IBSAT flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Subject-verb agreement

A verb agrees with its grammatical subject, not with nouns in intervening phrases. In "The box of pens is heavy," the singular subject "box" controls the singular verb "is."

Collective noun verb choice

Collective nouns such as team or jury take a singular verb when the group acts as one body, and a plural verb when members act separately.

Parallel structure rule

Elements joined by and, or, not only...but also, or either...or must share the same grammatical form, such as all infinitives, all gerunds, or all noun phrases.

Misplaced modifier

An introductory participial phrase must describe the noun immediately after the comma. Otherwise the sentence illogically credits the wrong noun with the action.

Comprise versus compose

"Comprise" means to include and takes no "of": the whole comprises the parts. "Compose" is used as "is composed of" for the reverse direction.

Cloze prediction method

Read the whole sentence and predict the blank's meaning before reading options, then eliminate choices that fail grammar or contradict the predicted sense.

Dangling comparison fix

After than or as, supply the implied verb to test pronoun case: "She runs faster than I [do]" uses the subject form, not "me."

Main idea scope test

A correct main-idea answer must be supported by the entire passage. Options that capture only one paragraph or add outside claims are too narrow or out of scope.

Extreme language distractor

Answer options containing always, never, all, or entirely are usually wrong in comprehension questions unless the passage states the absolute claim explicitly.

Valid inference standard

An inference must follow necessarily from stated evidence plus ordinary logic. If an option requires outside facts or a leap the author never licenses, it is invalid.

Tone from word choice

Author attitude is read from adjectives, adverbs, and framing verbs. A defensible tone answer cites specific wording rather than general impression.

EXCEPT question strategy

In EXCEPT or NOT questions, three options are supported by the passage and one is not. Verify each option against the text and select the unsupported one.

Paragraph function mapping

Label each paragraph by role: claim, evidence, counterargument, or conclusion. Structure questions are then answered by matching options to these roles.

Contextual vocabulary substitution

For vocabulary-in-context items, insert each option into the original sentence and keep the one that preserves the author's logic and tone.

Cause-effect reversal trap

A common distractor swaps which event caused which. Check the passage's direction of causation before accepting any option that links two events.

Successive percentage change

Two successive changes of a percent and b percent produce a net change of a + b + ab/100 percent. A 20 percent rise then 20 percent fall leaves a 4 percent net decrease.

Profit and discount bases

Profit percent is calculated on cost price, while discount percent is calculated on marked price. Selling price equals cost price times (100 + profit percent) divided by 100.

Compound versus simple interest

Compound interest is P[(1 + R/100)^T - 1]. For two years, compound interest exceeds simple interest by P(R/100)^2, a useful shortcut in exam problems.

Speed unit conversion

Multiply kilometres per hour by 5/18 to obtain metres per second, and multiply metres per second by 18/5 to return to kilometres per hour.

Relative speed rule

When two bodies move toward each other, add their speeds; when moving in the same direction, subtract the slower from the faster to get closing speed.

Combined work formula

If A alone takes x days and B alone takes y days, working together they finish in xy/(x + y) days, because their rates add while times do not.

Weighted average formula

A weighted average equals the sum of each value multiplied by its weight, divided by the total of all weights. Equal weights reduce it to the simple mean.

Permutation versus combination

Permutations count ordered arrangements, so order matters. Combinations count selections, so order does not; nCr equals nPr divided by r factorial.

Cone and sphere volumes

A cone's volume is one third of pi times radius squared times height. A sphere's volume is four thirds of pi times radius cubed.

Data sufficiency objective

The task is to judge whether the given statements determine a unique answer, not to compute that answer. Stop as soon as sufficiency is established.

Independent statement evaluation

Evaluate each data-sufficiency statement alone, without importing information from the other. Combine them only after testing each separately.

Two-variable equation sufficiency

One linear equation in two variables cannot fix both values. Two distinct equations suffice unless one is a constant multiple of the other, making them dependent.

Percentage points versus percent

A change from 20 percent to 25 percent is 5 percentage points but a 25 percent relative increase, since the rise is measured against the original 20.

Pie chart angle formula

Each sector's central angle equals the component divided by the total, multiplied by 360 degrees. The percentage share equals the angle divided by 3.6.

Truncated axis distortion

A bar or line chart whose vertical axis starts above zero exaggerates differences between values. Check axis origin and scale before drawing conclusions.

Index number comparison

To compare growth across series with different absolute sizes, convert each to an index with a common base year set at 100, then compare index values.

Unit consistency check

Before computing from a table, confirm all rows use the same units, such as thousands versus millions, and convert mismatched entries to a single unit.