ADF Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield ADF facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which of the boxes comes next in the sequence? → D
2. ADF personnel must often work in teams. Which cognitive ability is essential for understanding and responding to team members’ needs and communications? → Interpersonal skills
3. Of the following materials, which is the best conductor of electricity? → Copper
4. A shape has 4-fold rotational symmetry. What is the smallest angle it can be rotated to look identical to its original position? → 90°
5. What qualities does the 'ANZAC spirit' most closely represent? → Courage, endurance, mateship, and sacrifice
6. Which of the following are the three core components of the ADF Pre-entry Fitness Assessment (PFA) for a general entry Army role? → Push-ups, Sit-ups, and the Multi-Stage Fitness Test (Beep Test)
7. What is the next number in the following sequence: 5, 8, 14, 26, 50, ? → 98
8. Which ability is most important for ADF personnel to interpret maps and plan routes effectively? → Spatial reasoning
9. Two objects of different mass are dropped simultaneously from the same height in a perfect vacuum. What happens? → Both objects hit the ground at the same time
10. Observe the sequence of figures. Which of the answer figures would be the next logical step in the series? → A figure with a large black square and a small white circle inside.
11. Which institution is the premier officer training college for the Australian Army? → Royal Military College Duntroon
12. The tradition of the 'slouch hat' with a turned-up brim is most famously associated with which service of the Australian Defence Force? → Australian Army
13. Consider the following series of boxes, each containing a line and a dot. Which box logically comes next in the sequence? → A box with a horizontal line and the dot below it.
14. When air is pumped into a sealed tire and pressure increases, what change has occurred at the molecular level? → The air molecules are moving faster and colliding more forcefully
15. In what year did Australian and New Zealand forces land at Gallipoli? → 1915
16. A 3x3 grid contains various shapes. The bottom right square is empty. Based on the patterns in the rows and columns, what should the missing shape be? → A small circle.
17. What nickname did Australian defenders earn during the 241-day siege of Tobruk in 1941? → The Rats of Tobruk
18. A rectangular room is 6 m long and 4 m wide. What is the straight-line distance from one corner to the diagonally opposite corner? → 7.2 m
19. According to Pascal's Law, what happens to pressure when force is applied to a confined fluid? → Pressure is transmitted equally throughout the fluid
20. On a map, the distance between two bases is 7.5 cm. If the map's scale is 1:50,000, what is the actual distance between the bases in kilometers? → 3.75 km
21. How does the ADF use aptitude test results in the recruitment process? → To determine which roles and training programs a candidate is eligible for
22. Which cognitive ability helps ADF personnel to detect patterns and anticipate potential threats during reconnaissance missions? → Pattern recognition
23. Which of the boxes comes next in the sequence? → D
24. A system uses one fixed pulley and one movable pulley. By what factor does this reduce the force needed to lift a load? → Force is reduced by half
25. How many edges does a cube have? → 12
26. Which cognitive ability helps ADF personnel to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively during missions? → Organizational skills
27. A square's corners are labeled 1 (top-left), 2 (top-right), 3 (bottom-right), 4 (bottom-left). After a 90° clockwise rotation, where is corner 1? → Top-right
28. After submitting an online application, what is the immediate next step in the ADF recruitment process? → Completing a Job Opportunities Assessment (JOA)
29. What three services make up the Australian Defence Force? → Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force
30. What mechanical advantage does a wedge provide? → It multiplies the applied force over a shorter distance