ASVAB — All Questions

A smaller gear driving a larger gear will cause the larger gear to turn:

• a.more slowly✓
• b.backward only
• c.faster
• d.at the same speed

A small gear driving a large gear reduces speed but increases turning force, or torque. The larger gear turns more slowly because it has more teeth to move per revolution.

Which object has the most gravitational potential energy?

• a.A rock resting in a valley
• b.A rock rolling on flat ground
• c.A rock at the top of a hill✓
• d.A rock at the bottom of a hill

Gravitational potential energy increases with height. A rock at the top of a hill is highest, so it has the greatest stored energy ready to convert to motion.

Increasing the length of a lever's effort arm will:

• a.reduce the load
• b.decrease the force output
• c.have no effect
• d.increase the mechanical advantage✓

A longer effort arm gives more leverage, increasing the mechanical advantage. This lets a smaller effort force lift a larger load.

Air pressure is greatest at:

• a.high in the atmosphere
• b.the edge of space
• c.the top of a mountain
• d.sea level✓

Air pressure is highest at sea level because the full weight of the atmosphere presses down there. Pressure decreases with altitude as less air remains above.

A wedge is used to:

• a.lift objects with a rope
• b.reduce electrical current
• c.split or separate objects✓
• d.store rotational energy

A wedge is a moving inclined plane that concentrates force to split or separate materials. An axe head and a knife blade are common wedges.

When a compressed spring is released, the stored energy is converted mainly into:

• a.sound only
• b.electricity
• c.heat only
• d.motion✓

A compressed spring stores elastic potential energy. When released, that energy is converted mainly into kinetic energy, causing the spring or an attached object to move.

Which engine component converts the up-and-down motion of the pistons into rotating motion?

• a.Radiator
• b.Spark plug
• c.Camshaft
• d.Crankshaft✓

The crankshaft is connected to the pistons and turns their linear up-and-down motion into rotational motion that drives the wheels. The camshaft instead controls the valves.

What is the main purpose of engine oil?

• a.To lubricate moving parts✓
• b.To inflate the tires
• c.To power the lights
• d.To cool the cabin

Engine oil lubricates moving metal parts to reduce friction and wear. It also helps carry away heat and keep internal components clean.

A spark plug is used to:

• a.ignite the fuel-air mixture✓
• b.charge the battery
• c.cool the engine
• d.filter the oil

In a gasoline engine, the spark plug produces an electric spark that ignites the compressed fuel-air mixture in the cylinder. This controlled ignition powers the piston stroke.

Which tool is best for measuring the gap of a spark plug?

• a.Hacksaw
• b.Feeler gauge✓
• c.Pipe wrench
• d.Torque wrench

A feeler gauge has thin blades of known thickness used to measure small gaps, such as a spark plug gap. A torque wrench instead measures tightening force.

The part of the car that keeps the engine from overheating by circulating coolant is the:

• a.radiator✓
• b.alternator
• c.distributor
• d.muffler

The radiator transfers heat from the circulating coolant to the outside air, keeping the engine at a safe temperature. The alternator, by contrast, generates electricity.

A Phillips screwdriver is designed to fit a screw head shaped like a:

• a.hexagon
• b.square
• c.cross✓
• d.straight slot

A Phillips screwdriver has a cross-shaped, or X-shaped, tip that matches a screw head with a cross-shaped recess. A flat-blade screwdriver instead fits a single straight slot.

Which part of a car stores electrical energy to start the engine?

• a.Muffler
• b.Fuel pump
• c.Carburetor
• d.Battery✓

The battery supplies the electrical current needed to power the starter motor and start the engine. Once running, the alternator recharges the battery.

The device that reduces engine exhaust noise is the:

• a.alternator
• b.clutch
• c.radiator
• d.muffler✓

The muffler is part of the exhaust system and dampens the loud noise created by the engine's exhaust gases. It does not affect engine cooling or charging.

A torque wrench is used to:

• a.measure voltage
• b.cut metal pipe
• c.tighten bolts to a specific tightness✓
• d.sand wood surfaces

A torque wrench applies a precise, measured amount of turning force to a bolt or nut. This prevents fasteners from being too loose or over-tightened and damaged.

Which type of saw is designed for cutting metal?

• a.Crosscut saw
• b.Hacksaw✓
• c.Chainsaw
• d.Coping saw

A hacksaw has a fine-toothed blade held under tension in a frame and is made for cutting metal and plastic. A crosscut saw and chainsaw are intended for wood.

The system that allows a car to slow down and stop is the:

• a.fuel system
• b.exhaust system
• c.braking system✓
• d.cooling system

The braking system uses friction, typically pads pressing on discs or rotors, to slow the wheels and stop the vehicle. The fuel and exhaust systems handle power, not stopping.

Which tool would you use to drive a nail into wood?

• a.Pliers
• b.Wrench
• c.Hammer✓
• d.Level

A hammer delivers a strong impact to drive nails into wood. Wrenches turn bolts, pliers grip objects, and a level checks whether a surface is horizontal.

In a four-stroke engine, which stroke immediately follows the compression stroke?

