ASTB-E key terms

The agreed sequence for evaluating an expression: parentheses first, then exponents, then multiplication and division left to right, then addition and subtraction left to right.

Rewriting a measurement in different units by multiplying by a fraction that equals one, arranged so unwanted units cancel. Chaining several fractions handles multi-step conversions.

Problems about constant rates, most often distance equals rate times time. Typically you write the relationship for each moving object and set the two expressions equal.

An equation where every variable appears only to the first power, so its graph is a straight line. You solve it by undoing operations on both sides to isolate the variable.

A ratio compares two amounts by division; a proportion says two ratios are equal. Cross-multiplying turns a proportion into an equation you can solve for the missing value.

The size of an increase or decrease written as a percentage of the starting value. A rise and fall of the same percentage does not return a value to where it started.

The relationships between an angle and the side ratios in a right triangle: sine, cosine, and tangent. These let you find unknown heights and distances from one angle and one side.

The central point a passage was written to deliver, broad enough to cover all of its details. Wrong answers usually restate one detail or claim more than the text supports.

A specific fact, example, or reason that backs up a larger claim in a passage. Detail questions are answered directly from the text, so every word of the choice must fit.

A conclusion drawn from clues in a passage that the author never states outright. A good inference is strongly supported by the text, not just plausible in real life.

The attitude an author takes toward the subject, shown through word choice and emphasis. Recognizing it helps you reject choices that are too emotional or too neutral for the passage.

How much a machine multiplies an applied force, found by dividing output force by input force. It can also be estimated from the distances the load and effort move.

The twisting effect of a force applied some distance from a pivot, equal to force times perpendicular distance. Equal torques on both sides of a pivot keep a beam level.

The comparison between the tooth counts of two meshed gears, which sets their relative speed and turning force. A small gear driving a large one turns slower with more torque.

In steady fluid flow, places where the fluid moves faster have lower pressure. This explains how air moving over a curved wing produces lift.

Pressure applied to a confined fluid spreads undiminished through it. Because force equals pressure times area, a wider piston in a hydraulic system produces a bigger force.

Work is a force moved through a distance; power is how fast that work is done. Machines can reduce the force needed but never the work itself.

The single point where an object's whole weight can be treated as acting. An object topples when this point falls outside its base of support.

How far the wings are tilted from level, measured in degrees. In a cockpit view, the horizon appears tilted by the same amount the aircraft is banked.

The nose-up or nose-down orientation of an aircraft relative to the horizon. In a cockpit view, a nose-up attitude pushes the horizon lower in the windshield.

The apparent boundary between sky and ground seen from the aircraft. Where it sits and how far it is tilted reveal the aircraft's pitch and bank.

Mentally turning a shape or viewpoint in three dimensions to judge whether two pictures show the same object or scene. Faster, accurate rotation predicts success on cockpit-view matching items.

The angle between a wing's chord line and the direction of the oncoming air. Lift rises as the angle increases until the wing reaches its critical value.

A loss of lift that happens when a wing exceeds its critical angle of attack, no matter what the airspeed or nose attitude is. Lowering the nose reduces the angle and restores airflow.

The ratio of the lift an aircraft is producing to its own weight, quoted in Gs. It grows quickly in turns and pull-ups, raising stall speed and stressing the structure.

The ailerons, elevator, and rudder. Each changes airflow over a surface to rotate the aircraft about one axis: roll, pitch, or yaw respectively.

The direction of an object measured in degrees clockwise from the craft's nose or bow instead of from true north. Adding heading converts it into a true bearing.

Nautical terms for the left and right sides of a vessel or aircraft when facing forward. By convention the port side carries a red light and starboard a green one at night.

A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, roughly 1.15 statute miles per hour. It is the standard measure for reporting ship and aircraft speeds and for wind.

A test where different sounds play into each ear at once and you report only one of them. It measures selective attention and the ability to screen out competing input.

Splitting mental effort between two or more tasks performed at once. Performance drops as the workload grows, so the test rewards steady switching over perfect accuracy.

Keeping a cursor lined up with a moving target by making continuous small corrections with a joystick. It measures coordination, prediction, and smoothness of response to error.

The gap between a signal appearing and your response to it. In a multi-task battery, a slowdown on one task usually means attention has been pulled elsewhere.

Deciding how to divide attention and effort among several tasks running at the same time. Good scores come from prioritizing the most demanding task without abandoning the others.

A standardized questionnaire about past activities, accomplishments, and preferences used to predict how well someone will perform in training. Answers are scored against patterns from successful personnel.

The degree to which answers on a questionnaire agree with each other and with verifiable facts. Contradictory or inflated responses are flagged and can lower a candidate's score.

The behavioral qualities raters look for in officer candidates, such as decision-making, teamwork, and composure under pressure. They are judged through structured performance exercises and interviews.

Being honest and dependable even when no one is watching, and admitting mistakes instead of hiding them. Interviewers look for concrete examples that show it.

Honor, courage, and commitment, the stated ethical foundation of naval service. Questions about officer traits expect answers that show these values in real situations.

A candidate's genuine motivation to fly and to serve in naval aviation, shown by study, activities, and persistence. It is assessed through interest inventories and interview questions.