ASVAB practice test

AFQT Practice Test

The Armed Forces Qualification Test score that decides whether you can enlist comes from four ASVAB subtests only: Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension and Mathematics Knowledge. Here are 10 questions from those four, each with the answer and the reason.

Updated 2026-11-14 by the Tigertest team. Covers eight of the CAT-ASVAB subtests in test order with the real time limits. Assembling Objects uses figures and is not included. Minimum AFQT scores vary by branch and change with recruiting needs.

1. 1.

   A recruit runs 3 miles in 24 minutes. At the same pace, how many minutes will it take to run 5 miles?

   • A.

     40 minutes

   • B.

     36 minutes

   • C.

     42 minutes

   • D.

     45 minutes

   Answer: A.

   The pace is 24 ÷ 3 = 8 minutes per mile, so 5 miles takes 5 × 8 = 40 minutes. Adding 12 minutes for each extra mile beyond 3 gives the same result.

2. 2.

   Candid most nearly means

   • A.

     secretive

   • B.

     honest

   • C.

     hidden

   • D.

     polite

   Answer: B.

   Candid means frank and truthful, saying what you really think. Secretive and hidden are close to its opposite, and polite describes manner rather than truthfulness.

3. Many people wait until they feel thirsty before drinking water, but thirst is a late signal. By the time it appears, the body may already be mildly dehydrated, and physical and mental performance begin to slip. Soldiers training in hot weather are therefore taught to drink on a schedule rather than by feel, taking small amounts at regular intervals. Drinking too much at once can also cause problems, so the goal is steady intake across the day, not large volumes consumed all at once.

   3.

   According to the passage, why are soldiers taught to drink on a schedule?

   • A.

     Thirst is a late warning of dehydration.

   • B.

     Large volumes of water are easier to carry.

   • C.

     Schedules reduce the amount of water needed.

   • D.

     Hot weather makes water taste unpleasant.

   Answer: A.

   The passage says thirst is a late signal and that the body may already be dehydrated when it appears, which is why a schedule replaces drinking by feel. The passage says nothing about carrying water or taste.

4. 4.

   Solve for x: 3x + 7 = 22

   • A.

     x = 3

   • B.

     x = 7

   • C.

     x = 15

   • D.

     x = 5

   Answer: D.

   Subtract 7 from both sides to get 3x = 15, then divide by 3: x = 5. The answer 15 stops one step early.

5. 5.

   A car travels 300 miles on 12 gallons of gasoline. How many miles per gallon does the car get?

   • A.

     20 miles per gallon

   • B.

     24 miles per gallon

   • C.

     30 miles per gallon

   • D.

     25 miles per gallon

   Answer: D.

   Miles per gallon is miles divided by gallons: 300 ÷ 12 = 25. Estimating with 10 gallons gives 30, which is why 30 is a tempting but wrong answer.

6. 6.

   Diligent most nearly means

   • A.

     lazy

   • B.

     clever

   • C.

     cautious

   • D.

     hardworking

   Answer: D.

   Diligent describes someone who works steadily and carefully. Lazy is the opposite, and clever and cautious describe different traits.

7. Researchers have long known that sleep helps the brain store what it learned during the day, but the role of each sleep stage is still being worked out. Deep, slow-wave sleep appears to strengthen facts and events, while the lighter REM stage seems to help with skills and emotional memories. In one study, students who slept after memorizing word pairs recalled more of them than students who stayed awake for the same number of hours. The authors concluded that an all-night study session may do more harm than good.

   7.

   Based on the passage, which conclusion is best supported?

   • A.

     REM sleep is more important than slow-wave sleep.

   • B.

     Staying awake all night improves recall of word pairs.

   • C.

     Scientists fully understand how each sleep stage works.

   • D.

     Students who sleep after studying remember more.

   Answer: D.

   The study described found that students who slept recalled more word pairs than those who stayed awake. The passage says the role of each stage is still being worked out, so neither the ranking of stages nor full understanding is supported.

8. 8.

   Simplify: (x³)(x⁴)

   • A.

     x⁷

   • B.

     x¹²

   • C.

     2x⁷

   • D.

     x¹

   Answer: A.

   When multiplying powers with the same base, add the exponents: 3 + 4 = 7, so the product is x⁷. Multiplying the exponents (x¹²) is the rule for raising a power to a power, not for multiplying.

9. 9.

   A train departs at 9:45 a.m. and arrives at 2:15 p.m. the same day. How long is the trip?

   • A.

     4 hours 15 minutes

   • B.

     4 hours 30 minutes

   • C.

     5 hours 30 minutes

   • D.

     4 hours 45 minutes

   Answer: B.

   From 9:45 to 12:45 is 3 hours, and from 12:45 to 2:15 is 1 hour 30 minutes, for a total of 4 hours 30 minutes. Subtracting the clock numbers directly (2:15 minus 9:45) does not work across noon.

10. 10.

    Frugal most nearly means

    • A.

      wasteful

    • B.

      generous

    • C.

      wealthy

    • D.

      thrifty

    Answer: D.

    Frugal describes someone careful with money who avoids waste, so thrifty is the match. Wasteful is the opposite, and wealthy describes how much money someone has, not how they spend it.