ASVAB – Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) Test

If two trains are traveling to the same destination and Train A leaves its station traveling at 60 miles per hour and Train B leaves its station traveling 45 miles per hour … well, you get the idea. Remember those math word problems you had to solve back in elementary, middle and high school? Well, this section is packed with them.

Arithmetic Reasoning Subtest Concepts

The arithmetic reasoning subtest will test your knowledge of the concepts listed below:

  • Arithmetic: You can expect to face questions on basic arithmetic like addition, subtraction, division and multiplication.
  • Percentages: Questions on percentages will usually involve how to calculate cost price, sale price, discount etc.
  • Ratio and proportion: Ratio and proportion related questions are solved using simple formulas.
  • Questions on interest: Expect questions on simple and compound interest.  You will need to utilize various formulas learned during your high school years.
  • Numbers: Knowledge of whole numbers, fractions, decimals, real numbers and imaginary numbers is an important part of this subtest.

You’ll have 30 questions to answer in 36 minutes in the paper version of the test and 16 questions to answer in 39 minutes if you are taking the CAT-ASVAB.

Here are a few questions that are similar to the ones you‘ll find on the test:

  • A waiter earns an average tip of 15% of the cost of the food he serves. If he serves $435 worth of food in one night, how much money in tips will he earn on average?
  • How many square feet of flooring are needed to cover a 15-foot x 10-foot room?
  • Tom is taking a science test and he needs to get 80% of the 20 questions on the test right in order to pass. How many questions must he answer correctly?

The Arithmetic Reasoning subtest is used to determine your Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score and there are also certain military jobs that require you to score well on this section.

For those reasons, we recommend that you take our practice test which contains questions formatted like those on the real ASVAB. As a result, this test will help you improve your knowledge and increase your score. The test will also help you prepare for the experience of sitting for the real CAT-ASVAB.

You can take our practice test an unlimited number of times and each time you retake it the questions will be reordered to create a new test experience for you.