CAST Cheat Sheet 2026

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

1. A part costs $4.80 and you buy 25 of them. What is the total cost? → $120
2. A test report should communicate results to the client by: → Presenting findings, comparisons to limits, and recommendations
3. A board is 144 inches long. How many feet is that? → 12 feet
4. What is the perimeter of a square with 7-foot sides? → 28 feet
5. Which does NOT belong: circle, square, triangle, red? → red
6. What is the smallest amount of force required to lift the weight? → 15 kg
7. If 6 workers complete a job in 10 days, how many days would 4 workers take at the same pace? → 15 days
8. Which action follows after a tester successfully verifies a fix? → Close the defect
9. When execution time is limited, which tests should be prioritized? → High-risk and high-priority test cases first
10. A risk register should be treated as which kind of document? → A living document updated throughout the project
11. Which practice habit most improves performance on the Mathematical Usage subtest? → Reviewing core algebra, ratios, and unit conversions
12. What is a root cause analysis (RCA) used for in process improvement? → To determine the underlying cause of defects or failures to prevent recurrence
13. When an actual result differs from the expected result, the tester should: → Log a defect with supporting evidence
14. What does 'continuous improvement' mean in the context of software QA? → Ongoing effort to improve processes and products over time
15. Why include a tailboard or safety meeting record in project documentation? → To prove hazards and controls were communicated to the crew
16. Why might a team use a dedicated performance test environment separate from functional testing? → To get accurate performance metrics without interference from other tests
17. What is the primary benefit of risk-based testing when schedule time is limited? → It focuses testing effort on the most critical areas first
18. Which of the following is a primary objective of static testing? → To identify defects in work products as early as possible in the lifecycle.
19. What is the primary benefit of static testing performed early in the software lifecycle? → It detects defects before code is executed, reducing cost of fixes
20. During which phase of the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) are the specific test cases and scripts developed? → Test Design
21. Which activity is characteristic of a walkthrough? → The author guides participants through the document to gather feedback
22. A right triangle has legs of 6 and 8. What is the length of the hypotenuse? → 10
23. Who typically assigns the priority of a defect? → The project/test lead or triage team
24. Which statement about the CAST test format is correct? → It is a multiple-choice exam covering reading, math, and mechanical concepts
25. A tank holds 150 gallons and drains at 12.5 gallons per minute. How long until it is empty? → 12 minutes
26. Which is an example of using risk to decide what NOT to test deeply? → A stable, low-impact informational page gets minimal testing
27. In a review, what is meant by 'rework'? → The author corrects the defects identified during the review
28. Convert the fraction 7/8 to a decimal. → 0.875
29. On the CAST test, why is it important to read all answer choices before selecting one? → Because a later choice may be more correct than an earlier one
30. A lockout/tagout plan is part of test management to: → Ensure energy sources are isolated and cannot be re-energized accidentally