2024/2025 ASVAB For Dummies Cheat Sheet

2023/2024 ASVAB For Dummies (+ 7 Practice Tests, Flashcards, & Videos Online)

Any professional military commander will tell you that knowing your enemy is the first step in winning a battle. After all, how can you expect to pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) if you don’t know what’s on the test?

Here are some test-taking tips and key information about ASVAB test formats and subtests to help you score well, get into the service of your choice, and qualify for your dream job.

The ASVAB subtests: Paper version

If you take the ASVAB at a Military Entrance Test (MET) site, you’ll likely take the paper-and-pencil version of the test.

The following table outlines the subtests on the paper version of the ASVAB, including information on content, the number of questions, and time limits.

Subtest	Questions	Time (Minutes)	Content
General Science (GS)	25	11	General principles of biological and physical sciences
Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)	30	36	Simple word problems that require simple calculations
Word Knowledge (WK)	35	11	Correct meaning of a word; occasionally antonyms (words with opposite meanings)
Paragraph Comprehension (PC)	15	13	Questions based on several paragraphs (usually a few hundred words) that you read
Mathematics Knowledge (MK)	25	24	High-school math, including algebra and geometry
Electronics Information (EI)	20	9	Electrical principles, basic electronic circuitry, and electronic terminology
Auto & Shop Information (AS)	25	11	Knowledge of automobiles, shop terminology, and tool use
Mechanical Comprehension (MC)	25	19	Basic mechanical and physical principles
Assembling Objects (AO)	25	15	Spatial orientation

The CAT-ASVAB subtests: Computer version

If you take the ASVAB at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), you’ll encounter a computerized version of the test called the CAT-ASVAB (where CAT stands for computerized adaptive test).

The following table outlines the subtests, number of questions, and time limits on the CAT-ASVAB.

Subtest	Questions	Time (Minutes)	Content
General Science (GS)	16	8	General principles of biological and physical sciences
Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)	16	39	Simple word problems that require simple calculations
Word Knowledge (WK)	16	8	Correct meaning of a word; occasionally antonyms (words with opposite meanings)
Paragraph Comprehension (PC)	11	22	Questions based on several paragraphs (usually a few hundred words) that you read
Mathematics Knowledge (MK)	16	20	High-school math, including algebra and geometry
Electronics Information (EI)	16	8	Electrical principles, basic electronic circuitry, and electronic terminology
Auto Information (AI)	11	7	Knowledge of automobiles, and tool use
Shop Information (SI)	11	6	Knowledge of shop procedures
Mechanical Comprehension (MC)	16	20	Basic mechanical and physical principles
Assembling Objects (AO)	16	16	Spatial orientation

Note: On the CAT-ASVAB, the AI and SI scores are combined for one score.

General ASVAB test-taking tips

When taking the ASVAB, being prepared and knowing how to approach the questions can go a long way. Use the following test-taking tips to improve your ASVAB score:

Pointers for guessing on the ASVAB

No matter how hard you study for the ASVAB, you’ll likely come across a few questions where you don’t have a clue. Guess wisely, and you can score extra points on many ASVAB subtests. If you leave a question blank, you have a zero percent chance of getting it right, but if you guess, you have at least a 25 percent chance.

Here are a few quick pointers on guessing:

ASVAB reading comprehension tips

The paragraph comprehension passages on the ASVAB are usually pretty short. These tips can help you better comprehend the ASVAB reading passages and the questions that follow them:

For more tips to help you maximize your ASVAB score, get the book.

About This Article

About the book author:

Mark Zegarelli is a math tutor and author of several books, including Basic Math & Pre-Algebra For Dummies.

Angie Papple Johnston joined the U.S. Army in 2006 as a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialist. During her second deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Angie became her battalion’s public affairs representative. She also served as the Lead Cadre for the Texas Army National Guard’s Recruit Sustainment program.