sum/count; middle of ordered list; most frequent; max − min
Length, capacity, time
1 km = 1000 m, 1 m = 100 cm, 1 ft = 12 in, 1 yd = 3 ft, 1 mi = 5280 ft, 1 gal = 4 qt = 16 cups, 1 h = 60 min
Temperature
°F = °C·9/5 + 32, °C = (°F − 32)·5/9; a change of 1 °C = 1.8 °F
Area
rectangle l·w, triangle ½·b·h, circle π·r²
Perimeter and circumference
rectangle 2l + 2w, circle π·d = 2π·r
Volume
box l·w·h, cylinder π·r²·h; 1000 cm³ = 1 L
Speed
distance ÷ time (time in hours for mph or km/h)
Method
Read the last sentence first: what exactly is asked, and in which unit or form (lowest terms, nearest cent, one decimal place)?
Write the numbers in one form: turn mixed numbers into improper fractions, percents into decimals, and hours and minutes into one unit.
Pick the method: PEMDAS for expressions, a common denominator for adding fractions, part ÷ whole × 100 for percents, cross-multiplying for proportions, inverse operations for equations.
Work one step at a time and write each line down; round only at the very end.
Check the size of the answer with an estimate, and put an equation’s answer back in.
Nursing math & unit conversions
Metric steps
1 kg = 1000 g, 1 g = 1000 mg, 1 mg = 1000 mcg, 1 L = 1000 mL
Weight and length
1 kg = 2.2 lb, 1 lb = 16 oz, 1 in = 2.54 cm, 1 ft = 12 in
Household measures
1 tsp = 5 mL, 1 tbsp = 15 mL, 1 fl oz = 30 mL, 1 cup = 8 fl oz = 240 mL
Write the given quantity with its unit and the unit you want.
Pick the equivalent: 1000 between kg, g, mg and mcg or L and mL; 1 kg = 2.2 lb; 1 tsp = 5 mL, 1 tbsp = 15 mL, 1 fl oz = 30 mL, 1 cup = 240 mL.
Write it as a fraction so that the unwanted unit cancels; for a rate, use one fraction per unit that changes.
Check the direction: a smaller unit gives a bigger number.
Round only the final answer, to the precision the question names.
Reading comprehension (entrance exams)
Method
Read the question first so you know what you are looking for.
Skim the passage for its topic and main point; the first or last sentence often states it.
Go back to the exact lines that answer the question.
For inferences, choose the option the clues most strongly support, not one that goes further.
For labels and tables, apply every rule that fits the case and do the small calculation carefully.
Healthcare vocabulary (entrance exams)
Method
Read the whole sentence and look for a context clue: a definition, a contrast, an example or a cause and effect.
Split an unfamiliar word into prefix, root and suffix and translate each part.
Read a medical term from the suffix back to the start (hepat-itis: inflammation of the liver).
Put each option into the sentence and check that the meaning still fits.
Choose the meaning used in this sentence, even if the word has another everyday meaning.
English grammar & language usage (entrance exams)
Method
Find the subject and the verb of the sentence before choosing a form.
Strip away phrases (of the …, along with …) and extra people (you and …) to test agreement and pronoun case.
Check each clause: can it stand alone? Join independent clauses with a comma + conjunction or a semicolon.
Check modifiers and lists: the describing phrase next to its word, items in the same form.
For word choice and register, pick the precise, formal and concise option.
Biology for nursing entrance exams
Method
Name the topic of the question: cell parts, transport, division, DNA and protein synthesis, inheritance, biomolecules, microorganisms or experimental design.
Recall the key rule: A–T and G–C, diffusion from high to low, water moves towards more solute, mitosis keeps and meiosis halves the chromosome number.
For crosses, write the parents’ genotypes, list the gametes and fill a Punnett square before counting.
For experiments, label the independent, dependent and controlled variables, and ask whether the evidence supports or only suggests the conclusion.
Check each option against the question asked, not just whether it is a true statement.
Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Method
Identify what is given and asked: particles, a formula, a state change, a concentration, a pH or a mass.
Use the periodic table: the atomic number gives protons, the group gives valence electrons and the usual ion charge.
Balance equations with coefficients only, element by element, oxygen and hydrogen last.
For amounts, go mass → moles → mole ratio → moles → mass, and for solutions use M = mol/L and C₁V₁ = C₂V₂.
Remember that pH is logarithmic: one unit is a factor of 10.
2Practice problems
1.Pre-nursing math (entrance exam)Medium
The line graph shows the number of people in a waiting room every 2 hours, from hour 0 to hour 10. By how much Δ did the value change from hour 2 to hour 4? Use a negative number for a decrease.
Δ =
2.Pre-nursing math (entrance exam)Hard
The table shows the number of volunteers at centres A, B and C in 2024 and 2025. What percent p of all 2025 volunteers were at centre A? Round to the nearest whole number.
p = %
3.Nursing math & unit conversionsMedium
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A dose is charted at 15:10 (24-hour clock). Which entry is the same time on the 12-hour clock? Click it.