• a.Intake stroke
• b.Cooling stroke
• c.Exhaust stroke
• d.Power stroke✓

The four-stroke cycle runs intake, compression, power, then exhaust. After the fuel-air mixture is compressed, the spark plug fires and the power stroke pushes the piston down.

The purpose of a vehicle's transmission is to:

• a.cool the engine oil
• b.transfer engine power to the wheels✓
• c.store fuel
• d.clean the exhaust gases

The transmission uses gears to transfer the engine's power to the wheels while matching engine speed to driving conditions. Lower gears provide more force, higher gears more speed.

A mechanic charges $85 for the first hour of labor and $60 for each additional hour. What is the labor charge for a job that takes 5 hours?

• a.$265
• b.$325✓
• c.$385
• d.$425

The first hour costs $85 and the remaining four hours cost $60 each, so 4 x $60 = $240. Adding $85 + $240 gives $325.

A delivery truck averages 18 miles per gallon. How many gallons of fuel will it use on a 468-mile route?

• a.32 gallons
• b.28 gallons
• c.24 gallons
• d.26 gallons✓

Gallons equal miles divided by miles per gallon: 468 / 18 = 26. Checking the other way, 18 x 26 = 468.

A jacket priced at $72 is marked down 25 percent. What is the sale price?

• a.$60
• b.$48
• c.$58
• d.$54✓

A 25 percent discount removes 72 x 0.25 = $18, leaving 72 - 18 = $54. You can also take 75 percent of $72 directly.

A student scored 82, 91, 76, and 95 on four tests. What is the average score?

• a.84
• b.88
• c.86✓
• d.91

The four scores total 344, and 344 / 4 = 86. The average must fall between the lowest and highest scores, which 86 does.

A recipe calls for flour and sugar in a ratio of 5 to 2. If a baker uses 20 cups of flour, how much sugar is needed?

• a.50 cups
• b.10 cups
• c.4 cups
• d.8 cups✓

Twenty cups of flour is four times the 5 in the ratio, so the sugar is four times the 2, or 8 cups. The ratio 20 to 8 reduces back to 5 to 2.

A runner covers 2 miles in 14 minutes 30 seconds. At the same pace, how long will 5 miles take?

• a.33 minutes 45 seconds
• b.42 minutes 30 seconds
• c.36 minutes 15 seconds✓
• d.38 minutes 45 seconds

Fourteen and a half minutes for 2 miles is 7.25 minutes per mile, and 7.25 x 5 = 36.25 minutes, which is 36 minutes 15 seconds.

How much simple interest does $2,400 earn in 3 years at an annual rate of 6 percent?

• a.$864
• b.$432✓
• c.$504
• d.$144

Simple interest is principal x rate x time: 2400 x 0.06 = $144 per year, and $144 x 3 = $432.

An empty crate weighs 18 pounds. It is packed with 24 cans that each weigh 14 ounces. What is the packed weight?

• a.39 pounds✓
• b.42 pounds
• c.33 pounds
• d.36 pounds

The cans weigh 24 x 14 = 336 ounces, and 336 / 16 = 21 pounds. Adding the 18-pound crate gives 39 pounds.

One painter can finish a room in 6 hours and another can finish the same room in 12 hours. Working together, how long will the room take?

• a.5 hours
• b.4 hours✓
• c.9 hours
• d.3 hours

In one hour the pair completes 1/6 + 1/12 = 3/12 = 1/4 of the room, so the whole room takes 4 hours. Averaging the two times would be wrong.

A car bought for $18,000 is worth $12,600 one year later. By what percent did its value fall?

• a.42 percent
• b.25 percent
• c.32 percent
• d.30 percent✓

The drop is 18,000 - 12,600 = $5,400, and 5,400 / 18,000 = 0.30. Percent change is always measured against the original amount.

A tank that holds 240 gallons is five-eighths full. How many gallons are needed to fill it?

• a.90 gallons✓
• b.150 gallons
• c.96 gallons
• d.60 gallons

If the tank is 5/8 full, it is 3/8 empty. One-eighth of 240 is 30, so 3/8 is 3 x 30 = 90 gallons.

Three pounds of coffee cost $26.85. At the same rate, what do 7 pounds cost?

• a.$53.70
• b.$71.60
• c.$80.55
• d.$62.65✓

One pound costs 26.85 / 3 = $8.95, and 8.95 x 7 = $62.65. Multiplying the 3-pound price by 7 would overcount.

A rectangular field measures 120 feet by 75 feet. Fencing costs $4 per foot. What is the cost to fence the field?

• a.$1,170
• b.$1,950
• c.$1,560✓
• d.$2,340

The perimeter is 2 x (120 + 75) = 390 feet, and 390 x $4 = $1,560. Fencing follows the perimeter, not the area.

A stock recipe calls for 2.5 quarts of broth. How many cups is that?

• a.8 cups
• b.20 cups
• c.10 cups✓
• d.5 cups

One quart equals 4 cups, so 2.5 x 4 = 10 cups.

Twelve people share equally the cost of a $282 rental plus a $54 cleaning fee. How much does each person pay?

