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ACT Reading: Drawing Conclusions

The ACT Reading section will ask you to draw conclusions after reading a passage. The questions range, from asking for inferences to you interpreting the meaning of a word or phrase. There are 3 HUGE strategies for doing well on this question type:     What’s the purpose of this passage? It’s to show how […]

ACT Math: Elementary Algebra

Algebra is a branch of mathematics that describes equations and arithmetic “symbolically.” Whereas in normal arithmetic an expression like “2+2” has a definite answer, in algebra unidentified numbers can be symbolically represented by variables; “a,b,c,x,y, or z”. A simple addition in algebra could look like this “a+b=c”. With these concepts, we can look at an […]

SAT Math: Average Speed (Not the "Average" of the Speeds)!

One of the most challenging concepts on the SAT Math test is average rate, also called average speed. Often found in complex word problems, this type of question is one many students are less familiar with, so don’t get nervous if you don’t know how to approach it. Review these important equations and look at […]

Understanding Top-Front-End Dotted Lines

In the Perceptual Ability Test (PAT) of the DAT, Top-Front-End or view recognition questions are some of the most challenging. You are presented with two projections of an object and are expected to determine the third. However, Top-Front-End projections are not mere outlines but also contain lines that represent where the visible and hidden edges of each figure […]

DAT PAT Angle Ranking Strategy: Elimination

For each Angle Ranking question in the PAT section of the DAT, you are given four angles labeled 1–4 that you must rank in increasing order from smallest to largest interior angle. Some angles may be so close in size (such as a difference of only two degrees) that assigning the order of them unambiguously is almost […]

DAT PAT Cube Counting Strategy: Tallying

In this Cube Counting section of the PAT on the DAT, you will be presented with several stacks of cubes. Each stack is constructed by cementing together identical cubes. You are asked to imagine that the stack as a whole is painted on all sides except for the bottom (on which the stack rests). You are then […]

DAT PAT Keyhole Strategy: Projections

For each Keyhole question in the PAT of the DAT, you are presented with a 3D object and must determine which of the five openings in the answer choices would allow the object to pass through with a perfect fit. The object can pass through the opening in any orientation, but it cannot be rotated while it […]

DAT PAT Pattern Folding Strategy: Key Landmarks

Pattern Folding questions in the PAT section of the DAT present you with a flat pattern and ask to select the 3D figure it would become when folded. Some questions require you to identify the structure only, as in the first example below, while others also present shading and patterns that you must identify, as in the […]

DAT PAT Hole Punching Strategy: Symmetry

For each Hole Punching question in the Perceptual Ability (PAT) section of the DAT, a square piece of paper is folded one, two, or three times, and then one or more holes are punched at specific locations. You are then asked to unfold the paper mentally and determine the final locations of the hole(s). The paper is […]

What's Tested on the NCLEX: Physiological Integrity

The last—and largest—NCLEX category we will discuss is physiological integrity: adequately tending to the everyday activities of a patient. The category is divided into four subcategories The first subcategory for this client need is Basic Care and Comfort, which accounts for 9 percent of the questions on the exam. Nursing actions that are covered in this […]