Academic Ability Flashcards
7 cards from real Physician Assistant practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Academic Ability flashcards as text
A PA student reads: 'Patients with condition X who received treatment Y showed a 30% reduction in symptoms compared to controls.' What type of study design MOST likely produced this result?
Answer: Randomized controlled trial
Comparing a treatment group to controls with measured outcomes is the hallmark of a randomized controlled trial.
Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?
Answer: Running quickly, the bus was missed by the student.
In the first option, the participial phrase 'Running quickly' incorrectly modifies 'the bus' rather than the student.
If a train travels 240 miles at 60 mph, then returns the same distance at 40 mph, what is the average speed for the entire trip?
Answer: 48 mph
Average speed = total distance / total time = 480 / (4 + 6) = 48 mph.
A passage states that 'correlation does not imply causation.' A student concludes that ice cream sales cause drowning because both rise in summer. This is an example of:
Answer: Confounding variable error
A confounding variable (summer/heat) explains both ice cream sales and drowning rates, creating a false causal link.
What is the value of x if 3(2x − 4) = 2(x + 6)?
Answer: x = 6
Expanding: 6x − 12 = 2x + 12, so 4x = 24, giving x = 6.
In academic writing, which of the following BEST defines a thesis statement?
Answer: A concise claim that the essay will argue and support
A thesis statement presents the central argument the writer will develop and defend throughout the essay.
A beaker holds 500 mL. If 20% of the liquid evaporates and then 50 mL is added, how many mL remain?
Answer: 450 mL
500 × 0.80 = 400 mL after evaporation; 400 + 50 = 450 mL.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- nccpa.net — Test dates, renewal, score validity, retake policy, score release, test delivery, eligibility, fees, registration, exam information · verified Nov 2026