NMAT (Philippines) flashcards

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

Part-to-whole analogy

A relationship in which one term names a component and the other names the entire object it belongs to, such as wheel is to car or page is to book.

Main idea of a passage

The central claim or point that the whole selection supports. Every other sentence either explains, illustrates, or qualifies it rather than standing alone.

Misplaced modifier error

A descriptive phrase placed so that it attaches to the wrong word in the sentence, producing an illogical reading that must be repaired by moving the phrase.

Contrast signal words

Words such as although, despite, however, and yet that tell the reader the upcoming idea reverses or limits the idea that came before it.

Arithmetic number series

A sequence in which each term is obtained by adding or subtracting a constant amount, so consecutive differences are all equal.

Geometric number series

A sequence in which each term is obtained by multiplying or dividing by a constant factor, so the ratio of consecutive terms is fixed.

Alternating number series

A single sequence built from two interleaved sequences, where the terms in odd positions follow one rule and the even positions follow another.

Odd-one-out item

An inductive reasoning question that presents a group of options and asks which one lacks the attribute shared by all the others.

Percent change formula

The difference between the new and old values divided by the old value, multiplied by one hundred, expressed relative to the starting amount.

Combined work rate

When two workers or pipes operate together, the reciprocal of the combined time equals the sum of the reciprocals of their individual times.

Slope of a line

The change in the vertical coordinate divided by the change in the horizontal coordinate between two points on the line.

Simple interest

Interest computed only on the original principal, equal to principal times annual rate times time in years, without compounding.

Confusable character pairs

Character sets easily mistaken during rapid visual scanning, including letter O versus zero, letter I versus lower-case L versus digit one, and b versus d.

Mirror image versus rotation

A mirror reflection reverses the left-right order of a string or figure, while a rotation of 180 degrees reverses order and also turns characters upside down.

Target-symbol counting

A perceptual task requiring a row-by-row scan of a string or grid to tally only exact matches of a specified symbol, ignoring near-matches.

Character-by-character comparison

A verification method that aligns two strings from the first position and locates the earliest point where the entries diverge.

Mitochondrion function

The organelle that carries out aerobic cellular respiration, converting glucose and oxygen into usable ATP energy for the cell.

DNA base pairing rule

In double-stranded DNA, adenine always pairs with thymine and guanine always pairs with cytosine; RNA substitutes uracil for thymine.

Enzyme denaturation

Loss of an enzyme's functional three-dimensional shape caused by excessive heat or extreme pH, permanently destroying its ability to bind its substrate.

Photosynthesis inputs and outputs

Carbon dioxide and water, using light energy, are converted into glucose and oxygen inside chloroplasts, storing energy in chemical bonds.

Mole concept

One mole of any substance contains 6.022 times ten to the twenty-third particles, and its mass in grams equals the molar mass.

pH scale

The negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration; values below seven are acidic, above seven are basic, and each unit is a tenfold change.

Neutralization reaction

A reaction in which an acid and a base combine to produce a salt and water, typically releasing heat and bringing the pH toward neutral.

Oxidation and reduction

Oxidation is the loss of electrons by a substance, and reduction is the gain of electrons; the two always occur together in a redox reaction.

Newton's second law

The net force acting on an object equals its mass multiplied by its acceleration, so acceleration rises with force and falls with greater mass.

Ohm's law

The current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it and inversely proportional to its resistance, written as voltage equals current times resistance.

Wave equation

The speed of a wave equals its frequency multiplied by its wavelength; speed changes with the medium while frequency stays fixed by the source.

Kinetic energy

The energy an object possesses because of its motion, calculated as one half of its mass multiplied by the square of its speed.

Opportunity cost

The value of the next best alternative that is given up when a choice is made; it does not include every option that was rejected.

Law of demand

The principle that, all other things being equal, as the price of a good rises the quantity consumers are willing to buy falls.

Primary source

A firsthand record created at the time of an event by a participant or witness, such as a diary, official document, or artifact.

Checks and balances

A constitutional arrangement in which each branch of government can limit the powers of the other branches, preventing any single branch from dominating.