Make the most of your study time
Study only what you need to know…
TEAS CRASH COURSE
®
ATI TEAS
®
®
Don’t spend endless hours poring through page after page of textbook-style
content review, and don’t go in circles taking one practice test after another.
REA’s TEAS Crash Course boils it all down for you in one compact book, allowing
you to stay focused and efficient.
TEAS is a basic skills test, so the best way to raise your score is by brushing
up on essential skills in reading, math, science, and English/language usage.
Then, put those skills to work with our full-length online practice test.
CRASH COURSE
®
®
Don’t crash and burn. Use REA’s Crash Course, and you’ll be on your
way to the nursing school or allied health program of your choice.
ATI TEAS
Your time is important to you.
3rd Edition
REA’s Crash Course®…It’s about time.
• Covers only the material tested on the exam
• Focus your study and make the most of your time
• Boost your confidence
Online REA Study Center—full-length practice exam, timed testing,
automatic scoring, powerful diagnostics, detailed explanations of answers
ISBN-13:
ISBN-13:978-0-7386-1227-0
978-0-7386-1227-0
ISBN-10:0-7386-1227-8
0-7386-1227-8
ISBN-10:
51995
www.rea.com
9 780738 612270
Printed in the USA
TEAS_CrashCourse_3ed.indd 1
®
U.S. $19.95
CRASH COURSE
• Pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses and improve your score
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
• For the time-crunched studier or anyone needing a refresher
GET A HIGHER SCORE IN LESS TIME
• A complete ATI TEAS course in a concise, time-saving format
• Targeted review covers only material that will actually be tested
• Strategies for answering every type of question
• Free online practice exam pinpoints your strengths
and weaknesses
TEAS ATI
is a registered
trademark
of Assessment
Technologies
Institute
LLC, which
was not involved
in
Allen, John.
TEAS Crash
Course®
Book
+ Online,
Research
& Education
Association,
2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vgcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4902175.
the production of, and does not endorse, this product.
Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
®
®
Book + Online
4/26/17 4:13 PM
3rd Edition
ATI TEAS
®
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
CRASH COURSE
®
By John Allen
Research & Education Association
www.rea.com
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 1
4/26/17 2:58 PM
Research & Education Association
61 Ethel Road West
Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
Email: info@rea.com
TEAS® CRASH COURSE®, 3rd Edition
Copyright © 2017 by Research & Education Association, Inc.
Prior editions copyright © 2014, 2013 by Research & Education
Association, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Library of Congress Control Number 2017938360
ISBN-13: 978-0-7386-1227-0
ISBN-10: 0-7386-1227-8
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: Publication of this work is for the purpose of
test preparation and related use and subjects as set forth herein. While every effort has been
made to achieve a work of high quality, neither Research & Education Association, Inc., nor
the authors and other contributors of this work guarantee the accuracy or completeness of or
assume any liability in connection with the information and opinions contained herein and in
REA’s companion software and/or online materials. REA and the authors and other contributors
shall in no event be liable for any personal injury, property or other damages of any nature
whatsoever, whether special, indirect, consequential or compensatory, directly or indirectly
resulting from the publication, use or reliance upon this work.
Cover image: © iStockphoto.com/michaeljung
TEAS® is a registered trademark of Assessment Technologies Institute®, LLC. All other
trademarks cited in this publication are the property of their respective owners.
REA Crash Course® and REA® are registered trademarks of
Research & Education Association, Inc.
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 2
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ATI TEAS
CRASH COURSE
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
®
®
Access Your Online Exam
by following the instructions
found at the back of this book.
