Angola Air Force Academy Entrance Exam key terms

A rule that gives exactly one output value for each allowed input value, written f(x). The set of allowed inputs is the domain; the resulting outputs form the range.

An equation in which every variable appears only to the first power, so its graph is a straight line. Solving it means finding values that make both sides equal.

A fixed relationship between two sides of a right-angled triangle and one of its acute angles, such as sine, cosine or tangent. These ratios let you calculate unknown lengths and angles.

The rule that in a right triangle the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides. It is used for distances and vector magnitudes.

The sum of a set of values divided by the number of values. It describes a data set with one central number but is strongly affected by unusually large or small values.

A number from zero to one expressing how likely an event is. When outcomes are equally likely, it equals the number of favourable outcomes divided by the total number of outcomes.

The net force on a body equals its mass multiplied by its acceleration (F = m a). A larger force produces greater acceleration; a heavier body accelerates less for the same force.

The amount of force acting on each unit of area of a surface, measured in pascals. In a liquid, pressure grows with depth and with the liquid's density.

A body immersed wholly or partly in a fluid feels an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it pushes aside. This explains why steel ships float.

In steady flow of a fluid, places where the fluid moves faster have lower pressure. This pressure difference helps explain how wings generate lift and how carburettors work.

For a conductor kept at constant temperature, the current through it is proportional to the voltage across it and inversely proportional to its resistance, written V = I R.

The upward force produced when air flows around a wing. It comes mainly from the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces, increased by angle of attack and speed.

The turning effect of a force about a pivot, calculated as the force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from the pivot. It controls levers, engines and aircraft control surfaces.

The sentence element about which something is said and with which the verb agrees in person and number. It may be explicit, hidden inside the verb ending, or indeterminate.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in person and number, so a plural subject takes a plural verb form. Mistakes here are heavily penalised in written composition.

The merging of the preposition a with the article a or with a demonstrative beginning with a, shown by a grave accent (à). Whether it occurs depends on the gender and role of the next word.

An essay that states a position on a question, defends it with organised arguments and evidence, and ends with a conclusion. It requires formal register, cohesion and correct grammar.

The central point that a paragraph or passage is making, which the other sentences support with details, examples or explanations. Finding it is the first step in most comprehension questions.

The amount of a substance that contains 6.02 x 10^23 elementary particles, the same number as atoms in twelve grams of carbon-12. It lets chemists count particles by weighing.

The mass of one mole of a substance, expressed in grams per mole and numerically equal to its relative molecular mass. It converts between mass and amount in calculations.

The calculation of how much of each reactant is needed and how much product forms in a reaction, using mole ratios taken from the balanced chemical equation.

A way of stating concentration as the number of moles of solute dissolved in one litre of solution, written mol/L. It is widely used to prepare laboratory solutions.

A logarithmic scale, roughly from 0 to 14, that measures how acidic or basic an aqueous solution is. Values below 7 are acidic and values above 7 are basic.

The grammar rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, for example 'the pilot flies' but 'the pilots fly'. It is a common focus in language tests.

A conclusion a reader draws from clues in a text rather than from a sentence stated outright. Making inferences means combining those clues with background knowledge.

Reading a text quickly to grasp its general topic, purpose or main idea while ignoring details. It is used before close reading and to answer global comprehension questions.

The proclamation of Angola as a sovereign state on 11 November 1975, ending centuries of Portuguese colonial rule after a long armed liberation struggle.

Belonging to a state as a member with rights and duties. It involves obeying the law, paying taxes, voting and contributing to the common good.

The branch of government that carries out laws and runs public administration. In Angola it is headed by the President, who is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

A climate with high temperatures all year and two distinct seasons, one rainy and one dry. Much of northern Angola has this pattern, which shapes farming calendars.

An administrative division of Angola headed by a governor and divided into municipalities and communes. Provinces organise local public services, schools, health units and development planning.

A series of numbers, letters or figures arranged by a hidden rule. The task is to identify the rule and use it to predict the next item in the series.

The ability to picture how objects look after being rotated, folded or seen from another direction. It is tested with cubes, nets and paper-folding tasks.

A deductive argument made of two premises and a conclusion. The conclusion follows necessarily when the premises are true and the reasoning form is valid.

Body mass in kilograms divided by the square of height in metres. It screens for underweight or excess weight in medical checks but does not distinguish muscle from fat.

The capacity to carry out physical tasks, made up of endurance, strength, flexibility and coordination. Academies test it with running, push-ups and similar standardised exercises.

The sharpness of vision, measured by reading letters on a chart at a set distance. Pilot training requires a minimum standard because clear sight is safety-critical.