UNAM Mature Age Entry flashcards

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

Main idea question

A comprehension item asking what the passage as a whole is about. The correct option covers the entire text, while wrong options repeat one detail or overstate the scope.

Subject-verb agreement

The verb must match the head noun of the subject. Phrases between them do not change number, so "the box of tools is heavy" takes a singular verb.

Dangling modifier

An introductory participle phrase that fails to describe the subject of the main clause. "Walking home, the fire was seen" is wrong because the fire was not walking.

Semicolon use

A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a conjunction, or separates list items that already contain commas. It never follows a fragment or precedes a conjunction like "and".

Affect versus effect

Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence. Effect is usually a noun meaning a result. Test the sentence slot: verb position favours affect, noun position favours effect.

Passive voice formation

Form the passive with a form of "be" plus the past participle, moving the object to subject position. Tense is preserved, so "they wrote it" becomes "it was written".

Context clue inference

Meaning of an unfamiliar word is deduced from nearby signal words. Contrast markers such as "although" or "unlike" indicate an opposite meaning; cause markers such as "because" indicate a consequence.

Fewer versus less

Fewer modifies countable plural nouns (fewer chairs), while less modifies uncountable quantities (less water). Both compare amounts but differ in whether items can be counted individually.

Namibian independence date

Namibia became independent on 21 March 1990, ending South African administration. The date is commemorated annually as Independence Day and precedes the founding of many national institutions.

Namibian Parliament structure

Namibia has a bicameral Parliament: the National Assembly, which includes elected members and appointees, and the National Council, composed of representatives from the regional councils.

Namibian geographic borders

Namibia borders Angola and Zambia in the north, Botswana in the east, South Africa in the south, and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The Zambezi Region forms a northeastern strip.

Fish River Canyon

A very large canyon in southern Namibia, formed by the Fish River. It is among the largest canyons in the world and a well-known Namibian natural landmark.

African Union founding

The African Union replaced the Organisation of African Unity in 2002. Its headquarters are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and it promotes continental integration and cooperation.

SADC headquarters

The Southern African Development Community is a regional economic organisation headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. Namibia is a member state, and SADC promotes trade and regional integration.

United Nations founding year

The United Nations was founded in 1945 after the Second World War. Its principal organs include the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the International Court of Justice.

Photosynthesis inputs and outputs

Photosynthesis uses light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. It occurs in chloroplasts, which contain the green pigment chlorophyll, in plant cells.

Heart chambers and flow

The human heart has four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. Oxygenated blood leaves the left ventricle through the aorta to supply the body.

Percentage change formula

Percentage change equals the difference between new and old values, divided by the old value, multiplied by 100. A rise then equal fall of the same percentage gives a net decrease.

Ratio sharing method

To divide a quantity in a given ratio, add the ratio parts, divide the quantity by that total, then multiply the result by each part to obtain the shares.

Simple interest formula

Simple interest equals principal multiplied by rate multiplied by time (I = PRT). The rate is expressed as a decimal per year, and interest is calculated on the original principal only.

Compound amount formula

The compound amount equals principal multiplied by (1 + r) raised to the power n, where r is the rate per period and n the number of periods.

Mean, median, mode

The mean is the sum divided by the count. The median is the middle value of an ordered list. The mode is the most frequent value and may not be unique.

Average speed two equal distances

When equal distances are covered at speeds a and b, average speed is 2ab divided by (a + b). This harmonic mean is always below the arithmetic mean of the two speeds.

Circle area and circumference

Area of a circle equals pi multiplied by the square of the radius. Circumference equals two multiplied by pi multiplied by the radius, or pi multiplied by the diameter.

Triangle area formula

Area of a triangle equals one half multiplied by the base multiplied by the perpendicular height. The height must be measured perpendicular to the chosen base.

Probability of an event

Probability equals the number of favourable outcomes divided by the total number of equally likely outcomes. All probabilities of a sample space sum to one.

Combined work rate

If one worker completes a job in a days and another in b days, their combined time is ab divided by (a + b) days, found by adding rates 1/a and 1/b.

Accounting equation

Assets equal liabilities plus equity. Every transaction keeps this equation balanced, which underpins double-entry bookkeeping where total debits equal total credits.

Balancing chemical equations

Adjust coefficients so each element has equal numbers of atoms on both sides. Subscripts within formulas are never changed, because that would create a different substance.

Method marks in structured questions

Marks are awarded for showing the formula, substitution, and steps, even when the final answer is wrong. State units and round only at the end of the calculation.

Faculty-specific paper scope

Paper 4 content is set by the faculty receiving the applicant, so the tested syllabus depends on the chosen programme rather than on a single national syllabus.