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TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
About This Book................................................................................ vii
A Note from Our Author....................................................................viii
About Our Author............................................................................... ix
Acknowledgments.............................................................................. ix
About REA........................................................................................... x
Chapter 1 Taking the TEAS��������������������������������������������������������� 1
The TEAS: A Snapshot...................................................................1
Registering for the Exam...............................................................3
What to Bring to the Test (and What Not to Bring).......................4
General Test-Taking Strategies for the TEAS...................................4
Setting Up a Study Plan................................................................7
Test Strategies for Specific Question Types..................................10
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Is Nursing for You?......................................................................16
Chapter 2 Reading.......................................................................19
Key Ideas and Details.......................................................................21
Summarize a complex text..........................................................21
Infer the logical conclusion from a reading selection...................23
Identify the topic, main idea, and supporting details...................26
Follow a given set of directions...................................................29
Identify specific information from a printed communication.......31
Identify information from a graphic representation of
information..........................................................................34
Recognize events in a sequence..................................................38
Craft and Structure..........................................................................41
Distinguish between fact and opinion, biases, and stereotypes....41
Recognize the structure of texts in various formats......................44
Interpret the meaning of words and phrases using context.........46
iii
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 3
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TEAS Crash Course
Determine the denotative meaning of words..............................49
Evaluate the author’s purpose in a given text..............................51
Evaluate the author’s point of view in a given text.......................54
Use text features.........................................................................56
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas...............................................58
Identify primary sources in various media....................................58
Use evidence from text to make predictions and inferences,
and draw conclusions about a piece of writing.....................60
Compare and contrast themes from print and other sources.......63
Evaluate an argument and its specific claims...............................66
Evaluate and integrate data from multiple sources in various
formats, including media......................................................68
Chapter 3 Mathematics...............................................................71
Number and Algebra.......................................................................72
Convert among non-negative fractions, decimals, and
percentages..........................................................................72
Perform arithmetic operations with rational numbers..................78
Compare and order rational numbers.........................................87
Solve equations in one variable...................................................90
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Solve real-world one- or multi-step problems with rational
numbers...............................................................................96
Solve real-world problems involving percentages......................100
Apply estimation strategies and rounding rules to real-world
problems............................................................................103
Solve real-world problems involving proportions.......................107
Solve real-world problems involving ratios and rates
of change...........................................................................110
Translate phrases and sentences into expressions, equations,
and inequalities..................................................................113
Measurement and Data.................................................................115
Interpret relevant information from tables, charts, and
graphs................................................................................115
Evaluate the information in tables, charts, and graphs using
statistics..............................................................................118
iv
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 4
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Table of Contents
Explain the relationship between two variables.........................120
Calculate geometric quantities..................................................122
Convert within and between standard and metric systems........128
Chapter 4 Science.......................................................................133
Human Anatomy and Physiology..................................................133
Describe the general anatomy and physiology of a human.......135
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory
system................................................................................140
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular
system................................................................................143
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal
system................................................................................145
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the neuromuscular
system................................................................................148
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the reproductive
system................................................................................152
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the integumentary
system................................................................................155
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the endocrine
system................................................................................158
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the genitourinary
system................................................................................160
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the immune system....163
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the skeletal system.....165
Life and Physical Sciences..............................................................168
Describe the basic macromolecules in a biological system.........168
Compare and contrast chromosomes, genes, and DNA............171
Explain Mendel’s laws of heredity..............................................174
Recognize basic atomic structure..............................................176
Explain characteristic properties of substances...........................180
Compare and contrast changes in states of matter....................184
Describe chemical reactions......................................................187
Scientific Reasoning.......................................................................192
Identify basic scientific measurements using laboratory tools.....192
v
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TEAS Crash Course
Critique a scientific explanation using logic and evidence.........194
Explain relationships among events, objects, and processes......196
Analyze the design of a scientific investigation..........................198
Chapter 5 English and Language Usage.................................201
Conventions of Standard English..................................................202
Use conventions of standard English spelling.............................202
Use conventions of standard English punctuation......................206
Analyze various sentence structures...........................................210
Knowledge of Language................................................................214
Use grammar to enhance clarity in writing................................214
Distinguish between formal and informal language...................217
Apply basic knowledge of the elements of the writing
process...............................................................................220
Develop a well-organized paragraph.........................................223
Vocabulary Acquisition..................................................................225
Use context clues to determine the meaning of words or
phrases...............................................................................225
Determine the meaning of words by analyzing word parts........227
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Glossary���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 231
Online Practice Exam���������������available at www.rea.com/studycenter
vi
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 6
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About This Book
ABOUT THIS BOOK
REA’s ATI TEAS Crash Course is an essential guide for the time-crunched nursing
school or allied health program applicant who wants a quick refresher before
taking the Test of Essential Academic Skills, or TEAS. It offers a preview of the
content found on the most recent version of the TEAS.
This Crash Course includes review chapters specifically targeted to what you
need to know to ace the exam. Each skill objective is concisely covered, with
one or more practice questions included to test your comprehension. The format of the TEAS Crash Course makes it easy to focus on the specific skills where
you need the most review.
Chapter 1 describes the format and content of the TEAS, including important
changes to the current exam. It also includes proven test-taking strategies
and a discussion of the personal qualities needed to succeed in the nursing
profession.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Chapters 2 through 5 provide tightly focused skill reviews on Reading, Mathematics, Science, and English & Language Usage. Each skill objective is covered
separately, with bulleted items that describe what you need to know about
the skill. The sample questions at the end of each section offer practice in the
multiple-choice format you will see on the TEAS.
