ACT Practice Flashcard Test #5

📐 MATH Q1. What is the difference between mean, median, and mode?

Answer:

Mean: average — sum ÷ count

Median: middle value when sorted.

Mode: most frequent value.

💡 Mean is most affected by outliers.

📐 MATH Q2. What is the FOIL method and when do you use it?

Answer:

FOIL = First, Outer, Inner, Last.

Used to multiply two binomials.

💡 Combine like terms after FOIL.

📐 MATH Q3. What is the difference between complementary and supplementary angles?

Answer:

Complementary angles add to 90°.

Supplementary angles add to 180°.

💡 Complementary is smaller than supplementary.

📐 MATH Q4. What is scientific notation?

Answer:

Scientific notation writes numbers as a × 10ⁿ where 1 ≤ a < 10.

💡 Negative exponent means a small number.

📐 MATH Q5. What is the difference between a ratio and a proportion?

Answer:

A ratio compares two values.

A proportion says two ratios are equal.

💡 Solve proportions by cross-multiplying.

🔬 SCIENCE Q6. What is the difference between a hypothesis, a theory, and a scientific law?

Answer:

Hypothesis = testable prediction.

Theory = well-supported explanation.

Law = describes what happens.

💡 A theory does not become a law.

🔬 SCIENCE Q7. What is the difference between potential and kinetic energy?

Answer:

Potential energy is stored energy.

Kinetic energy is energy of motion.

💡 Falling objects convert PE into KE.

🔬 SCIENCE Q8. What is the difference between a solute, solvent, and solution?

Answer:

Solute is dissolved.

Solvent does the dissolving.

Solution is the mixture.

💡 Water is a common solvent.

🔬 SCIENCE Q9. What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic respiration?

Answer:

Aerobic uses oxygen and makes more ATP.

Anaerobic uses no oxygen and makes less ATP.

💡 Aerobic is more efficient.

🔬 SCIENCE Q10. What is the difference between frequency, wavelength, and amplitude?

Answer:

Frequency = waves per second.

Wavelength = distance between crests.

Amplitude = wave height.

💡 Frequency and wavelength are inversely related.

✍️ ENGLISH Q11. What is the difference between ‘that’ and ‘which’?

Answer:

‘That’ introduces essential information.

‘Which’ introduces extra information with commas.

💡 Use ‘which’ with commas.

✍️ ENGLISH Q12. What is the Oxford comma?

Answer:

It is the comma before ‘and’ or ‘or’ in a list of three or more items.

💡 ACT prefers the Oxford comma.

✍️ ENGLISH Q13. What is the difference between a gerund and an infinitive?

Answer:

Gerund = verb + ing used as a noun.

Infinitive = to + base verb.

💡 Keep structure parallel in lists.

✍️ ENGLISH Q14. What does economy of language mean?

Answer:

Use the shortest grammatically correct wording without losing meaning.

💡 Remove redundancy.

✍️ ENGLISH Q15. How do you punctuate dialogue correctly?

Answer:

Commas and periods usually go inside quotation marks in American English.

💡 ACT follows American punctuation rules.

📖 READING Q16. What is an analogy?

Answer:

An analogy compares two different things to show a similarity.

💡 Ask what comparison helps explain.

📖 READING Q17. What is the difference between claim and evidence?

Answer:

A claim is what the author argues.

Evidence supports that claim.

💡 Strong evidence directly supports the claim.

📖 READING Q18. What is narrative perspective?

Answer:

It is the point of view from which a story is told.

💡 Perspective shapes what the reader knows.

📖 READING Q19. What is the difference between denotation and connotation?

Answer:

Denotation is literal meaning.

Connotation is emotional association.

💡 ACT vocab depends on context.

📖 READING Q20. What are the 4 ACT Reading passage types?

Answer:

Literary Narrative, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science.

💡 Identify passage type early.