• a.$33.60
• b.$23.50
• c.$32.00
• d.$28.00✓

The total is 282 + 54 = $336, and 336 / 12 = $28.00. The cleaning fee has to be added before dividing.

Enrollment in a program rose from 250 students to 320 students. What was the percent increase?

• a.25%
• b.22%
• c.35%
• d.28%✓

The increase is 320 - 250 = 70 students, and 70 / 250 = 0.28. Dividing by the new total instead of the old one is the common error.

A machine produces 45 parts per hour. How many parts does it produce in 7 hours 20 minutes?

• a.330 parts✓
• b.315 parts
• c.345 parts
• d.320 parts

Twenty minutes is one-third of an hour, so the run is 7 1/3 hours. That gives 45 x 7 = 315 parts plus 15 more, or 330.

A convoy leaves at 0800 and arrives at 1345 after covering 322 miles. What was its average speed?

• a.62 mph
• b.58 mph
• c.52 mph
• d.56 mph✓

From 0800 to 1345 is 5 hours 45 minutes, or 5.75 hours. Then 322 / 5.75 = 56, and 56 x 5.75 = 322 confirms it.

A $60 item is discounted 20 percent, and then 8 percent sales tax is added to the discounted price. What is the final total?

• a.$49.92
• b.$54.24
• c.$51.84✓
• d.$55.20

The discount brings the price to 60 x 0.80 = $48.00. Tax adds 48 x 0.08 = $3.84, for a total of $51.84.

Renting a ladder costs $22 for the first day and $9.50 for each day after that. What is the charge for 6 days?

• a.$69.50✓
• b.$57.00
• c.$84.50
• d.$79.00

Five days follow the first, so 5 x $9.50 = $47.50. Adding the $22 first day gives $69.50.

A 40-pound bag of trail mix is 15 percent peanuts by weight. How many pounds of peanuts does it contain?

• a.8 pounds
• b.15 pounds
• c.4 pounds
• d.6 pounds✓

Ten percent of 40 is 4 pounds and 5 percent is 2 pounds, so 15 percent is 6 pounds.

A worker earns $2,150 per month before deductions, and 18 percent is withheld. What is the monthly take-home pay?

• a.$2,537
• b.$1,935
• c.$1,763✓
• d.$1,802

The withholding is 2,150 x 0.18 = $387, and 2,150 - 387 = $1,763. Taking 82 percent of $2,150 directly gives the same figure.

A board 9 1/2 feet long is cut into pieces 1 1/4 feet long. How many whole pieces can be cut?

• a.9 pieces
• b.6 pieces
• c.8 pieces
• d.7 pieces✓

Dividing 9.5 by 1.25 gives 7.6, so only 7 full pieces come out of the board and a remainder is left over.

On a map, 1 inch represents 24 miles. Two towns are 3.75 inches apart on the map. How far apart are they?

• a.72 miles
• b.84 miles
• c.96 miles
• d.90 miles✓

Multiply the map distance by the scale: 24 x 3.75 = 90 miles. That is 24 x 3 = 72 plus 24 x 0.75 = 18.

A store sells pens at 3 for $2.10. What is the cost of 14 pens at the same rate?

• a.$9.80✓
• b.$10.50
• c.$8.40
• d.$9.10

Each pen costs 2.10 / 3 = $0.70, and 0.70 x 14 = $9.80.

Five deliveries averaged 62 pounds. Four of them weighed 55, 71, 48, and 66 pounds. What did the fifth weigh?

• a.60 pounds
• b.68 pounds
• c.70 pounds✓
• d.74 pounds

Five deliveries averaging 62 pounds total 310 pounds. The four listed weigh 240 pounds, so the fifth is 310 - 240 = 70 pounds.

A pump moves 12 gallons per minute. How long will it take to fill a 1,080-gallon tank?

• a.90 minutes✓
• b.120 minutes
• c.75 minutes
• d.108 minutes

Time equals volume divided by rate: 1,080 / 12 = 90 minutes. Checking, 12 x 90 = 1,080.

A town of 8,000 people grows 5 percent in one year and another 5 percent the next year. What is the population after two years?

• a.8,800
• b.9,000
• c.8,400
• d.8,820✓

After the first year the town has 8,000 x 1.05 = 8,400 people. The second 5 percent is taken on 8,400, adding 420 for a total of 8,820.

A generator uses 3/4 gallon of coolant for every 6 hours it runs. How much does it use in 10 hours?

• a.1.00 gallons
• b.1.50 gallons
• c.2.00 gallons
• d.1.25 gallons✓

Per hour the generator uses 0.75 / 6 = 0.125 gallon, and 0.125 x 10 = 1.25 gallons.

A shift begins at 2245 and ends at 0715 the following morning. How long is the shift?

• a.8 hours 15 minutes
• b.9 hours 30 minutes
• c.7 hours 30 minutes
• d.8 hours 30 minutes✓

From 2245 to midnight is 1 hour 15 minutes, and midnight to 0715 is 7 hours 15 minutes. Together that is 8 hours 30 minutes.