On the face of it, proficiency in arithmetic reasoning appears to have little to do with the military. When you dig under the surface though, what you find is an extricable link between math and your chosen career path.
Numbers are everywhere.
They are inescapable, no matter what path in life you take. That’s because numbers -at the most fundamental level – relay and reflect facts and it’s from those facts that we make decisions, adjudications and judgements.
Engaging in math is not always intuitive, either.
It takes practice, sometimes lots of it! In the end, though, it’s that practice that hones critical thinking skills; those skills that force you to consider how to approach and solve a problem, how to think outside the box.
That’s why the ASVAB exam tests your understanding of math. Of course, there are two math components of the ASVAB test: arithmetic reasoning, which we discuss here, and mathematics knowledge, which we’ve already covered.
Your level of arithmetic reasoning directly reflects your critical thinking skills, your ability to deal with sometimes abstract concepts, and your ability to come to the best decision based on the numerical facts in front of you.
Perhaps numbers are just one part of that decision-making process, but they are no doubt a very, very important component.
Below, we offer a flavor of what to expect on exam day. We review the type, style and difficulty of ASVAB arithmetic reasoning questions you are likely to face. With enough preparation, then, there is no reason why you can’t ace this part of the ASVAB test.
