USTET flashcards
USTET · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Syllogism validity rule
- In a valid syllogism the conclusion must follow necessarily from the premises; if the premises are true, the conclusion cannot possibly be false.
- Number series difference test
- Subtract each term from the next to look for a constant or patterned difference; if differences fail, test ratios or alternating sequences instead.
- Opposite letter position rule
- In the alphabet, letters opposite each other always sum to 27, so A pairs with Z, B pairs with Y, and C pairs with X.
- Set union counting formula
- For two overlapping groups, the true total equals group A plus group B minus the members in both, which prevents double-counting shared members.
- Odd-one-out classification
- Identify the attribute shared by all but one item, such as shape, function, material, or category, then choose the item that lacks it.
- Clock hand angle formula
- The angle between the hands equals the absolute value of 30 times the hour minus 5.5 times the minutes; subtract from 360 if above 180.
- Paper folding mirror rule
- A fold creates a mirror line, so each punched hole appears again as a mirror image across every crease when the paper is unfolded.
- Subject-verb agreement basics
- A singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb; a prepositional phrase between them never changes the subject's number.
- Indefinite pronoun singular verbs
- Words such as each, every, either, neither, everyone, everybody, someone, and nobody are grammatically singular, so they take singular verbs like is or was.
- Correlative conjunction agreement
- With either...or and neither...nor, the verb agrees in number with the subject that is nearer to it in the sentence.
- Dangling modifier rule
- An introductory participial phrase must describe the subject of the main clause; otherwise it dangles and the sentence becomes unclear or illogical.
- Fewer versus less
- Use fewer with countable plural nouns such as books or chairs, and use less with uncountable or mass nouns such as water, time, or money.
- Semicolon versus colon
- A semicolon joins two independent clauses, while a colon follows a complete clause and introduces a list, an explanation, or a quotation.
- Comparative versus superlative
- Use the comparative form for two items and the superlative form for three or more, adding -er and -est or more and most accordingly.
- Quadratic formula
- For ax squared plus bx plus c equals zero, x equals negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared minus 4ac, all over 2a.
- Discriminant root count
- In a quadratic, a positive discriminant b squared minus 4ac gives two distinct real roots, zero gives one repeated root, negative gives no real roots.
- Perpendicular slope rule
- Two lines are perpendicular when the product of their slopes equals negative one, so a line with slope 2 is perpendicular to one with slope negative one-half.
- Distance and midpoint formulas
- Distance between two points is the square root of the sum of the squared differences of their coordinates; the midpoint averages the x-values and the y-values.
- Special right triangle ratios
- A 45-45-90 triangle has sides in ratio 1 to 1 to root 2, while a 30-60-90 triangle has sides in ratio 1 to root 3 to 2.
- Polygon interior angle sum
- The interior angles of a polygon with n sides add up to n minus 2 multiplied by 180 degrees, so a quadrilateral totals 360 degrees.
- Percent change formula
- Percent change equals the new value minus the old value, divided by the old value, then multiplied by 100; a negative result means a decrease.
- Newton's second law
- Force equals mass times acceleration; for the same applied force, a larger mass accelerates less than a smaller mass does.
- Photosynthesis equation
- Six carbon dioxide molecules plus six water molecules plus light energy yield one glucose molecule and six oxygen molecules inside chloroplasts.
- Cell organelle functions
- Mitochondria release energy as ATP, ribosomes build proteins, and the nucleus stores DNA and directs the cell's activities.
- pH scale meaning
- A pH below 7 is acidic, exactly 7 is neutral, and above 7 is basic; each whole step means a tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration.
- Atomic number and mass number
- The atomic number equals the number of protons in an atom, and the mass number equals the protons plus the neutrons in its nucleus.
- Density and floating
- Density equals mass divided by volume; a solid object floats in a fluid when its density is lower than that of the fluid.
- Main idea definition
- The main idea is the central point a passage makes about its topic; it is frequently stated in the first or last sentence.
- Valid inference criterion
- A correct inference must be logically supported by details stated in the passage rather than by outside knowledge or personal opinion.
- Context clue types
- Surrounding words can reveal an unfamiliar word's meaning through a synonym, an example, a contrast or antonym, or a cause-effect relationship.
- Author's purpose categories
- A passage generally aims to inform, persuade, entertain, or describe; identifying which purpose applies helps eliminate answer choices that do not fit.
- Fact versus opinion
- Facts can be verified with evidence, while opinions express judgments, beliefs, or values that cannot be proven true or false.