ASVAB — All Questions

A train travels at a constant speed of 60 miles per hour. How long will it take to travel 180 miles?

• a.3.5 hours
• b.2 hours
• c.4 hours
• d.3 hours✓

Time equals distance divided by speed. Dividing 180 miles by 60 miles per hour gives 3 hours. Keeping the units consistent lets the miles cancel and leaves hours.

If 5 pounds of apples cost $4.00, how much do 12 pounds cost at the same rate?

• a.$8.40
• b.$12.00
• c.$10.00
• d.$9.60✓

The unit price is $4.00 divided by 5 pounds, or $0.80 per pound. Multiplying $0.80 by 12 pounds gives $9.60. Setting up a proportion produces the same result.

What is 25% of 240?

• a.80
• b.60✓
• c.72
• d.48

Twenty-five percent is the same as one quarter. Dividing 240 by 4 gives 60. You could also multiply 240 by 0.25 to reach the same value.

A recipe uses flour and sugar in a ratio of 3 to 1. If you use 9 cups of flour, how many cups of sugar are needed?

• a.6 cups
• b.12 cups
• c.1 cup
• d.3 cups✓

The ratio 3 to 1 means three parts flour for every one part sugar. Since 9 cups of flour is three times the base part of 3, the sugar is also tripled from 1 to 3 cups. Ratios scale both quantities by the same factor.

The average of four test scores is 85. Three of the scores are 80, 90, and 85. What is the fourth score?

• a.80
• b.85✓
• c.95
• d.90

An average of 85 over four tests means the total is 85 times 4, or 340. The three known scores add to 255, so the fourth score is 340 minus 255, which equals 85.

A worker can assemble 8 units per hour. How many units can 3 workers assemble in 5 hours at that rate?

• a.120 units✓
• b.40 units
• c.80 units
• d.160 units

One worker makes 8 units per hour, so 3 workers make 24 units per hour. Over 5 hours that is 24 times 5, which equals 120 units. Rate times number of workers times time gives total output.

A jacket originally priced at $80 is discounted 15%. What is the sale price?

• a.$76
• b.$65
• c.$72
• d.$68✓

Fifteen percent of $80 is $12. Subtracting the $12 discount from $80 leaves a sale price of $68. You can also multiply $80 by 0.85 to get the same answer.

You deposit $500 in an account earning 4% simple interest per year. How much interest is earned in 3 years?

• a.$80
• b.$60✓
• c.$20
• d.$40

Simple interest equals principal times rate times time. That is $500 times 0.04 times 3, which equals $60. Simple interest is calculated only on the original principal.

Two cars start from the same point and drive in opposite directions at 40 mph and 55 mph. How far apart are they after 2 hours?

• a.95 miles
• b.110 miles
• c.150 miles
• d.190 miles✓

Their combined separation speed is 40 plus 55, or 95 miles per hour. After 2 hours they are 95 times 2, which equals 190 miles apart. Opposite directions mean the speeds add.

A map uses a scale of 1 inch to 25 miles. Two towns are 4.5 inches apart on the map. What is the actual distance?

• a.90 miles
• b.125 miles
• c.112.5 miles✓
• d.100 miles

Each inch represents 25 miles, so multiply 4.5 inches by 25 miles per inch. That product is 112.5 miles. Scale problems are solved with a direct proportion.

A rectangular room is 12 feet long and 9 feet wide. If carpet costs $3 per square foot, what is the total cost to carpet the room?

• a.$108
• b.$324✓
• c.$396
• d.$252

The floor area is length times width, or 12 times 9, which equals 108 square feet. Multiplying 108 square feet by $3 per square foot gives $324.

A store sells 6 bottles of water for $9. What is the cost of one bottle?

• a.$1.75
• b.$1.20
• c.$1.50✓
• d.$2.00

Dividing the total price of $9 by 6 bottles gives $1.50 per bottle. Unit price is found by dividing total cost by the number of items.

In a class of 30 students, 3/5 are girls. How many boys are in the class?

• a.15
• b.12✓
• c.18
• d.10

Three fifths of 30 is 18 girls. Subtracting 18 girls from 30 total students leaves 12 boys. The fraction of boys is the remaining two fifths of 30, which also equals 12.

A meal costs $40 before tax. If sales tax is 8%, what is the total amount paid?

• a.$48.00
• b.$44.80
• c.$43.20✓
• d.$42.00

Eight percent of $40 is $3.20 in tax. Adding the tax to the $40 meal gives a total of $43.20. Multiplying $40 by 1.08 gives the same total.

A tank holds 240 gallons and is being filled at 8 gallons per minute. How many minutes will it take to fill the empty tank?

• a.24 minutes
• b.40 minutes
• c.30 minutes✓
• d.32 minutes

Dividing the 240-gallon capacity by the fill rate of 8 gallons per minute gives 30 minutes. Time equals total amount divided by rate.

If 168 pencils are packed equally into boxes of 12, how many boxes are needed?

• a.14✓
• b.16
• c.18
• d.12

Dividing 168 pencils by 12 pencils per box gives exactly 14 boxes. Because 12 times 14 equals 168, there is no remainder and no extra box is required.

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.

A vendor buys 200 shirts for $6 each and sells 175 of them at $14 each. What is the profit?

• a.$1,450
• b.$2,450
• c.$1,250✓
• d.$1,050

Revenue is 175 x $14 = $2,450, but the cost covers all 200 shirts at $6, or $1,200. Profit is 2,450 - 1,200 = $1,250.

An award of $840 is divided among three people in the ratio 3 to 4 to 5. How much does the person with the largest share receive?

• a.$210
• b.$420
• c.$350✓
• d.$280

The ratio has 3 + 4 + 5 = 12 parts, so each part is 840 / 12 = $70. The largest share is 5 x $70 = $350.

A generator burns 0.8 gallon of fuel per hour and runs from 0600 until 1830. How much fuel does it burn?

• a.11.2 gallons
• b.12.5 gallons
• c.9.6 gallons
• d.10.0 gallons✓

From 0600 to 1830 is 12.5 hours, and 12.5 x 0.8 = 10.0 gallons.

Brand A sells 18 ounces for $4.32 and Brand B sells 24 ounces for $5.52. How much less per ounce is the cheaper brand?

• a.$0.01✓
• b.$0.03
• c.$0.02
• d.$0.05

Brand A costs 4.32 / 18 = $0.24 per ounce and Brand B costs 5.52 / 24 = $0.23 per ounce, a difference of $0.01 per ounce.