IST Cheat Sheet 2026

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

1. A turned part tapers from 2.000 in. to 1.500 in. in diameter over a length of 4 inches. What is the taper per inch? → 0.125 in.
2. What is the purpose of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in an industrial workplace? → To provide step-by-step instructions ensuring tasks are performed consistently and safely
3. Which three-dimensional shape will you get if you rotate a rectangle around one of its sides? → Cylinder
4. An oven is set to 350°F. About what is this temperature in degrees Celsius? → 177°C
5. A ratio of defective parts is 1:50. In a batch of 1,500 parts, how many are expected to be defective? → 30
6. Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom), how many sections does a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) contain? → 16
7. An order requires 3/4 of a roll of wire. If the full roll is 200 feet, how many feet are needed? → 150 ft
8. What does 'FIFO' stand for in industrial inventory and production management? → First In, First Out
9. Which OSHA standard covers the use of personal protective equipment in general industry? → 29 CFR 1910.132
10. What is a common result of over-greasing a rolling-element bearing? → Overheating from churning of excess grease
11. A rectangular coolant tank measures 6 ft x 4 ft x 3 ft. About how many gallons does it hold? (1 cu ft ≈ 7.48 gal) → 539 gallons
12. A rectangular floor is 20 feet long and 15 feet wide. What is its area? → 300 sq ft
13. What does a red safety tag on a machine indicate? → Machine is locked out / out of service
14. In blueprint reading, what does the abbreviation 'OD' stand for? → Outer Diameter
15. A blueprint scale is 1 inch = 4 feet. If a wall measures 3.5 inches on the blueprint, how long is the actual wall? → 14 ft
16. What must an employer provide before requiring an employee to use a respirator in the workplace? → A medical evaluation of the employee
17. A megohmmeter (megger) is primarily used to test which property of a motor or cable? → Insulation resistance
18. A 2,000 lb load is lifted with a two-leg bridle sling. Each leg is at 60° from horizontal. About how much tension is on each leg? → 1,155 lb
19. In a 3-phase wye-connected system, the phase-to-neutral voltage is 277 V. What is the line-to-line voltage? → 480 V
20. What is the standard frequency of AC power in the United States? → 60 Hz
21. Power factor in an AC circuit is defined as the ratio of: → True power to apparent power
22. What does a centerline (alternating long and short dashes) indicate in a technical drawing? → The axis of symmetry or center of a hole, cylinder, or symmetric feature
23. Which type of pliers is specifically designed to hold, cut, and crimp wire? → Lineman's pliers
24. What does the term 'kerf' refer to when cutting material? → The width of material removed by a cutting tool
25. Which problem-solving approach involves creating a diagram that organizes potential causes into categories such as Machine, Method, Material, and Manpower? → Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
26. What do dashed lines represent in a technical drawing? → Edges or features hidden behind a visible surface
27. If Gear A has 20 teeth and Gear B has 40 teeth, how many rotations will Gear A make when Gear B makes one rotation? → 2 rotations
28. According to the passage, what is one benefit of automated systems in manufacturing? → They increase production speed and consistency
29. A worker notices a recurring defect every 50th part produced. What type of issue does this most likely suggest? → A periodic or cyclical machine problem
30. What does AC stand for in electrical systems? → Alternating Current