Angie Papple Johnston joined the U.S. Army in 2006 as a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Specialist. During her second deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Angie became her battalion's public affairs representative. She also served as the Lead Cadre for the Texas Army National Guard's Recruit Sustainment program.

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 2

Beyond the Book 2

Where to Go from Here 3

Part 1: Getting Started with the ASVAB 5

Chapter 1: Putting the ASVAB under a Microscope 7

Knowing Which Version You're Taking 7

Mapping Out the ASVAB Subtests 8

Eyeing Easy, Medium, and Hard Questions 10

Deciphering ASVAB Scores 10

Do-Over: Retaking the ASVAB 15

Chapter 2: Knowing What It Takes to Get Your Dream Job 19

Eyeing How ASVAB Scores Determine Military Training Programs and Jobs 20

Understanding How Each Branch Computes Line Scores 21

Chapter 3: Strategizing Your Way to a Good Score 25

Taking the Test: Computerized or Paper? 25

Tackling Multiple-Choice Questions 28

When You Don't Know an Answer: Guessing Smart 29

Studying and Practicing for the ASVAB 30

Getting Access to the Online Test Bank 32

Personalizing Your Own Study Plan 32

Outlining Your ASVAB Study Strategy 33

Making Last-Minute Preparations: 24 Hours and Counting 37

Part 2: Words to Live By: Communication Skills 39

Chapter 4: Word Knowledge 41

Grasping the Importance of Word Knowledge 42

Checking Out the Word Knowledge Question Format 42

Building Words from Scratch: Strategies to Help You Decipher Word Meanings 43

Yin and Yang: Understanding Synonyms and Antonyms 48

ASVAB Word Knowledge Strategy: Finding the Answer When You Just Don't Know 49

You Are What You Speak: Improving Your Vocabulary, Improving Yourself 54

Word Knowledge Practice Questions 58

Answers and Explanations 62

Chapter 5: Paragraph Comprehension 65

Understanding the Importance of Paragraph Comprehension for Military Jobs 65

Eyeing the Physique of the Paragraph Comprehension Subtest 66

Sampling the Four Types of Comprehension Questions 66

Do You Get My Point? Breaking down Paragraphs 71

Analyzing What You've Read: Guessing at What the Writer Really Means 73

Faster than a Speeding Turtle: Tips for Slow Readers 74

Test-Taking Tips for Reading and Gleaning 75

Paragraph Comprehension Practice Questions 77

Answers and Explanations 84

Part 3: Making the Most of Math: Arithmetic Skills 87

Chapter 6: Mathematics Knowledge and Operations 89

Just When You Thought You Were Done with Vocab: Math Terminology 90

Operations: What You Do to Numbers. 91

Working on Both Sides of the Line: Fractions 95

A Powerful Shorthand: Writing in Scientific Notation 104

Getting to the Root of the Problem. 104

Test-Taking Techniques for Your Mathematical Journey 106

Math Knowledge and Operations Practice Questions 109

Answers and Explanations 113

Chapter 7: Algebra 119

Coming to Terms with Basic Algebra Lingo 119

Solving for X 120

When All Things Are Equal: Keeping an Algebra Equation Balanced 121

Tackling Two-Variable Equations 125

Explaining Exponents in Algebra 127

A Step Back: Factoring Algebra Expressions to Find Original Numbers 127

Making Alphabet Soup: Solving Quadratic Equations 128

All Math Isn't Created Equal: Solving Inequalities 129

Algebra Practice Questions 132

Answers and Explanations 136

Chapter 8: Geometry 145

Perusing Perimeter and Area 146

Outlining Angles 146

Pointing Out Triangle Types 148

Back to Square One: Quadrilaterals 149

Going around in Circles 151

Fillin' It Up: Calculating Volume 152

Mapping Out Coordinates 157

Hammering Down Helpful Geometry Formulas 158

Geometry Practice Questions 160

Answers and Explanations 167

Chapter 9: Arithmetic Reasoning: Math Word Problems 173

Tackling the Real World of Word Problems 174

The Guessing Game: Putting Reason in Your Guessing Strategy 177

Arithmetic Reasoning (Math Word Problems) Practice Questions 180

Answers and Explanations 187

Part 4: Examining General Science Under a Microscope 195

Chapter 10: General Science and Life Science 197

There's a Scientific Method to the Madness 198

Understanding Forms of Measurement 199

Uncovering Biology, from Big to Small 200

Perusing the Human Body Systems 204

Digging through Plant Physiology 210

Thinking Small: A Look at Cells 212

Swimming in the Gene Pool: Genetics 214

Using Common Sense to Hypothesize about Answers 215

