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
A town had 80 registered nurses last year and has 92 this year. What is the percent increase p?
80 → 92
p = %
2.Pre-nursing math (entrance exam)Hard
Use the order of operations to find the value of x: x = (−4)² − 4 × (−6) ÷ 2.
x = (−4)² − 4 × (−6) ÷ 2
x =
3.Nursing math & unit conversionsMedium
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A patient’s temperature is 100.4 °F. Convert it to degrees Celsius T with °C = (°F − 32) × 5/9. Round to one decimal place.
100.4 °F
T = °C
4.Nursing math & unit conversionsHard
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A prescription reads 1 tbsp of an oral suspension four times a day for 5 days. Using 1 tbsp = 15 mL, how many mL V are needed for the whole course?
1 tbspfour times a day5 days1 tbsp = 15 mL
V = mL
5.Reading comprehension (entrance exams)Medium
“When the fire alarm sounded, the teacher calmly led the children down the stairs, counted them at the meeting point and reported that everyone was safe.” Which word best describes the teacher’s actions?
APanicked
BOrganised
CCareless
DConfused and lost
6.Reading comprehension (entrance exams)Hard
The author writes: “Since the hospital started a quiet hour from 2 to 3 p.m., patients report sleeping better. However, the survey asked only patients on one ward, during one week.” What does the second sentence do?
AIt proves it works on every ward.
BIt explains why the quiet hour started.
CIt limits how far the result can be applied.
DIt shows patients slept worse.
7.Healthcare vocabulary (entrance exams)Medium
Choose the meaning of the word in bold: “The patient showed impaired hearing in one ear.”
ACompletely normal
BWeakened or damaged
CRecently improved
DUnusually sharp
8.Healthcare vocabulary (entrance exams)Hard
Which word means “absence of menstrual periods”?
AMenorrhagia
BAmenorrhoea
CMetrorrhagia
DDysmenorrhoea
9.English grammar & language usage (entrance exams)Medium
Choose the correct word: “The scarf ___ her coat perfectly.”
Acompliments
Bcomplement
Ccomplements
Dcompliment
10.English grammar & language usage (entrance exams)Hard
Which sentence contains a squinting (ambiguous) modifier?
AStudents who study often get good grades.
BStudents get good grades by studying often.
CStudents often get good grades when they study.
DStudents who often study get good grades.
11.Human anatomyMedium
Which cranial nerve controls most of the muscles of facial expression?
AHypoglossal nerve (XII)
BOculomotor nerve (III)
CFacial nerve (VII)
DTrigeminal nerve (V)
12.Human anatomyHard
In portal hypertension, oesophageal varices form at which portosystemic anastomosis?
ABetween the paraumbilical veins and the epigastric veins
BBetween the superior rectal and middle rectal veins
CBetween the splenic vein and the left renal vein
DBetween the left gastric vein and the oesophageal tributaries of the azygos vein
13.Human physiologyMedium
Low plasma albumin, as in severe liver disease, causes oedema mainly because:
APlasma oncotic pressure falls
BThe capillaries become impermeable
CCapillary hydrostatic pressure falls
DLymphatic drainage increases
14.Human physiologyHard
In long-standing aortic stenosis, how does the left ventricle adapt?
ANo change because the valve is not part of the ventricle
BThinning of the wall with dilation
CAtrophy of the muscle due to less work
DConcentric hypertrophy with a thicker wall
15.Biology for nursing entrance examsMedium
What is a codon?
AThe part of a chromosome where the spindle fibres attach during mitosis
BA group of three mRNA bases that codes for one amino acid
CA protein that starts transcription
DA single base that codes for a protein
16.Biology for nursing entrance examsHard
In a drug trial, one group receives a sugar pill that looks like the real drug. Why?
ATo increase the dose of the real drug
BTo control for the placebo effect, the improvement caused by expecting treatment
CTo make sure every patient is cured
DTo save money on the real drug
17.Chemistry for nursing entrance examsMedium
For the gas reaction N₂ + 3H₂ ⇌ 2NH₃, what is the effect of increasing the pressure?
AThe equilibrium shifts to the left, toward N₂ and H₂
BThe equilibrium shifts to the right, toward NH₃
CThere is no effect on the equilibrium
DThe NH₃ breaks down completely
18.Chemistry for nursing entrance examsHard
Which statement correctly distinguishes a scientific law from a scientific theory?
AA law is only a guess, while a theory is a proven fact
BA theory becomes a law once it is proved
CA law describes what happens; a theory explains why it happens
DLaws apply only to chemistry, theories only to biology
3Solutions
1.Pre-nursing math (entrance exam)
Answer: p = 15 %
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.
Change
92 − 80 = 12
Compare with the original
p = 12/80 × 100 = 15%
Answer
p = 15%
2.Pre-nursing math (entrance exam)
Answer: x = 28
Order of operations (PEMDAS/BODMAS): work inside parentheses first, then exponents (powers), then multiplication and division from left to right, and last addition and subtraction from left to right. Multiplication does not come before division, and addition does not come before subtraction: each pair is done in the order it appears. A negative number in parentheses keeps its sign when squared: (−3)² = 9, but −3² = −9.
