ASVAB - Arithmetic
Reasoning/Mathematics Knowledge test
270 questions and answers
John bought a camera on sale that normally costs $160. If the price was reduced 20% during the
sale, what was the sale price of the camera?
(a) $120
(b) $124
(c) $128
(d) $140 - answer (c) $128
This question asks you to determine the sale price of a camera that normally sells at $160 and is
discounted 20%. To solve, determine what 20% of $160 equals. Rewrite 20% as a decimal.
20% = 0.20. So 20% of $160 = 0.20 x $160 = $32.
The sale price of the camera would be $160 - $32 = $128, choice (c)
A subway car passes 3 stations every 10 minutes. At this rate, how many stations will it pass in
one hour?
(a) 15
(b) 18
(c) 20
(d) 30 - answer (b) 18
First, set up the rate as a proportion, where (x) is the number of stations.
,3 stations/10 minutes = (x) stations/1 hour
Then, convert the units.
3 stations/10 minutes = (x) stations/60 minutes
Cross multiply and solve for (x).
180 = 10(x)
18 = (x)
On a certain map, 3/4 inch represents one mile. What distance, in miles, is presented by 1 3/4
inches?
(a) 1 1/2
(b) 2 1/3
(c) 2 1/2
(d) 5 1/4 - answer (b) 2 1/3
In this question, the ratio is implied: for every 3/4 inch of map there is 1 real mile, so the ratio of
inches to the miles they represent is always 3/4 to 1. Therefore, you can set up the proportion:
number of inches/ number of miles = 3/ = 3/4
Now 1 3/4 inches = 7/4 inches.
Set up a proportion:
,7/4 inches
7/4 inches / number of miles = 3/4
Cross-multiply:
7/4(4) = 3 (number of miles)
7= 3(number of miles)
7/3 = number of miles or 2 1/3 = number of miles
A certain box contains baseballs and golf balls. If the ratio of baseballs to golf balls is 2:3 and
there are 30 baseballs in the box, how many golf balls are in the box?
(a) 18
(b) 20
(c) 36
(d) 45 - answer (d) 45
You can express the ratio of baseballs to golf balls as 2/3. Since you know the number of
baseballs, you can set up a proportion: 2/3 = 30/ (x) where (x) is the number of golf balls. To
solve, cross-multiply to get 2(x) = 90, or x = 45.
Four people shared a taxi to the airport. The fare was $36.00, and they gave the driver a tip
equal to 25% of the fare. If they equally shared the cost of the fare and tip, how much did each
person pay?
, (a) $9.75
(b) $10.25
(c) $10.75
(d) $11.25 - answer (d) $11.25
The total cost of the taxi ride equals $36 + (25% of $36), or $36 + (.25 x $36) = $36 + $9 = $45. If
four people split the cost equally, then each person paid $45/4, or $11.25 each.
If a car travels 1/100 of a kilometer each second, how many kilometers does it travel in an hour?
(a) 36
(b) 60
(c) 72
(d) 100 - answer (a) 36
Find the number of seconds in an hour and then multiply this by the distance the car is traveling
each second. There are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minute in one hour; therefore, there are
60 x 60, or 3,600, seconds in an hour. In one second the car travels 1/100 kilometers; in one
hour the car will travel 3,600 x 1/100 or 36 kilometers.
20 - (-5) = __.
(a) -25
(b) 25
(c) 15
(d) -15 - answer (b) 25
Subtracting a negative number is the same as addition, so 20 - (-5) is really 20 + 5 = 25.
Reasoning/Mathematics Knowledge test
270 questions and answers
John bought a camera on sale that normally costs $160. If the price was reduced 20% during the
sale, what was the sale price of the camera?
(a) $120
(b) $124
(c) $128
(d) $140 - answer (c) $128
This question asks you to determine the sale price of a camera that normally sells at $160 and is
discounted 20%. To solve, determine what 20% of $160 equals. Rewrite 20% as a decimal.
20% = 0.20. So 20% of $160 = 0.20 x $160 = $32.
The sale price of the camera would be $160 - $32 = $128, choice (c)
A subway car passes 3 stations every 10 minutes. At this rate, how many stations will it pass in
one hour?
(a) 15
(b) 18
(c) 20
(d) 30 - answer (b) 18
First, set up the rate as a proportion, where (x) is the number of stations.
,3 stations/10 minutes = (x) stations/1 hour
Then, convert the units.
3 stations/10 minutes = (x) stations/60 minutes
Cross multiply and solve for (x).
180 = 10(x)
18 = (x)
On a certain map, 3/4 inch represents one mile. What distance, in miles, is presented by 1 3/4
inches?
(a) 1 1/2
(b) 2 1/3
(c) 2 1/2
(d) 5 1/4 - answer (b) 2 1/3
In this question, the ratio is implied: for every 3/4 inch of map there is 1 real mile, so the ratio of
inches to the miles they represent is always 3/4 to 1. Therefore, you can set up the proportion:
number of inches/ number of miles = 3/ = 3/4
Now 1 3/4 inches = 7/4 inches.
Set up a proportion:
,7/4 inches
7/4 inches / number of miles = 3/4
Cross-multiply:
7/4(4) = 3 (number of miles)
7= 3(number of miles)
7/3 = number of miles or 2 1/3 = number of miles
A certain box contains baseballs and golf balls. If the ratio of baseballs to golf balls is 2:3 and
there are 30 baseballs in the box, how many golf balls are in the box?
(a) 18
(b) 20
(c) 36
(d) 45 - answer (d) 45
You can express the ratio of baseballs to golf balls as 2/3. Since you know the number of
baseballs, you can set up a proportion: 2/3 = 30/ (x) where (x) is the number of golf balls. To
solve, cross-multiply to get 2(x) = 90, or x = 45.
Four people shared a taxi to the airport. The fare was $36.00, and they gave the driver a tip
equal to 25% of the fare. If they equally shared the cost of the fare and tip, how much did each
person pay?
, (a) $9.75
(b) $10.25
(c) $10.75
(d) $11.25 - answer (d) $11.25
The total cost of the taxi ride equals $36 + (25% of $36), or $36 + (.25 x $36) = $36 + $9 = $45. If
four people split the cost equally, then each person paid $45/4, or $11.25 each.
If a car travels 1/100 of a kilometer each second, how many kilometers does it travel in an hour?
(a) 36
(b) 60
(c) 72
(d) 100 - answer (a) 36
Find the number of seconds in an hour and then multiply this by the distance the car is traveling
each second. There are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minute in one hour; therefore, there are
60 x 60, or 3,600, seconds in an hour. In one second the car travels 1/100 kilometers; in one
hour the car will travel 3,600 x 1/100 or 36 kilometers.
20 - (-5) = __.
(a) -25
(b) 25
(c) 15
(d) -15 - answer (b) 25
Subtracting a negative number is the same as addition, so 20 - (-5) is really 20 + 5 = 25.
