ITBS Cheat Sheet 2026

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

1. What is considered to be an error or alteration in an organism's DNA? → Mutation
2. Which of the following is an example of an inference a reader can make? → The character slammed the door and refused to speak, so she was probably angry.
3. Which sentence correctly capitalizes a specific school subject? → I am taking Spanish this year.
4. My friend, a New York Yankees fan, has tickets to the first game of the season. Which word or words should be followed by a comma? → friend, fan,
5. On a map, the box that explains what the various symbols and colors represent, such as a star for the capital city or a blue line for a river, is called the: → Legend or Key
6. Which of the following is the correct way to write 7,000 + 400 + 60 + 3? → 7,463
7. Which type of map would BEST show the borders between states? → Political map
8. 8 is reduced by adding a number, n, and the product of 5. Which expression best encapsulates this assertion? → 8 (n + 5)
9. Simplify the expression: 4(3x − 2) + 5x → 12x − 8 + 5x = 17x − 8
10. A plant placed in a dark room for two weeks would most likely show which result? → Yellowing and wilting from lack of photosynthesis
11. Which of the following is closest to 1,000? → 10 × 100
12. The creek was so turbulent after the storm that no one dared cross it. What does 'turbulent' mean? → moving in an uncontrolled, violent way
13. Several ________ of oranges _______ at the market. Pick the appropriate phrases to finish the sentence. → cases, were sold
14. Two buses leave the same station at 9:00 AM. Bus A travels north at 45 mph and Bus B travels south at 55 mph. How far apart are they after 2 hours? → 200 miles
15. In which type of text would you most likely find footnotes and a bibliography? → A research paper or academic article
16. Which word has the incorrect spelling? → disciplinery
17. Which line has a mistake in the spelling? → patios, radios, heros
18. Which combination of expressions is the same for any non-zero value of the variable? → b + b + 3c and 2b +3c
19. A store sells apples for $0.75 each and oranges for $1.25 each. If Maria buys 4 apples and 3 oranges, how much does she spend in total? → $6.75
20. Which expression is equal to 5²? → 5 × 5
21. What is the root word of 'unhelpful'? → help
22. A passage ends with: 'Without immediate action, coral reefs may disappear within our lifetime.' This sentence is MOST likely intended to: → Persuade readers that action is urgently needed
23. Which expression is equivalent to 7 3/4 in terms of value? → 21× 1/4
24. Which of the following is the best estimate for 48 × 21? → 1,000
25. Read the passage: 'Despite the storm, the lighthouse keeper maintained the light, guiding ships safely.' What is the keeper's main trait? → Dedication
26. What is the median of the data set: 4, 7, 2, 9, 5? → 5
27. A certain city has 836,527 residents. How many people, rounded to the nearest ten thousand, live in this city? → 840,000
28. A store sells notebooks for $2.95 each. About how much would 8 notebooks cost? → $24
29. He ______ to the principal's office numerous times prior to this incident. Pick the right verb form. → had been
30. My sister and I are partners In this phrase: → a statement