Ratios & Proportions practice test: free ASVAB questions

Sample Practice Questions for Ratios & Proportions

1. Question 1Ref: ASVAB — Arithmetic Reasoning: Ratios and Proportions

   A mess hall serves meals with a main-dish-to-side-dish ratio of 2:3. If 180 side dishes are served, how many main dishes are served?

   A90 main dishesB100 main dishesC120 main dishesD135 main dishes
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   Correct Answer
   C. 120 main dishes

   The ratio of main to side dishes is 2:3, meaning main/side = 2/3. Multiply 180 by 2/3 to get 120 main dishes. A common mistake is reversing the ratio and multiplying by 3/2, which would give 270 — not an option here but a frequent error on timed tests.

2. Question 2Ref: ASVAB — Arithmetic Reasoning: Ratios and Proportions

   A scale drawing of a tank uses a ratio of 1:72. If the drawing measures 8 inches long, what is the actual tank length in inches?

   A432 inchesB504 inchesC576 inchesD648 inches
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   Correct Answer
   C. 576 inches

   A 1:72 scale means every 1 inch on the drawing represents 72 inches in reality. Multiply: 8 × 72 = 576 inches. Dividing instead of multiplying (8 ÷ 72 ≈ 0.11) would give a nonsensical result. Always remember the scale goes from model to real by multiplication.

3. Question 3Ref: ASVAB — Arithmetic Reasoning: Ratios and Proportions

   Three units share a 1,500-gallon water supply in the ratio 2:3:5. How many gallons does the largest unit receive?

   A300 gallonsB450 gallonsC600 gallonsD750 gallons
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   Correct Answer
   D. 750 gallons

   Add the ratio parts: 2 + 3 + 5 = 10 total parts. The largest unit gets 5 out of 10 parts. Multiply: (5/10) × 1,500 = 750 gallons. A common error is dividing by the number of units (1,500 ÷ 3 = 500) instead of using the ratio weights.