PMA Long Course Initial Test cheat sheet

Synonym questions: choose the option closest in meaning in the given sentence context, not the most familiar dictionary sense.

Antonym questions: watch for negative prefixes (un-, in-, im-, dis-, ir-, il-) that reverse the base word's meaning.

Subject-verb agreement: a singular subject takes a singular verb; phrases between subject and verb do not change number.

Prepositions of time: in for months/years/seasons, on for days and dates, at for clock times and night.

Active to passive: object becomes subject, verb becomes be + past participle, agent introduced by 'by'.

Direct to indirect speech: shift tense back one step and adjust pronouns and time words (now to then, today to that day).

Reading comprehension: the answer must be supported by the passage text; outside knowledge is not a valid basis.

Idioms are figurative: 'once in a blue moon' means rarely, 'a piece of cake' means very easy.

Average of n numbers = sum of numbers / n; total = average x count.

Percentage change = (new value - old value) / old value x 100; a rise then equal fall does not return to the start.

Speed = distance / time; for equal distances at speeds a and b, average speed = 2ab/(a+b).

Simple interest = P x R x T / 100; compound amount = P(1 + R/100)^T.

Area formulas: rectangle l x w, triangle ½ x base x height, circle πr², trapezium ½(a+b)h.

Pythagoras: in a right triangle, hypotenuse² = sum of squares of the other two sides (3-4-5 and 5-12-13 are common triples).

Probability of an event = favourable outcomes / total equally likely outcomes; it always lies between 0 and 1.

Ratio and proportion: if a:b = c:d then ad = bc; divide a total in ratio m:n using parts m+n.

Newton's second law: F = ma; force is in newtons when mass is in kg and acceleration in m/s².

Weight = mg, with g about 9.8 m/s²; mass is constant but weight changes with gravity.

Speed = distance/time; acceleration = change in velocity / time taken.

Ohm's law: V = IR; power P = VI = I²R = V²/R.

Density = mass / volume; a body floats when its density is less than the fluid's.

Work = force x distance moved in the direction of force; power = work / time.

Light travels in straight lines; angle of incidence equals angle of reflection, and refraction bends light toward the normal entering a denser medium.

Sound needs a material medium and travels fastest in solids, slowest in gases.

Pakistan gained independence on 14 August 1947; India on 15 August 1947.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was Pakistan's first Governor-General; Liaquat Ali Khan was the first Prime Minister.

Pakistan's capital is Islamabad; Karachi is the largest city and main seaport.

Pakistan's provinces are Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan; Islamabad is the federal capital territory.

Pakistan's national language is Urdu; the national animal is the markhor and the national tree is the deodar.

The United Nations was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in New York; its Security Council has five permanent members.

The Indus is Pakistan's longest river; the Thar Desert lies in southeastern Sindh.

Current-affairs items (officeholders, recent summits, sports results) change often; verify the date of any fact before relying on it.

Number series: check differences first, then ratios, then alternating or two interleaved sequences.

Letter series: convert letters to positions (A=1 ... Z=26) and apply the same arithmetic as number series.

Analogy (A:B :: C:?): identify the exact relation between A and B, then apply that same relation to C.

Odd-one-out: look for the shared property of all but one item, such as category, parity, or letter count.

Coding-decoding: find the letter shift or reversal rule from the given example and apply it consistently.

Direction sense: draw a rough compass sketch; net displacement uses Pythagoras when turns are at right angles.

Blood relations: draw a family tree and mark gender and generation; 'brother of my father' is uncle.

Ranking: if a person is nth from the left and mth from the right, total = n + m - 1.

The Five Pillars are Shahadah (faith), Salah (prayer), Zakat (charity), Sawm (fasting in Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage).

The Qur'an has 114 surahs; the first is Al-Fatihah and the longest is Al-Baqarah.

Salah is performed five times daily; fasting in Ramadan is obligatory for able adults from dawn to sunset.

Zakat is normally 2.5 percent of qualifying wealth held for one lunar year.

Hajj is performed in Dhul-Hijjah at Makkah; its key rites include Tawaf, Sa'i, and standing at Arafah.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) received the first revelation in the cave of Hira in 610 CE.

Ethics in Islam: honesty in trade, keeping promises, kindness to parents, and fairness to neighbours are emphasized duties.

The Hijrah, migration from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE, marks the start of the Islamic calendar.

The 1.6 km (one-mile) run is scored on completion time; lower time means a higher score.

Push-ups are counted only when the body stays straight and the elbows bend to about 90 degrees.

Sit-ups are counted when the torso rises to the upright position and returns; hands stay crossed or at the sides as instructed.

Pull-ups count when the chin rises above the bar and the arms fully extend on the descent.

Running endurance improves with gradual weekly distance increases, not sudden large jumps.

Warm up before testing and cool down after; static stretching belongs after the run, not before it.

Hydration and adequate sleep in the 24 hours before the test affect performance measurably.

Aim for a steady pace in the run rather than a fast start that forces walking later.

Standard medical checks include height, weight, vision, hearing, blood pressure, and chest X-ray.

Minimum height standards apply and vary by category; eyesight must meet the required standard, and colour vision is checked.

Flat feet, knock knees, and significant spinal deformities are common disqualifying findings.

Hearing must be normal in both ears; chronic ear disease or perforated eardrum is usually disqualifying.

Declare past injuries and surgeries honestly; concealed conditions found later can cause rejection.

Interview: answer clearly and briefly, support claims with concrete examples, and keep eye contact.

Know basic facts about Pakistan, the Pakistan Army's role, and why you want to join.

Dress neatly, arrive early, and stay calm; hesitation and contradiction hurt more than a simple honest answer.