NLN PAX (Pre-Admission Examination) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What does the medical prefix 'brady-' mean?

Irregular
Slow (Correct answer)
Fast
Normal

Correct answer: Slow

Brady- means slow; for example, bradycardia is an abnormally slow heart rate.

Question 2: What type of rock forms when existing rocks are transformed by heat and pressure without melting?

Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic (Correct answer)
Volcanic

Correct answer: Metamorphic

Metamorphic rocks form when pre-existing rocks undergo physical or chemical changes due to intense heat and/or pressure deep within the crust.

Question 3: Simplify: (4 + 6) × 3 − 2²

28
34
26 (Correct answer)
22

Correct answer: 26

Following order of operations: (4+6)=10, 2²=4; 10×3=30; 30−4=26.

Question 4: Which is the most effective study strategy for improving PAX math scores?

Reading math textbooks only
Practicing problems daily and reviewing mistakes (Correct answer)
Memorizing formulas without practicing problems
Focusing only on advanced calculus

Correct answer: Practicing problems daily and reviewing mistakes

Consistent daily practice and thoroughly reviewing errors is proven to be the most effective way to improve math performance.

Question 5: A student scored 78, 85, 92, and 89 on four PAX practice tests. What is their average score?

83
86 (Correct answer)
85
88

Correct answer: 86

(78+85+92+89) ÷ 4 = 344 ÷ 4 = 86.

Question 6: Which state of matter has a definite volume but no definite shape?

Gas
Liquid (Correct answer)
Solid
Plasma

Correct answer: Liquid

Liquids have a definite volume but take the shape of their container because their molecules can flow.

Question 7: What is the square root of 144?

12 (Correct answer)
14
11
13

Correct answer: 12

√144 = 12, because 12 × 12 = 144.

Question 8: What is the term for when a species no longer exists anywhere on Earth?

Extinct (Correct answer)
Endangered
Threatened
Extirpated

Correct answer: Extinct

Extinction means a species has no surviving members anywhere on Earth, unlike extirpation, which refers only to disappearance from a local area.

Question 9: If 5 is 20% of a number, what is the number?

20
10
25 (Correct answer)
30

Correct answer: 25

20% of x = 5 → 0.20x = 5 → x = 5 ÷ 0.20 = 25.

Question 10: What is the approximate pH of healthy human blood?

7.4 (Correct answer)
8.0
7.0
6.4

Correct answer: 7.4

Normal blood pH ranges from 7.35 to 7.45, with 7.4 as the standard reference.

Question 11: Which layer of Earth's atmosphere contains the ozone layer?

Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere (Correct answer)
Troposphere

Correct answer: Stratosphere

The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere, approximately 15–35 km above Earth's surface, where it absorbs harmful UV radiation.

Question 12: What does the term 'homeostasis' refer to?

Formation of new blood cells
Breakdown of nutrients in the digestive tract
Rapid cell division
The body's maintenance of a stable internal environment (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The body's maintenance of a stable internal environment

Homeostasis is the process by which the body maintains a stable internal environment (e.g., temperature, pH, glucose levels) despite external changes.

Question 13: If x + 7 = 15, what is the value of 3x?

8
24 (Correct answer)
21
45

Correct answer: 24

x = 15 − 7 = 8, so 3x = 3 × 8 = 24.

Question 14: In only five minutes, a burrito artist can create 14 burritos. In one hour, how many burritos can she produce?

140
168 (Correct answer)
70
60
840

Correct answer: 168

To find out how many burritos the burrito artist can make in one hour, we need to determine the number of 5-minute intervals in an hour. There are 60 minutes in an hour, and since the artist can make 14 burritos in 5 minutes, the number of burritos made in one hour can be calculated as follows: Number of burritos in one hour = (Number of burritos in 5 minutes) * (Number of 5-minute intervals in an hour) Number of burritos in one hour = 14 * (60 / 5) Number of burritos in one hour = 14 * 12 Number of burritos in one hour = 168 Therefore, the burrito artist can make 168 burritos in one hour.

Question 15: What is the perimeter of a square with a side length of 9 inches?

27 inches
45 inches
81 inches
36 inches (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 36 inches

Perimeter of a square = 4 × side length = 4 × 9 = 36 inches.

Question 16: If a car travels at 60 mph, how far does it travel in 2.5 hours?

