SLAF Officer Cadet Selection Exam flashcards

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

Quadratic formula

For ax² + bx + c = 0 with a ≠ 0, x = [−b ± √(b² − 4ac)] / 2a. The discriminant b² − 4ac determines whether there are two, one or no real roots.

Sum of geometric series

For a geometric progression with first term a and ratio r, the sum of n terms is S = a(1 − rⁿ)/(1 − r) when r ≠ 1. It converges only when |r| < 1.

km/h to m/s

Multiply a speed in kilometres per hour by 5/18 to convert it to metres per second. For example, 72 km/h equals 20 m/s.

Subject–verb agreement rule

A verb agrees with its subject in number. Intervening phrases such as "of items" or "along with the crew" do not change the subject's number, so the verb stays singular.

Active to passive voice

The object becomes the subject, the verb becomes a form of be plus the past participle, and the original subject follows "by". Example: "The crew checked the tyres" becomes "The tyres were checked by the crew".

Third conditional form

Used for unreal past situations: if + past perfect, then would have + past participle. Example: "If the pilot had checked the fuel, the diversion would have been avoided."

Affect versus effect

Affect is normally a verb meaning to influence. Effect is normally a noun meaning a result. Confusing them is a frequent error in written English tests.

Sri Lanka capitals

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka, while Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city. The country's currency is the Sri Lankan rupee.

ICAO and IATA roles

ICAO, headquartered in Montreal, is the UN agency that sets international civil aviation standards. IATA, also in Montreal, is a trade association of airlines handling commercial cooperation.

Chicago Convention 1944

The Convention on International Civil Aviation, signed at Chicago in 1944, established ICAO and the principles governing international air transport, including nationality of aircraft and airspace sovereignty.

Longitude and time

Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours, so 15° of longitude corresponds to one hour of time difference. Places east of Greenwich are ahead; places west are behind.

Coding–decoding reverse alphabet

Letters are numbered 1 to 26 from A. The reverse position of any letter equals 27 minus its forward position, so A pairs with Z and B with Y.

Clock hand relative speed

The minute hand moves 6° per minute and the hour hand 0.5° per minute, so the minute hand gains 5.5° per minute on the hour hand.

Syllogism validity test

A conclusion is valid only if it is true in every possible diagram consistent with the premises. One counter-example diagram makes the conclusion invalid.

Newton's second law

The net force on a body equals its mass times its acceleration, F = ma. Weight is the special case W = mg, where g is about 9.8 m/s² near Earth's surface.

Kinematic equations

For constant acceleration: v = u + at, s = ut + ½at², and v² = u² + 2as. These relate initial velocity u, final velocity v, acceleration a, displacement s and time t.

Resistors in parallel

The reciprocal of the total resistance equals the sum of the reciprocals of the individual resistances: 1/R = 1/R₁ + 1/R₂. Total resistance is always less than the smallest branch.

Cause of aerodynamic lift

A wing deflects air downward and generates lower pressure over its upper surface. Lift grows with air density, the square of airspeed, wing area and lift coefficient.

Mole and molar mass

One mole contains 6.022 × 10²³ particles. The number of moles equals mass in grams divided by molar mass in grams per mole; one mole of gas occupies 22.4 L at STP.

pH definition

pH equals the negative logarithm of hydrogen-ion concentration. Values below 7 are acidic, 7 is neutral and above 7 is basic; one pH unit means a tenfold concentration change.

Oxidation and reduction

Oxidation is loss of electrons and reduction is gain, remembered as OIL RIG. An oxidising agent accepts electrons and is itself reduced in the reaction.

Four forces of flight

Lift acts upward, weight downward, thrust forward and drag backward. In steady level flight lift balances weight and thrust balances drag, so the aircraft neither climbs nor accelerates.

Stall cause

A stall occurs when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack, disrupting smooth airflow and sharply reducing lift. It can happen at any speed or attitude, not only at low speed.

QNH, QFE and QNE

QNH set on the altimeter shows altitude above mean sea level. QFE shows height above a reference point. QNE is the standard setting 1013.25 hPa used above the transition altitude.

Primary flight controls

Ailerons control roll about the longitudinal axis, the elevator controls pitch about the lateral axis, and the rudder controls yaw about the normal axis. Flaps increase lift and drag.

FITT training principle

Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type are the four variables used to design and progress an exercise programme. Changing any one of them alters the training stimulus.

Maximum heart rate estimate

Maximum heart rate is commonly estimated as 220 minus age in years. Aerobic endurance training is typically prescribed at 60 to 80 percent of that value.

SAID principle

Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands means the body adapts specifically to the type of stress applied. Endurance training improves endurance; strength training improves strength, with limited crossover.

Mission command

A leadership approach in which a commander states the intent and delegates authority to subordinates, allowing them to act decisively when communications fail or situations change.

Tuckman team stages

Teams develop through forming, storming, norming and performing. Conflict typically peaks during storming, and a leader must resolve it rather than suppress it for the team to progress.

STAR interview technique

Behavioural answers are structured as Situation, Task, Action and Result. The action section should describe what the candidate personally did, and the result should be specific and verifiable.

Halo effect in assessment

A rating error in which one striking characteristic, favourable or unfavourable, influences assessment of all other traits. Structured scales and multiple assessors reduce its impact.