One operation at a time
(−4)² is positive: a negative times a negative is positive.
x = (−4)² − 4 × (−6) ÷ 2
= 16 − 4 × (−6) ÷ 2
= 16 − (−24) ÷ 2
= 16 − (−12)
Result
x = 28
Answer
x = 28
3.Nursing math & unit conversions
Answer: T = 38 °C
Temperature: °C = (°F − 32) × 5/9 and °F = °C × 9/5 + 32. Subtract 32 before you multiply when going from °F, and add 32 after you multiply when going from °C. A quick check: 37 °C is 98.6 °F, and every 1 °C is 1.8 °F.
Subtract 32
100.4 − 32 = 68.4
Multiply by 5/9
T = 68.4·5/9 = 38 °C
Answer
T = 38 °C
4.Nursing math & unit conversions
Answer: V = 300 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 tbsp = 1·15 = 15 mL
Whole course
V = 15 mL × 4/day × 5 = 300 mL
Answer
V = 300 mL
5.Reading comprehension (entrance exams)
Answer: B · Organised
Why this is the answer
Calmly leading the class, counting the children and reporting shows the teacher acted in an organised way.
Answer
B · Organised
6.Reading comprehension (entrance exams)
Answer: C · It limits how far the result can be applied.
Why this is the answer
The second sentence notes that the evidence comes from one ward over one week, so the result may not apply generally.
Answer
C · It limits how far the result can be applied.
7.Healthcare vocabulary (entrance exams)
Answer: B · Weakened or damaged
Why this is the answer
Impaired means reduced in strength, quality or function.
Answer
B · Weakened or damaged
8.Healthcare vocabulary (entrance exams)
Answer: B · Amenorrhoea
Why this is the answer
Amenorrhoea (US: amenorrhea) is absence of menstruation; dysmenorrhoea is painful periods, menorrhagia is heavy bleeding and metrorrhagia is bleeding between periods.
Answer
B · Amenorrhoea
9.English grammar & language usage (entrance exams)
Answer: C · complements
Why this is the answer
“Complements” means goes well with or completes. “Compliments” means praises. The singular subject needs the -s form.
Answer
C · complements
10.English grammar & language usage (entrance exams)
Answer: A · Students who study often get good grades.
Why this is the answer
In A, “often” could modify “study” or “get”, so the meaning is unclear. Moving the modifier, as in C, removes the ambiguity.
Answer
A · Students who study often get good grades.
11.Human anatomy
Answer: C · Facial nerve (VII)
Why this is the answer
The facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) supplies the muscles of facial expression. Damage causes facial palsy, as in Bell's palsy.
Answer
C · Facial nerve (VII)
12.Human anatomy
Answer: D · Between the left gastric vein and the oesophageal tributaries of the azygos vein
Why this is the answer
At the lower oesophagus, portal blood in the left gastric vein meets systemic blood in the oesophageal veins draining to the azygos system. High portal pressure dilates these veins.
Answer
D · Between the left gastric vein and the oesophageal tributaries of the azygos vein
13.Human physiology
Answer: A · Plasma oncotic pressure falls
Why this is the answer
Albumin generates most of the plasma oncotic pressure that pulls fluid back into capillaries. When it falls, more fluid stays in the tissues.
Answer
A · Plasma oncotic pressure falls
14.Human physiology
Answer: D · Concentric hypertrophy with a thicker wall
Why this is the answer
Pressure overload makes the ventricular wall thicken (concentric hypertrophy) to keep wall stress normal. Volume overload, as in regurgitation, causes dilation instead.
Answer
D · Concentric hypertrophy with a thicker wall
15.Biology for nursing entrance exams
Answer: B · A group of three mRNA bases that codes for one amino acid
Why this is the answer
Each codon of three bases specifies one amino acid or a stop signal. The spindle attachment point is the centromere.
Answer
B · A group of three mRNA bases that codes for one amino acid
16.Biology for nursing entrance exams
Answer: B · To control for the placebo effect, the improvement caused by expecting treatment
Why this is the answer
A placebo group shows how much change happens without the active drug, so the true effect of the drug can be measured.
Answer
B · To control for the placebo effect, the improvement caused by expecting treatment
17.Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Answer: B · The equilibrium shifts to the right, toward NH₃
Why this is the answer
The left side has 4 mol of gas and the right side 2 mol. Higher pressure favours the side with fewer gas molecules, so more NH₃ forms.
Answer
B · The equilibrium shifts to the right, toward NH₃
18.Chemistry for nursing entrance exams
Answer: C · A law describes what happens; a theory explains why it happens
Why this is the answer
A law summarises a consistent pattern, often as a rule or equation (mass is conserved). A theory is a well-tested explanation of why (atoms are rearranged, not created). Theories do not turn into laws.
Answer
C · A law describes what happens; a theory explains why it happens
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