15:10
13:10 PM
25:10 PM
32:10 PM
43:10 AM
4.Nursing math & unit conversionsHard
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A prescription reads 1 tsp of an oral suspension four times a day for 14 days. Using 1 tsp = 5 mL, how many mL V are needed for the whole course?
1 tspfour times a day14 days1 tsp = 5 mL
V = mL
5.Reading comprehension (entrance exams)Medium
Kelp is a type of large brown algae that grows in cold ocean water. Kelp forests provide food and shelter for many animals, including sea otters, which eat the sea urchins that feed on kelp. How do sea otters help kelp forests?
AThey keep the water warm for the kelp.
BThey eat the kelp before it grows too tall.
CThey eat the sea urchins that feed on kelp.
DThey plant new kelp on the ocean floor.
6.Reading comprehension (entrance exams)Hard
“The marathon was a test of will as much as of strength. By mile 20, Ana’s legs burned, but she pictured her mother waiting at the finish line and kept going.” What does the phrase “a test of will” mean here?
AA legal document about property
BA test of how fast her legs are
CA challenge of determination
DA written exam about running
7.Healthcare vocabulary (entrance exams)Medium
Choose the meaning of the word in bold: “Young children are more susceptible to dehydration.”
AUnaware of
BProtected against
CFrightened of
DEasily affected by
8.Healthcare vocabulary (entrance exams)Hard
What does the term bronchiectasis mean?
AInflammation of the airways
BNarrowing of the airways during an asthma attack
CRemoval of an airway
DPermanent widening of the airways
9.English grammar & language usage (entrance exams)Medium
Choose the correct verb: “Neither the doctor nor the nurses ___ available.”
Aare
Bhas been
Cis
Dwas
10.English grammar & language usage (entrance exams)Hard
Which choice is the best transition? “The patient missed several doses. ___, the infection returned.”
ANevertheless
BIn contrast
CAs a result
DFor instance
11.Human anatomyMedium
Where does the spinal cord normally end in an adult?
AAt the level of the sacrum
BAt about the level of T10
CAt about the level of vertebrae L1–L2
DAt the coccyx
12.Human anatomyHard
A blow to the side of the head at the pterion causes an extradural haematoma. Which vessel is usually torn?
ABridging cerebral veins
BSuperficial temporal artery
CMiddle meningeal artery
DMiddle cerebral artery
13.Human physiologyMedium
What does the QRS complex on an ECG represent?
AAtrial depolarisation
BVentricular repolarisation
CVentricular depolarisation
DAtrial repolarisation
14.Human physiologyHard
In primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease), which combination is expected?
ALow sodium, high potassium and high ACTH
BLow sodium, low potassium and low ACTH
CHigh sodium, low potassium and low ACTH
DHigh sodium, high potassium and high ACTH
15.Biology for nursing entrance examsMedium
A deletion removes exactly three bases, forming one whole codon, from the middle of a gene. What is the most likely result?
AThe protein becomes three times longer
BEvery amino acid after the deletion is changed to a new one
CNo protein can be made at all
DThe protein lacks one amino acid but the rest is unchanged
16.Biology for nursing entrance examsHard
A breastfed baby receives antibodies from its mother's milk. Why does this protection last only a short time?
AThe antibodies from breast milk attack the baby's own red blood cells
BThe baby's stomach makes the antibodies more active
CThe baby did not make these antibodies and forms no memory cells
DThe antibodies turn into memory cells after a few weeks
17.Chemistry for nursing entrance examsMedium
What is the molar mass of sulfuric acid, H₂SO₄ (H = 1, S = 32, O = 16 g/mol)?
A49 g/mol
B50 g/mol
C96 g/mol
D98 g/mol
18.Chemistry for nursing entrance examsHard
Why does food cook faster in a pressure cooker?
AThe higher pressure raises the boiling point, so the water is hotter
BPressure itself breaks down the food, regardless of temperature
CSteam is trapped, so the water boils at a lower temperature
DThe higher pressure lowers the boiling point
3Solutions
1.Pre-nursing math (entrance exam)
Answer: Δ = −5
Reading charts and tables: read the title, the categories and the scale first. On a bar chart or line graph, follow the top of the bar or the point across to the vertical axis; every gridline is one step of the scale. A pie chart shows parts of a whole: a sector of p% stands for p% of the total and has an angle of p% of 360°.
Read the points
2 h: 10, 4 h: 5
Change
Δ = 5 − 10 = −5
Answer
Δ = −5
2.Pre-nursing math (entrance exam)
Answer: p = 23 %
Percent means per hundred: p% of a number is (p/100) × the number. To find what percent A is of B, divide A by B and multiply by 100. A percent change compares the change with the original value: percent change = (new − original)/original × 100.
