AFOQT Master Cheat Sheet
All 12 Subtests
The complete reference guide for every AFOQT subtest — timing, formulas, strategy tips, aviation basics, 50 high-frequency vocabulary words, a 30-day study plan, and composite score breakdown. Print it, study it, ace it.
All 12 Subtests at a Glance
Know your time budget before test day. Seconds per question is your real pacing target.
| # | Subtest | Questions | Time | Sec / Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Verbal Analogies | 25 | 8 min | 19 s |
| 2 | Arithmetic Reasoning | 25 | 29 min | 70 s |
| 3 | Word Knowledge | 25 | 5 min | 12 s |
| 4 | Math Knowledge | 25 | 22 min | 53 s |
| 5 | Reading Comprehension | 25 | 38 min | 91 s |
| 6 | Situational Judgment | 50 | 35 min | 42 s |
| 7 | Self-Description Inventory | 240 | 40 min | 10 s |
| 8 | Physical Science | 20 | 10 min | 30 s |
| 9 | Table Reading | 40 | 7 min | 10 s |
| 10 | Instrument Comprehension | 25 | 5 min | 12 s |
| 11 | Block Counting | 30 | 4.5 min | 9 s |
| 12 | Aviation Information | 20 | 8 min | 24 s |
Composite Score Breakdown
Each AFOQT composite is built from specific subtests. Know which ones matter most for your target career field.
| Composite | Subtests That Count | Min Score | Competitive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot | Math Knowledge, Table Reading, Instrument Comprehension, Aviation Information | 25 | 60+ |
| CSO (Navigator) | Math Knowledge, Table Reading, Instrument Comprehension, Aviation Information, Physical Science | 25 | 50+ |
| Verbal | Verbal Analogies, Word Knowledge, Reading Comprehension | 15 | 50+ |
| Quantitative | Arithmetic Reasoning, Math Knowledge | 10 | 50+ |
| Academic Aptitude | Verbal + Quantitative combined subtests | 15 | 50+ |
| Situational Judgment | Situational Judgment | No min | N/A |
| Officer Leadership | Situational Judgment, Self-Description Inventory | No min | N/A |
Math Knowledge & Arithmetic Reasoning Formulas
Memorize these cold. They cover roughly 80% of what you need for the quantitative subtests.
Area & Perimeter
| Triangle area | A = ½bh |
| Rectangle area | A = lw |
| Circle area | A = πr² |
| Rectangle perimeter | P = 2(l+w) |
| Circle circumference | C = 2πr |
| Trapezoid area | A = ½(b₁+b₂)h |
Volume
| Rectangular prism | V = lwh |
| Cylinder | V = πr²h |
| Sphere | V = (4/3)πr³ |
| Cone | V = (1/3)πr²h |
| Pythagorean theorem | a² + b² = c² |
| Special triangles | 3-4-5, 5-12-13, 8-15-17 |
Algebra
| Quadratic formula | x = (-b ± √(b²-4ac)) / 2a |
| FOIL | (a+b)(c+d) = ac+ad+bc+bd |
| Difference of squares | a²-b² = (a+b)(a-b) |
| Exponent product | xⁿ · xᵐ = xⁿ⁺ᵐ |
| Exponent power | (xⁿ)ᵐ = xⁿᵐ |
| Zero exponent | x⁰ = 1 |
Percent & Ratios
| Percent of | P = (part/whole) × 100 |
| Percent change | ((new-old)/old) × 100 |
| Slope | m = (y₂-y₁)/(x₂-x₁) |
| Slope-intercept | y = mx + b |
| Simple interest | I = Prt |
| Average | Mean = sum / count |
Arithmetic Reasoning Strategies
| "of" = multiply | "is" = equals |
| "what percent" = | x/100 |
| Rate × Time | = Distance |
| Total | = Rate × Count |
| Combined rate | 1/a + 1/b = 1/t |
| Mixture | c₁V₁ + c₂V₂ = c₃V₃ |
Trigonometry
| SOH | sinθ = Opp/Hyp |
| CAH | cosθ = Adj/Hyp |
| TOA | tanθ = Opp/Adj |
| sin 30° | 1/2 |
| sin 45° | √2/2 |
| sin 60° | √3/2 |
Verbal Analogies — Relationship Types
Build a bridge sentence: "A [verb] B, so C [verb] ___". Identify the relationship type first, then match it.
