ASVAB Arithmetic Reasoning Practice Test

The correct answer is (C). A probability is the likelihood of a successful event occurring divided by the total number of events possible. In this case, a successful event is selecting either a red or a yellow marble and the total number of events possible is the total number of marbles. Combine the number of red and yellow marbles: 4 + 3 = 7, and divide this by the total number of marbles: 5 + 4 + 3 = 12. The probability is $\frac{7}{12}$.

The correct answer is (B). If you want to know what percent A is of B, you divide A by B, then take that number and move the decimal place two spaces to the right:

10.47 ÷ 87.25 = 0.12

Move the decimal two spaces to the right to find the percentage:

= 12%

The correct answer is (A). The total cost of the phone call can be represented by the equation: TC = \$2.00 + \$0.3x, where x is the duration of the call after the first five minutes. In this case, x = 20. Substitute the known values into the equation and solve for the total cost:

TC = \$2.00 + $0.3 * 20
TC = \$2.00 + $6.00
TC= \$8.00

The correct answer is (D). First calculate the number of feet that 1 inch represents:

100 ft ÷ 10 in = 10 ft/in

Then multiply this by the total number of inches:

25 in × 10 ft/in = 250 ft

The correct answer is (B). Set up a table comparing the situation five years ago to the situation today to keep things organized.



Mike is 10 years old now, so he must have been 5 years old five years ago.

Amy was 3 times as old as Mike five years ago, so Amy must have been 15 five years ago.

Add 5 years to Amy’s age five years ago to calculate her age now. Amy is 15 + 5 = 20 years old now.

The correct answer is (A). Three books at \$2.65 would equal a total of \$7.95. The change would equal \$20 − \$7.95 = \$12.05.

The correct answer is (D). Begin by calculating Mia’s total earnings after 40 hours:

40 hours × \$8.10 per hour = \$324

Next, divide this total by Charlotte’s hourly rate to find the number of hours Charlotte would need to work:

\$324 ÷ \$10.80 per hour = 30 hours

The correct answer is (B). The total number of buckets necessary will be the total area of the walls divided by the total area covered by each bucket. First, calculate the area of the walls Aisha wants to paint. Two of the walls are 10 × 10 and two of the walls are 10 × 15:

2 (10 × 10) = 200 sq. ft.
2 (10 × 15) = 300 sq. ft.
So the total square footage of the walls is 500.

If a half gallon of paint will cover 55 square feet, then each gallon will cover 2 × 55 = 110 square feet. Four gallons can only cover 440 square feet. Five gallons will cover 550 square feet, which will be enough for the entire area of the walls.

The correct answer is (A). The probability of a successful event is the ratio of the number of successful events to the total number of events. In this case, a successful event is selecting a red marble from the box. The total number of events is the total number of marbles in the box:

The correct answer is (C). The percentage discount is the reduction in price divided by the original price. The difference between original price and sale price is:

\$9.20 − \$5.06 = \$4.14

The percentage discount is this difference divided by the original price:

\$4.14 ÷ \$9.20 = 0.45

Convert the decimal to a percentage by multiplying by 100%:

0.45 × 100% = 45%

The correct answer is (B). Begin by expressing the relationship between the ovens with an equation. Use a variable to represent the number of burnt pizzas.

For every x pizzas burnt by Oven #2, Oven #1 burns 3x pizzas. It is given that 12 total pizzas are burnt, and the total number of burnt pizzas is a combination of pizzas burnt by Oven #1 and Oven #2:

x + 3x = 12
4x = 12
x = 3

The variable x represents the number of pizzas burnt by Oven #2, so answer choice (B) is correct.

The correct answer is (B). To find the average over the entire trip, use:
Average Speed = Total Distance ÷ Total Time.

Begin by calculating the total distance traveled:
Total Distance = 2(70) + 5(63)
= 140 + 315
= 455 km

Next find the total time:
Total Time = 2 hours + 5 hours
= 7 hours

Substitute these values into the average speed formula to solve:
Average Speed = 455 ÷ 7
= 65 km/h

The correct answer is (D). He needs 1.5 gallons. There are 4 quarts in a gallon, so he will need 6 quarts. There are 2 pints in a quart, so he needs to add 12 pints.

The correct answer is (D). First calculate the distance the car travels in 1 hour:

360 km ÷ 5 hours = 72 km per hour

Then multiply this number by the total number of hours traveled:

9 hours × 72 km per hour = 648 km

Notice that the final calculation yields the correct units; this helps to confirm that the calculation is correct.

The correct answer is (D). One way to solve this is to multiply 0.15 by 18,340, and then subtract this result from 18,340. An easier way is to recognize that the boat will still retain 85% of its value at the end of the first year. So you can just multiple 0.85 by 18,340:

0.85 × 18,340 = 15,589

The correct answer is (D). There are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour. So every hour has:

60 × 60 = 3,600 seconds

There are 24 hours in a day, so each day has:

3,600 × 24 = 86,400 seconds

Multiply this by 3 to find the number of seconds in 3 days:

3 × 86,400 = 259,200 seconds