Total 2025
50 + 80 + 90 = 220
Percent
p = 50/220 × 100 = 22.73 ≈ 23%
Answer
p = 23%
3.Nursing math & unit conversions
Answer: 3:10 PM
24-hour clock: from 1 PM onwards add 12 to the hour (3:45 PM = 15:45). Midnight to 12:59 AM is 00:00–00:59, and 12:00–12:59 PM stays 12:00–12:59. Going back, subtract 12 from hours 13–23 and add PM; hours 00 become 12 AM. Count time across midnight in two parts: up to 24:00 (00:00), then from 00:00 on.
Convert the hour
15 − 12 = 3 → PM
Answer
3:10 PM
Answer
3:10 PM
4.Nursing math & unit conversions
Answer: V = 280 mL
Dimensional analysis: write the given quantity, then multiply by conversion factors written as fractions (for example 60 min/1 h or 1 mg/1000 mcg) so that each unwanted unit appears once on top and once underneath and cancels. When only the wanted unit is left, calculate. Use the equivalents the question gives and round only the final answer.
Volume per dose
1 tsp = 1·5 = 5 mL
Whole course
V = 5 mL × 4/day × 14 = 280 mL
Answer
V = 280 mL
5.Reading comprehension (entrance exams)
Answer: C · They eat the sea urchins that feed on kelp.
Why this is the answer
Otters eat sea urchins, and urchins eat kelp, so otters protect the kelp by reducing the number of urchins.
Answer
C · They eat the sea urchins that feed on kelp.
6.Reading comprehension (entrance exams)
Answer: C · A challenge of determination
Why this is the answer
Here “will” means determination. The passage shows Ana pushing on through pain by thinking of her mother.
Answer
C · A challenge of determination
7.Healthcare vocabulary (entrance exams)
Answer: D · Easily affected by
Why this is the answer
Susceptible means likely to be harmed or influenced by something.
Answer
D · Easily affected by
8.Healthcare vocabulary (entrance exams)
Answer: D · Permanent widening of the airways
Why this is the answer
Bronchiectasis is permanent, abnormal widening of the bronchi, which causes mucus to build up.
Answer
D · Permanent widening of the airways
9.English grammar & language usage (entrance exams)
Answer: A · are
Why this is the answer
With “neither … nor” or “either … or”, the verb agrees with the nearer subject. “Nurses” is plural, so “are” is correct.
Answer
A · are
10.English grammar & language usage (entrance exams)
Answer: C · As a result
Why this is the answer
“As a result” shows cause and effect. “Nevertheless” and “in contrast” would signal an unexpected or opposite idea.
Answer
C · As a result
11.Human anatomy
Answer: C · At about the level of vertebrae L1–L2
Why this is the answer
In adults the cord ends at the conus medullaris near L1–L2. Below that lies the cauda equina, which is why lumbar punctures are done at L3–L4 or L4–L5.
Answer
C · At about the level of vertebrae L1–L2
12.Human anatomy
Answer: C · Middle meningeal artery
Why this is the answer
The middle meningeal artery lies under the pterion, where the skull is thin. Its rupture bleeds between bone and dura. Bridging veins cause subdural haematomas.
Answer
C · Middle meningeal artery
13.Human physiology
Answer: C · Ventricular depolarisation
Why this is the answer
The P wave is atrial depolarisation, the QRS complex ventricular depolarisation and the T wave ventricular repolarisation. Atrial repolarisation is hidden in the QRS.
Answer
C · Ventricular depolarisation
14.Human physiology
Answer: A · Low sodium, high potassium and high ACTH
Why this is the answer
Loss of aldosterone causes sodium loss and potassium retention. Low cortisol removes negative feedback, so ACTH rises and can cause skin pigmentation.
Answer
A · Low sodium, high potassium and high ACTH
15.Biology for nursing entrance exams
Answer: D · The protein lacks one amino acid but the rest is unchanged
Why this is the answer
Because three bases are removed, the codons after the deletion are still read in the correct frame. The protein loses one amino acid, which may or may not affect its function.
Answer
D · The protein lacks one amino acid but the rest is unchanged
16.Biology for nursing entrance exams
Answer: C · The baby did not make these antibodies and forms no memory cells
Why this is the answer
In passive immunity, ready-made antibodies are received from another source. They are gradually broken down, and since the baby's own immune system did not respond, no memory cells form. Active immunity, from infection or vaccination, lasts longer.
Answer
C · The baby did not make these antibodies and forms no memory cells
17.Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Answer: D · 98 g/mol
Why this is the answer
(2 × 1) + 32 + (4 × 16) = 2 + 32 + 64 = 98 g/mol.
Answer
D · 98 g/mol
18.Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Answer: A · The higher pressure raises the boiling point, so the water is hotter
Why this is the answer
Sealing the pot raises the pressure, so water must reach a higher temperature (above 100 °C) before it boils. The hotter water cooks food faster. Autoclaves use the same idea to sterilise equipment.
Answer
A · The higher pressure raises the boiling point, so the water is hotter
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