Top 50 High-Frequency AFOQT Vocabulary Words
These words appear most often across AFOQT Word Knowledge and Verbal Analogies sections. Know them cold.
Physical Science Quick Reference
20 questions in 10 minutes. Focus on Newton's Laws, basic kinematics, electricity, and atomic structure.
Newton's Laws
| 1st Law (Inertia) | Objects at rest stay at rest; objects in motion stay in motion — unless acted on by a net force |
| 2nd Law | F = ma (force equals mass times acceleration) |
| 3rd Law | Every action has an equal and opposite reaction |
Kinematic Equations
| Velocity | v = d/t |
| Force | F = ma |
| Kinetic energy | KE = ½mv² |
| Potential energy | PE = mgh |
| Kinematics | v² = u² + 2as |
| Displacement | s = ut + ½at² |
Constants & Units
| Speed of sound | ~340 m/s at sea level |
| Speed of light | ~3 × 10⁴ m/s |
| Force unit | Newton (N) = kg·m/s² |
| Energy unit | Joule (J) = N·m |
| Power unit | Watt (W) = J/s |
| Pressure unit | Pascal (Pa) = N/m² |
Atomic Structure
| Atomic number | = number of protons |
| Mass number | = protons + neutrons |
| Neutral atom | protons = electrons |
| Ohm's Law | V = IR |
| Electrical power | P = IV = I²R |
| Wave speed | v = fλ |
Aviation Information & Instrument Comprehension
Covers subtests 10 and 12. This is high-value content for the Pilot and CSO composites.
4 Forces of Flight
- Lift — acts upward, perpendicular to wing; generated by Bernoulli effect and angle of attack
- Weight — acts downward; gravity pulling aircraft toward earth
- Thrust — acts forward; produced by engine/propeller
- Drag — acts rearward; opposes forward motion
- Level flight: Lift = Weight, Thrust = Drag
Control Surfaces
- Ailerons — trailing edge of wings; control roll
- Elevator — horizontal tail stabilizer; control pitch (nose up/down)
- Rudder — vertical tail stabilizer; control yaw (nose left/right)
- Flaps — increase lift and drag for takeoff/landing
- Spoilers — reduce lift; increase drag
Navigation Lights
- Red — left wing (port)
- Green — right wing (starboard)
- White — tail
- VFR — Visual Flight Rules (visual navigation)
- IFR — Instrument Flight Rules (instruments only)
- NOTAM — Notice to Air Missions
Flight Instruments
- Altimeter — altitude above sea level
- VSI — Vertical Speed Indicator: + = climbing, − = descending, 0 = level
- Airspeed Indicator — aircraft speed through air
- Artificial Horizon — pitch and bank attitude
- Turn Coordinator — rate of turn and coordination
Instrument Comprehension Guide
- Artificial horizon bar tilted right = aircraft in left bank (right wing high)
- Bar tilted left = aircraft in right bank (left wing high)
- Bar above center = nose pitched down
- Bar below center = nose pitched up
- Compass: 360/000=N, 090=E, 180=S, 270=W
Compass Headings
- N = 0° / 360° · NE = 45°
- E = 90° · SE = 135°
- S = 180° · SW = 225°
- W = 270° · NW = 315°
- Runway number = magnetic heading ÷ 10 (rounded)
- Runway 18 = 180° South · Runway 27 = 270° West
Block Counting Tips
- Count how many blocks share a face with the numbered block
- Diagonal contact does NOT count — faces only
- Max faces per block = 6 (top, bottom, front, back, left, right)
- Work top-to-bottom, front-to-back systematically
- Rotate the image mentally — hidden blocks count
Aerodynamics Basics
- Bernoulli's Principle: faster airflow = lower pressure
- Curved wing (camber) creates faster air over top = lift
- Angle of Attack: angle between wing chord and relative wind
- Stall: exceeds critical angle of attack; lift collapses
- Standard lapse rate: temp drops ~2°C per 1,000 ft gain
Subtest-by-Subtest Strategy Tips
Highest-leverage tips for each subtest. Use these in combination with the formula and content sections above.