General and Life Science Practice Questions 216

Answers and Explanations 220

Chapter 11: Physical Sciences 223

Chemistry: Not Blowing Up the Lab 224

Physics: It Matters (and It's Matter) 230

Physical Science Practice Questions 239

Answers and Explanations 243

Chapter 12: Earth and Space Sciences 247

Staying Down to Earth with Geology and Meteorology 247

Paleontology: Can You Dig It? 255

Where Few Have Gone Before: Astronomy 257

Getting Back to Your Latin Roots to Improve Your Test Score 262

Earth and Space Science Practice Questions 263

Answers and Explanations 267

Part 5: The Whole Ball of Facts: Technical Skills 271

Chapter 13: Auto Information 273

Checking under the Hood 273

Cruising toward a Better Score 283

Auto Information Practice Questions 285

Answers and Explanations 287

Chapter 14: Shop Information 289

Picking Up the Tools of the Trade 289

Sticking Materials Together with Fasteners 296

Building a Better Score 298

Shop Information Practice Questions. 300

Answers and Explanations 302

Chapter 15: Mechanical Comprehension 303

A-mass-ing Knowledge on Matter, Weight, Density, and Relativity 304

Understanding the Forces of the Universe 305

You Call That Work?! 310

Relying on Machines to Help You Work 312

Working Your Way to a Better Test Score 321

Mechanical Comprehension Practice Questions 323

Answers and Explanations 326

Chapter 16: Electronics Information 329

Uncovering the Secrets of Electricity 330

Switching Things Up with Alternating and Direct Current 340

Picture It: Decoding Electrical Circuit Codes 342

Coming in Hot: Wire Color Codes Used in the U.S 346

Eyeing Some Electronics Information Test Tips 347

Electronics Information Practice Questions 349

Answers and Explanations 351

Chapter 17: Assembling Objects 353

Getting the Picture about Assembling Objects 353

Two Types of Questions for the Price of One 354

Tips for the Assembling Objects Subtest 357

Assembling Objects Practice Questions 359

Answers and Explanations 361

Part 6: Practice Asvab Exams 363

Chapter 18: Practice Exam 1 365

Answer Sheet for Practice Exam 1 367

Subtest 1: General Science 369

Subtest 2: Arithmetic Reasoning 371

Subtest 3: Word Knowledge 375

Subtest 4: Paragraph Comprehension 378

Subtest 5: Mathematics Knowledge 381

Subtest 6: Electronics Information 384

Subtest 7: Auto & Shop Information 386

Subtest 8: Mechanical Comprehension 389

Subtest 9: Assembling Objects 394

Chapter 19: Practice Exam 1: Answers and Explanations 397

Subtest 1: General Science Answers 397

Subtest 2: Arithmetic Reasoning Answers 399

Subtest 3: Word Knowledge Answers 402

Subtest 4: Paragraph Comprehension Answers 404

Subtest 5: Mathematics Knowledge Answers 405

Subtest 6: Electronics Information Answers 408

Subtest 7: Auto & Shop Information Answers 410

Subtest 8: Mechanical Comprehension Answers 411

Subtest 9: Assembling Objects Answers 413

Chapter 20: Practice Exam 2 417

Answer Sheet for Practice Exam 2 419

Subtest 1: General Science 421

Subtest 2: Arithmetic Reasoning 423

Subtest 3: Word Knowledge 427

Subtest 4: Paragraph Comprehension 430

Subtest 5: Mathematics Knowledge 433

Subtest 6: Electronics Information 436

Subtest 7: Auto & Shop Information 438

Subtest 8: Mechanical Comprehension 441

Subtest 9: Assembling Objects 446

Chapter 21: Practice Exam 2: Answers and Explanations 449

Subtest 1: General Science Answers 449

Subtest 2: Arithmetic Reasoning Answers 451

Subtest 3: Word Knowledge Answers 453

Subtest 4: Paragraph Comprehension Answers 455

Subtest 5: Mathematics Knowledge Answers 456

Subtest 6: Electronics Information Answers 459

Subtest 7: Auto & Shop Information Answers 460

Subtest 8: Mechanical Comprehension Answers 462

Subtest 9: Assembling Objects Answers 463

Chapter 22: Practice Exam 3 467

Answer Sheet for Practice Exam 3 469

Subtest 1: General Science 471

Subtest 2: Arithmetic Reasoning 474

Subtest 3: Word Knowledge 477

Subtest 4: Paragraph Comprehension 480

Subtest 5: Mathematics Knowledge 483

Subtest 6: Electronics Information 486

Subtest 7: Auto & Shop Information 488

Subtest 8: Mechanical Comprehension 491

Subtest 9: Assembling Objects 496

Chapter 23: Practice Exam 3: Answers and Explanations 499

Subtest 1: General Science Answers 499

Subtest 2: Arithmetic Reasoning Answers 501

Subtest 3: Word Knowledge Answers 505

Subtest 4: Paragraph Comprehension Answers 506

Subtest 5: Mathematics Knowledge Answers...