATE?

•  $-2$  

•  $-4$  

•  $-6$  

•  $-7$  

The question says they are two consecutive EVEN integers

-7 is NOT EVEN

So if we had to guess at least we would have a one in three chance now

The product of two consecutive negative even integers is 24. Find the smallest number.

• Consecutive, Negative and Even

• Consecutive means the are in order, like a number line.

• Like: -14 ...-12 ...-10 ...-8 ...-6 ...-4 ...-2 (blue ones are choices they give)

• Option 1: -6 x -4

• Option 2: -4 x -2

• Option 3: -2 x ?? (the next number is zero, not negative, so -2 is not the answer)

The product of two consecutive negative even integers is 24. Find the smallest number.

• So we are left with two options that we need to multiply together to get 24.

• Option 1: -6 x -4 = 24

• Option 2: -4 x -2 = 8

• So -6 and -4 are two consecutive, negative, even integers whose product is 24

• The question asks for the smallest number...which is -6.

Logical Guessing

Like on the last problem where we eliminated -7

We can eliminate answers that don't make sense and then if we have to guess, we have a better chance of guessing corectly.

Multiple Select

An appliance store advertises a discount of 20% of the list price of every item. Find the total cost, including 6% sales tax, of a washing machine that is listed at $500?

🚫WHICH CHOICES CAN WE ELIMINATE?🚫

• $100

• $424

• $452

• $636

Which ones can we eliminate?

• $100 is simply too low.

• If it was discounted at 50% it would cost $250 plus tax. The discount is only 20%.

• And...

• If it's discounted, $636 is higher than the starting listed price. How can you have a discount and pay more.

• So $636 is too high.

• So now you have a 50/50 chance.

Multiple Select

 $\frac{8}{9}$  of Mr. Robinson's class got A's this marking period. Approximately what percent of the class is that?

🚫WHICH CHOICES CAN WE ELIMINATE?🚫

• 8.9%

• 80%

• 88%

• 90%