- Build a bridge sentence: "A [verb] B, so C [verb] ___"
- Identify relationship type first (see relationship types section)
- Eliminate options that flip the direction of the relationship
- 19 seconds per question — commit and move on
- Underline the question, not just the numbers
- Sketch the scenario (distance, mixture problems)
- Watch unit conversions: miles vs. km, hours vs. minutes
- Default setups: d = rt, work rate = 1/a + 1/b = 1/t
- 12 seconds per question — fastest subtest on the test
- Use Latin/Greek roots to decode unknown words
- Look for "closest meaning" not exact dictionary definition
- When guessing: eliminate obvious wrong answers first
- Highest ROI subtest for Pilot composite — prioritize this
- Know exponent rules, FOIL, factoring, quadratic formula cold
- Geometry: area, perimeter, volume, Pythagorean theorem
- Basic trig: SOH-CAH-TOA, sin/cos at 30/45/60
- Read the questions first — target your scanning
- Correct answer is always directly supported by passage text
- Avoid "true in real life but not stated here" traps
- Main idea = first and last sentence of each paragraph
- Think: what would a professional, ethical AF officer do?
- Chain of command matters — report up before acting alone
- Mission first, but never at the expense of safety or ethics
- Avoid extremes: neither passive nor rogue; work within authority
- Personality assessment — there are no trick answers
- Answer honestly and consistently — inconsistency is flagged
- Genuine leadership tendencies are what is measured
- First instinct is usually right — do not overthink
- Newton's 3 Laws: inertia, F=ma, equal and opposite reactions
- Ohm's Law: V = IR | Power: P = IV
- Know atomic structure: protons, neutrons, electrons
- Speed of light: ~3×10⁴ m/s | Speed of sound: ~340 m/s
- 10 seconds per question — pure speed drill
- Find row (X value) and column (Y value), trace to intersection
- Practice with grid paper under 10-second time pressure
- First reading is usually right — no time to double-check
- Read artificial horizon AND compass simultaneously
- Bar tilts toward high wing: bar right = left bank
- Compass: 0/360=N, 90=E, 180=S, 270=W
- Practice until the mental model is automatic
- Count blocks sharing a face — not edges or corners
- Work top-to-bottom, front-to-back systematically
- Rotate the 3D image mentally — hidden blocks count
- 9 seconds per question — don't over-examine each one
- FAA Pilot's Handbook (free at faa.gov) is the primary source
- Four forces: Lift, Weight, Thrust, Drag — know their relationships
- Flight controls: ailerons (roll), elevator (pitch), rudder (yaw)
- Nav lights: Red=left, Green=right, White=tail
30-Day AFOQT Study Plan
A structured 30-day sprint to test day. Adjust daily hours to your schedule — the phase order is what matters.
Priority Order by Composite
2. Table Reading (Pilot composite)
3. Instrument Comprehension (Pilot composite)
4. Aviation Information (Pilot composite)
5. Arithmetic Reasoning (Quantitative)
6. Verbal + Reading (Verbal composite)
Word Knowledge: 12 s | Instrument: 12 s
Aviation: 24 s | Physical Sci: 30 s
Math Knowledge: 53 s | Arithmetic: 70 s
Reading Comp: 91 s
Get Weekly AFOQT Tips from Dr. Preston
Join the FissionLab newsletter for weekly study strategies, practice problems, score breakdowns, and officer prep insights — free. Subscribers get early access to new practice tests.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time. Delivered via Beehiiv.
Top 5 AFOQT Prep Books
Dr. Preston's personal picks. These books reflect actual test format and question style. Amazon links use affiliate tag fissionlab-20.
As an Amazon Associate, FissionLab earns from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.