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 Personalizing Your Own Study Plan 32 Outlining Your ASVAB Study Strategy 32 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 Inspecting cell structure 212 Profiting from cell processes 214 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: Math.