Free ASVAB Practice Questions and CAT-ASVAB Format

Try five original ASVAB questions with worked answers. Check CAT-ASVAB subtests, time limits, calculator rules and which scores count toward the AFQT.

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By Brain Preflight, the app developer · Updated 14 November 2026

Key facts

Item	What the official source says
Test	CAT-ASVAB, the computer-adaptive ASVAB used for enlistment
Subtests	10
Scored questions	135 in total (10 or 15 per subtest)
Time limits	197 minutes in total without tryout questions; each subtest has its own clock
Answer format	Multiple choice and adaptive: after a correct answer a harder question is selected, after a wrong answer an easier one
Running out of time	Questions not reached are scored as though they were answered at random; most examinees finish each subtest
Calculator	Not allowed
AFQT	Computed from four subtests: Arithmetic Reasoning, Mathematics Knowledge, Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension
Tryout questions	Unscored questions are added to two to four subtests, with extra time; they do not count

Checked against the official source on 12 November 2026: Official ASVAB site: what to expect on the test (subtests, questions, time limits).

What is on the CAT-ASVAB?

The CAT-ASVAB has ten subtests. The table gives the number of scored questions and the time limit that the official ASVAB site publishes for each one, without tryout questions. Auto Information and Shop Information are two separate subtests on the computer and are reported together as one Auto and Shop score.

Subtest	Scored questions	Minutes	What it asks
General Science (GS)	15	12	Life, earth and physical science
Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)	15	55	Word problems solved with arithmetic
Word Knowledge (WK)	15	9	The meaning of a word, alone or in a sentence
Paragraph Comprehension (PC)	10	27	Questions answered from a short paragraph
Mathematics Knowledge (MK)	15	31	Algebra and geometry
Electronics Information (EI)	15	10	Circuits, current, components
Auto Information (AI)	10	7	How vehicles work and are maintained
Shop Information (SI)	10	6	Tools and workshop practice
Mechanical Comprehension (MC)	15	22	Levers, gears, pulleys, forces
Assembling Objects (AO)	15	18	How separate pieces fit together

When tryout questions are added to a subtest, it has 15 more questions and a longer time limit. They are not scored and you cannot tell them apart, so answer every question as if it counts.

ASVAB practice questions with worked answers

Yes. Try an original question from each of the four AFQT subtests, then a mechanical reasoning question. Open each answer after you have made your choice.

Arithmetic Reasoning: a recruit runs 3 miles in 27 minutes. At the same pace, how long does a 5-mile run take?

45 minutes. 27 ÷ 3 = 9 minutes per mile, and 5 × 9 = 45. The usual trap is to add the 2 extra miles to 27 without converting them to minutes.

Word Knowledge: “abundant” most nearly means: scarce, plentiful, costly or distant?

Plentiful. Abundant means existing in large quantity. Scarce is its opposite, which is why it appears among the options.

Paragraph Comprehension. Read this passage: “The base library moved its afternoon delivery to the morning. Several requests now arrive after the van leaves. Staff hold those requests for the next scheduled trip.”

Which conclusion does the passage support? A. Fewer people use the library. B. Some requests wait for a later trip. C. The van makes two trips each day. D. Staff refuse requests after noon.

B. The last sentence explains what happens to requests that miss the van. The passage gives no figures for library use, no trip frequency and no deadline for accepting requests.

Mathematics Knowledge: if 3x − 7 = 11, what is x?

x = 6. Add 7 to both sides: 3x = 18. Divide by 3: x = 6. Check: 3 × 6 − 7 = 11.

Mechanical Comprehension: a 12-tooth gear drives a 36-tooth gear. When the small gear makes 6 turns, how many turns does the large gear make?

2 turns. The same number of teeth passes the contact point on both gears: 6 × 12 = 72 teeth, and 72 ÷ 36 = 2. The larger gear always turns more slowly, and in the opposite direction.

Brain Preflight for iPhone

Brain Preflight is available now on the App Store. Practise memory, mental arithmetic and spatial reasoning on your iPhone. You can try all the worked examples on this page for free.

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Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the CAT-ASVAB?

The CAT-ASVAB has 135 scored questions across ten subtests: 15 each in General Science, Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Mathematics Knowledge, Electronics Information, Mechanical Comprehension and Assembling Objects, and 10 each in Paragraph Comprehension, Auto Information and Shop Information. Unscored tryout questions can be added to two to four subtests.

Which ASVAB subtests count for the AFQT?

Four: Arithmetic Reasoning, Mathematics Knowledge, Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension. The AFQT is reported as a percentile and determines eligibility to enlist; the other subtests feed the line scores used for job qualification.

Can I use a calculator on the ASVAB?

No. The official ASVAB site states that calculators are not allowed, because the test measures whether you can apply principles to solve problems. Practise Arithmetic Reasoning and Mathematics Knowledge on paper.

Official sources

Sources checked on 12 November 2026. Your invitation and the organiser’s current page take precedence over this guide.

Independent app developed by Brain Preflight. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense, USMEPCOM or the ASVAB Testing Program. Practice scores are not ASVAB scores.

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