1,001 questions about the ASTB (post your scores & ask your questions here!)

[Airwolf17]

I think that is perfectly fine, dude. I hope you kill it. What have you been studying? Also, I think you're correct. I think I need to study HARDER and more efficiently.

 

[JKid]

I need help with a mechanical question that was on the ASTB Form 4. Bear with me as I try to describe it (it was based on an illustration)...

-4 movable pulleys are used to raise a 1200lb block.
-The pulleys are staggered at different heights
*Pulley 1 is attached to the ceiling on one end while the other end is used to raise the object
*Pulley 2 is attached to the ceiling on one end while the other end is attached to Pulley 1
*Pulleys 3 & 4 are each attached to the ceiling at one end while the other end is attached to the pulley above it

How much force is needed to life the 1200lb block using this pulley system? If I remember correctly, the choices were 100lb, 300lb, and 400lb. I answered 300lb based on the 1200lb of weight being raised by 4 separate tension lines in the system (1200lb/4 = 300lb). Has anyone else seen this question and know the answer?

 

[That_1_Dud3]

I think that is perfectly fine, dude. I hope you kill it. What have you been studying? Also, I think you're correct. I think I need to study HARDER and more efficiently.

Well I've been studying it all but I took some practice tests and based off how I initially did with those, I figured where my weaker areas are.

I've been studying math, or rather practicing. It's not that I don't know it, I'm just rusty and make stupid mistakes. With math, for me, it's all about repetition and practice. I have been hitting up aviation/nautical info hard and have improved vastly there. I also am studying mechanical comprehension some because I have little background in that area. Spatial apperception is pretty easy thanks to video games though I'm not too sure how you would study that, just practice. I kill reading comprehension so not too much is focused there.

How about you?

 

[Sapper!]

I need help with a mechanical question that was on the ASTB Form 4. Bear with me as I try to describe it (it was based on an illustration)...

-4 movable pulleys are used to raise a 1200lb block.
-The pulleys are staggered at different heights
*Pulley 1 is attached to the ceiling on one end while the other end is used to raise the object
*Pulley 2 is attached to the ceiling on one end while the other end is attached to Pulley 1
*Pulleys 3 & 4 are each attached to the ceiling at one end while the other end is attached to the pulley above it

How much force is needed to life the 1200lb block using this pulley system? If I remember correctly, the choices were 100lb, 300lb, and 400lb. I answered 300lb based on the 1200lb of weight being raised by 4 separate tension lines in the system (1200lb/4 = 300lb). Has anyone else seen this question and know the answer?

I can't really figure out how the pulleys are setup from your description, if you could give a better explanation of how the pulleys are configured then I could help you out

keep in mind that if a pulley bears a load on both sides the mechanical advantage is 2, if the pulley just has the force on one side balancing out the other, that is 1 which is just P=W.

this might help
http://www.technologystudent.com/gears1/pulle11.htm

 

[VNE]

I agree with Sapper. I have read and re-read this problem over and over. I just can not visualize how it is set up. A pulley that is solidly affixed to something which prohibits it from moving (i.e. the ceiling) is not a moveable pulley.

 

[JKid]

Here's a picture of what the question looked like...



**EDIT: click to enlarge the photo**

 

[MasterBates]

75

 

[Sapper!]

75

yep

start at the pulley closest to the object, and each pulley cuts the weight in half (mechanical advantage of two). Work your way back, from there. 600, 300, 150, and then 75

 

[MasterBates]

I paid $125k to be able to answer that question.

 

[Sapper!]

I paid $125k to be able to answer that question.

Mechanical Engineer?! Sorry I wasn't trying to be rude by adding to what you posted, i just thought I'd briefly tell the guy how you got that answer.

I think there is a dunce cap around here some where that will fit my peanut skull

 

[gnarbot]

Anyone have a good way of remembering the types of clouds such as mnemonic one.

 

[VNE]

A couple things that helped me with clouds...If it has the word "alto" in it, then it would be considered a mid-level cloud (i.e. altocumulus, altostratus.) I remembered from my band days that the altosax was somewhere in the middle range of saxaphones.

Stratus is a flat-looking cloud, so i thought "Strat is flat"

Anything Cirro or cirrus is a high level cloud. "Cirro" kind of looks like the word "Cicero". He was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and constitutionalist, therefore he was thought "very highly" of. Get it?

Anything with "nimb" in it is a storm cloud (i.e. nimbostratus, cumulonimbus)

 

[gnarbot]

thanks VNE

 

[RyanF2005]

Took the ASTB last Saturday. Wasn't near as hard as the practice tests.
I got a 7/7/8 OAR 59. The OAR score was low, but I'm applying on the USMC side, so I'm still pleased with my score!

*EDIT*
Thanks for the help from everyone also!

And I had Form 4, if anyone is interested.

 

[a-6intruder]

My son just took the ASTB and scored 7/8/8 61, which he (and I) are pretty excited about. He is in NROTC. I've seen a lot on this post regarding scores and how they factor into an OCS package. Any feel for how scores weigh into a set of orders to Pensacola for someone already in NROTC? My recommendation is for him not to retake the ASTB, but his GPA (civil engineering) is not stellar (2.83) - although mine was 2.49 and I did okay. The school is one I would consider "very competitive" with both a strong academic reputation, and (more importantly IMHO) a strong "Navy" reputation. I think the risk of doing worse outweighs the benefit of doing better (and the associated chances of that happening).

Other than telling him to press a bit harder on his GPA, any recommendations? My experience is dated 28 years when all you needed to do was pass the AQT/FAR, and graduate. I never would have even gotten an NROTC scholarship if I was trying to compete these days, let alone graduate, get commissioned, get into flight school, get jets, etc, etc...