PiCAT study guide
PiCAT · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
PiCAT stands for Pending Internet Computerized Adaptive Test - the unproctored version of the CAT-ASVAB. Because it can be taken from anywhere with an internet connection, it can be a practical alternative for applicants who live far from a MEPS or MET site. The PiCAT study guide has 10 sections and about 2,960 words.
01General Science
General Science is a broad survey compressed into a few dozen questions, so breadth beats depth. Review five clusters.
284 words, about 1 min02Arithmetic Reasoning
Arithmetic Reasoning is word problems, not bare computation. The arithmetic is usually easy; the real test is translation.
294 words, about 1 min03Word Knowledge
Word Knowledge asks for the closest meaning of a word, either standing alone or inside a short sentence. Tested words range from common to moderately formal, so build three tools.
272 words, about 1 min04Paragraph Comprehension
Paragraph Comprehension asks about main idea, supporting details, inference, vocabulary in context, author's purpose, and tone. Passages are short, so nearly every sentence carries weight.
314 words, about 2 min05Mathematics Knowledge
Mathematics Knowledge is straight math without a story. Expect fractions and decimals, order of operations, exponents and roots, solving equations and inequalities, factoring, systems of equations, and geometry: angles, triangles, circles, perimeter, area, and volume.
283 words, about 1 min06Electronics Information
Electronics Information covers how basic circuits and components behave. Voltage is electrical pressure, current is the flow of charge in amperes, and resistance opposes flow in ohms.
318 words, about 2 min07Auto Information
Auto Information tests how a car works and how to keep it running. The centerpiece is the four-stroke cycle: intake (air and fuel enter), compression (the piston squeezes the mixture), power (the spark ignites it and drives the piston down), and exhaust (gases leave).
300 words, about 2 min08Shop Information
Shop Information covers tools, materials, fasteners, and safe practice. For measuring: tape measure, steel rule, try square, combination square, caliper.
295 words, about 1 min09Mechanical Comprehension
Mechanical Comprehension asks how forces, motion, and simple machines behave. Master mechanical advantage, levers, pulleys, gears, inclined planes, torque, pressure, and friction.
295 words, about 1 min10Assembling Objects
Assembling Objects tests spatial visualization, not shop knowledge. Two formats dominate: choosing which pieces will join to form a target shape, and choosing which completed figure results when the given pieces are rotated and connected.
305 words, about 2 min