Flashcard-style notes for the ATI TEAS 7 Mathematics section. Cover the answer column, work down the list, and check yourself. Original Aspire material - updated July 2026.
Term | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
Place value | How do you compare decimals? | Line up the decimal points and compare digit by digit from the left. 0.4 is greater than 0.35 because 4 tenths beats 3 tenths. |
Fraction to decimal | How do you convert a fraction to a decimal? | Divide the numerator by the denominator. 5/8 = 5 divided by 8 = 0.625. |
Decimal to percent | How do you convert a decimal to a percent? | Multiply by 100 and add the percent sign, or move the decimal two places right. 0.24 becomes 24%. |
Percent to fraction | How do you convert a percent to a fraction? | Write it over 100 and simplify. 35% = 35/100 = 7/20. |
Adding fractions | How do you add fractions? | Find a common denominator, convert both fractions, add only the numerators, then simplify. 2/3 + 1/6 = 4/6 + 1/6 = 5/6. |
Dividing fractions | How do you divide fractions? | Multiply by the reciprocal of the second fraction. 3/4 divided by 2/5 = 3/4 x 5/2 = 15/8. |
Mixed numbers | How do you convert a mixed number to an improper fraction? | Multiply the whole number by the denominator, add the numerator, keep the denominator. 2 and 3/4 = (2x4+3)/4 = 11/4. |
Order of operations | What is the order of operations? | PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division left to right, then Addition and Subtraction left to right. |
Negative numbers | What happens when you multiply two negatives? | The result is positive. A negative times a positive is negative. Note that (-3) squared = 9, but -3 squared = -9. |
Percent increase | How do you find percent increase or decrease? | Divide the change by the ORIGINAL amount, then multiply by 100. From 8,400 to 11,200: 2,800/8,400 = 33.3%. |
Reverse percent | An item costs $80 after a 20% discount. How do you find the original? | $80 is 80% of the original, so divide: 80 / 0.80 = $100. Adding 20% back to $80 is the classic wrong answer. |
Ratio | What is a ratio? | A comparison of two quantities, written 3:4 or 3/4. Keep the order given in the question. |
Proportion | How do you solve a proportion? | Cross multiply and solve. If x/9 = 20/12, then 12x = 180, so x = 15. |
Inverse proportion | When does more mean less? | When quantities are inversely proportional. If 5 workers take 12 days, the job is 60 worker-days, so 15 workers take 60/15 = 4 days. |
Unit rate | What is a unit rate? | A rate with a denominator of 1 - miles per hour, cost per item. Divide to find it: $6.25 for 5 notebooks = $1.25 each. |
Solving equations | How do you solve a linear equation? | Do the same operation to both sides to isolate the variable. 7x - 5 = 3x + 19 becomes 4x = 24, so x = 6. |
Translating words | How do you turn words into an expression? | 'Three times a number' is 3n. 'Eight less than' means subtract from it: 3n - 8, not 8 - 3n. Order matters. |
Metric prefixes | What do the metric prefixes mean? | kilo = 1,000, centi = 1/100, milli = 1/1,000. So 1 km = 1,000 m, 1 m = 100 cm, 1 L = 1,000 mL. |
Metric conversion | How do you convert within the metric system? | Multiply or divide by powers of ten. 2,500 mL divided by 1,000 = 2.5 L. |
Pounds and kilograms | How do you convert pounds to kilograms? | Divide by 2.2. A 154 lb patient weighs 154/2.2 = 70 kg. To go from kg to lb, multiply by 2.2. |
Inches and centimeters | What is the inch to centimeter conversion? | 1 inch = 2.54 cm. Multiply inches by 2.54 to get centimeters. |
Miles and kilometers | What is the mile to kilometer conversion? | 1 mile is about 1.61 km. Multiply miles by 1.61. |
Temperature | How do you convert Celsius to Fahrenheit? | F = 9/5 x C + 32. So 35 C becomes 63 + 32 = 95 F. To reverse it: C = 5/9 x (F - 32). |
Perimeter | How do you find the perimeter of a rectangle? | Add all sides, or use 2(length + width). A 15 by 12 ft room has a perimeter of 54 ft. |
Area | What are the key area formulas? | Rectangle = length x width. Triangle = 1/2 base x height. Circle = pi r squared. |
Circumference | How do you find the circumference of a circle? | C = 2 pi r, or pi x diameter. Do not confuse this with area, which uses r squared. |
Volume | What are the key volume formulas? | Rectangular solid = length x width x height. Cylinder = pi r squared x height. |
Mean | How do you find the mean? | Add all the values and divide by how many there are. This is the arithmetic average. |
Median | How do you find the median? | Put the values in order and take the middle one. With an even count, average the middle two. |
Mode | What is the mode? | The value that appears most often. A data set can have more than one mode, or none at all. |
Range | What is the range? | The largest value minus the smallest value. It measures spread, not center. |
Outlier effect | Which average does an outlier distort most? | The mean. The median is resistant to outliers, which is why it is preferred for skewed data such as incomes. |
Probability | How do you calculate simple probability? | Favourable outcomes divided by total outcomes. Three blue marbles out of ten gives 3/10. |
Independent events | How do you find the probability of two independent events? | Multiply their probabilities. Two coin flips both landing heads: 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/4. |
Estimation | When should you estimate? | To check whether an answer is reasonable. Rounding 23.2 x 1.61 to 23 x 1.6 gives about 37, which quickly eliminates wildly wrong options. |
Calculator | Is a calculator allowed on the TEAS? | Yes, an on-screen four-function calculator is provided. You cannot bring your own, so practice with a basic one. |
Timing | How much time do you get per Math question? | 38 questions in 57 minutes - about 90 seconds each, the most generous of the four sections. |
Common error | What causes most lost points in TEAS Math? | Misreading the question and unit errors, not difficult mathematics. Always check what is being asked and which units the answer needs. |
How to use these notes
Cover the Answer column and say it from memory before checking - retrieval beats re-reading.
Mark what you miss and revisit only those cards the next day.
Once the terms feel solid, switch to timed practice questions.
Next step: apply these with the TEAS Mathematics practice tests, then work a full-length timed set.