180 miles
130 miles
150 miles (Correct answer)
120 miles

Correct answer: 150 miles

Distance = speed × time = 60 × 2.5 = 150 miles.

Question 17: Which subatomic particle has a negative charge?

Neutron
Nucleus
Proton
Electron (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Electron

Electrons carry a negative charge and orbit the nucleus of an atom.

Question 18: What is the basic unit of life?

Cell (Correct answer)
Organ
Tissue
Atom

Correct answer: Cell

The cell is the smallest structural and functional unit of all living organisms.

Question 19: What is the chemical formula for water?

HO
OH₂
H₂O₂
H₂O (Correct answer)

Correct answer: H₂O

Water is composed of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom, giving it the formula H₂O.

Question 20: Which molecule carries genetic information from the nucleus to the ribosome?

DNA
mRNA (Correct answer)
rRNA
tRNA

Correct answer: mRNA

Messenger RNA (mRNA) carries the genetic code from DNA in the nucleus to the ribosomes where proteins are synthesized.

Question 21: What is the primary cause of ocean tides on Earth?

Wind patterns over the ocean surface
Earth's rotation speed
Temperature differences in ocean water
The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun

Ocean tides are primarily caused by the Moon's gravitational pull, with the Sun also contributing a significant but smaller effect.

Question 22: Which chamber of the heart pumps oxygenated blood to the systemic circulation?

Right atrium
Left ventricle (Correct answer)
Right ventricle
Left atrium

Correct answer: Left ventricle

The left ventricle pumps oxygen-rich blood through the aorta to the rest of the body.

Question 23: A medication is available as 500 mg per 5 mL. How many mL are needed for a 750 mg dose?

6 mL
7.5 mL (Correct answer)
10 mL
5 mL

Correct answer: 7.5 mL

Dose ratio: 750 mg ÷ 500 mg × 5 mL = 7.5 mL.

Question 24: How many sections does the PAX exam consist of?

Four: Verbal, Math, Science, and Writing
Two: Science and Critical Thinking
Three: Verbal, Math, and Science (Correct answer)
Two: Verbal and Math

Correct answer: Three: Verbal, Math, and Science

The PAX exam has three sections: Verbal (60 questions), Mathematics (40 questions), and Science (60 questions).

Question 25: What instrument is used to measure atmospheric pressure?

Anemometer
Thermometer
Hygrometer
Barometer (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Barometer

A barometer measures atmospheric air pressure; falling pressure often signals an approaching storm.

Question 26: Which sentence uses correct subject-verb agreement?

Each of the patients have been assessed.
The team of nurses are ready.
Neither the doctor nor the nurses was notified.
The list of medications was reviewed. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The list of medications was reviewed.

"The list" is a singular subject, so the singular verb "was" is correct; prepositional phrases do not change the subject.

Question 27: Read the following: 'The results were inconclusive.' What does 'inconclusive' mean?

Definitive
Contradictory
Not leading to a clear result (Correct answer)
Highly accurate

Correct answer: Not leading to a clear result

The prefix 'in-' means not, so inconclusive means not conclusive or without a clear outcome.

Question 28: Newton's Second Law of Motion states that force equals:

Momentum ÷ time
Mass × velocity
Mass × acceleration (Correct answer)
Weight × speed

Correct answer: Mass × acceleration

Newton's Second Law is F = ma, where F is force, m is mass, and a is acceleration.

Question 29: Genetic material exchanged during prophase 1 of meiosis between homologous chromosomes.

Steps of meiosis
Frontal lobe
Crossing over (Correct answer)
Parietal lobe

Correct answer: Crossing over

Crossing over is the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during prophase I of meiosis, and it is a key source of genetic variation. The other options ('steps of meiosis,' 'parietal lobe,' 'frontal lobe') don't name this specific exchange process.

Question 30: What is 15% of 240?

38
34
40
36 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 36

15% of 240 = 0.15 × 240 = 36.

NLN PAX (Pre-Admission Examination)

The NLN PAX is a standardized nursing school admission exam administered by the National League for Nursing, assessing candidates in Verbal Ability, Mathematics, and Science to predict success in nursing programs.

160

Questions

123 min

Time Limit

65%

To Pass

Checking for saved progress...

Exam Rules

You can skip questions and return to them later
Flag questions for review before submitting
No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
Timer auto-submits when time runs out
Your progress is auto-saved every 30 seconds