REA’s ATI TEAS Crash Course will help you build your confidence as you review
the various topics and skills. This book will show you how to study efficiently
and strategically, so you can earn a high score on this important exam.
Good luck on the TEAS!
To check your test readiness for the TEAS, either before or after studying this
Crash Course, take REA’s FREE online practice exam. To access your practice exam, visit the online REA Study Center at www.rea.com/studycenter
and follow the on-screen instructions. This true-to-format test features
automatic scoring, detailed answer explanations, and diagnostic score
reporting that will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses so
you’ll be ready for test day.
vii
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 7
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TEAS Crash Course
A NOTE FROM OUR AUTHOR
The basic approach of this ATI TEAS Crash Course is simple: the targeted content review covers exactly what you need to know for the TEAS. You can
proceed to the topics you most need to study without slogging through long
paragraphs and complicated explanations. The sample problems in the book
demonstrate the strategies you should use in answering the types of questions
you will see on the TEAS.
Before you begin studying, ask yourself how prepared you are to take the
TEAS. Some students are ready to take the test as soon as they pick up this
book, while others may be completely unprepared. Most test-takers will fall
somewhere in between. Most likely, you’re more confident — and competent — in some areas than in others. So what should you do? Here are four
ways to study using this Crash Course. Pick the one that suits your situation
the best.
• The Systematic Approach: Start at the beginning and go through the
entire book, chapter by chapter, section by section, and make sure you
cover every topic thoroughly.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
• The Strength Approach: Review the sections that you feel are your
strong points, then go on to areas that give you trouble. Starting with
your strengths will give you confidence and make you familiar with the
book’s format. Then you can tackle your problem areas with a positive
attitude and, ultimately, do well on the test.
• The Weakness Approach: Concentrate on the sections you feel are
your weakest and move on from there. For example, are your math skills
rusty? Then start with Chapter 3 and study it carefully. Once you have
shored up your weak areas, you can move on to your stronger areas,
building your knowledge and confidence section by section.
• The Blank Slate Approach: Are you unsure of your strengths and weaknesses in basic academic skills? Then start anywhere in the book and
branch out from there. As you review each section, you’ll soon get an
idea of how much you know (or don’t know) about a given topic. This
will tell you what you need to go over a second or a third time. You’ll end
by gaining knowledge and a strong belief in yourself.
viii
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 8
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Acknowledgments
Whichever approach you use, you will eventually reach the point where you
are ready to take a practice test. Go to the online REA Study Center at www.
rea.com/studycenter, take the free practice test, and see how well you score.
(You can also take the online practice test before you begin studying this guide
to gauge your overall understanding of the topics tested on the TEAS.) Topiclevel score reports will pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses and show you
where you need further review.
If after taking REA’s online practice exam, you want even more TEAS prep, you
can also obtain additional practice using the ATI (Assessment Technologies
Institute) online test banks. You can also purchase the official ATI TEAS Study
Manual at this site.
Study hard, and good luck on your test!
— John Allen
ABOUT OUR AUTHOR
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
John Allen has more than 30 years of experience in test preparation. Mr. Allen
received his B.A. from the University of Oklahoma. He has written many textbooks in the subject areas of language arts, reading, mathematics, science,
and history.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank Pam Weston, Publisher, for setting the quality standards for production integrity and managing the publication to completion;
Larry B. Kling, Vice President, Editorial, for his supervision of revisions and overall direction; John Paul Cording, Vice President, Technology, for coordinating
the design and development of the REA Study Center; Diane Goldschmidt,
Managing Editor, for coordinating development of this edition; Jennifer Calhoun, Graphic Artist, for page design; and Kathy Caratozzolo of Caragraphics
for typesetting.
ix
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 9
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TEAS Crash Course
ABOUT REA
Founded in 1959, Research & Education Association (REA) is dedicated to
publishing the finest and most effective educational materials — including
study guides and test preps — for students of all ages.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Today, REA’s wide-ranging catalog is a leading resource for students, teachers,
and other professionals. Visit www.rea.com to see a complete listing of all our
titles.
x
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 10
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Chapter
TAKING THE TEAS
1
THE TEAS: A SNAPSHOT
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is widely used to assess
the academic preparedness of nursing and allied health program
applicants in the United States. The TEAS predicts the performance of
incoming candidates and helps educators gain advance knowledge of
the strengths of students who are accepted into the program.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
In August 2016, ATI released a new version of the TEAS called the
ATI TEAS. At that time, the prior version of the exam (TEAS V) was
retired. The ATI TEAS is similar in difficulty level to the TEAS V and
was updated to ensure that it is applicable and relevant to today’s
nursing programs. Content updates were made to align with current
education standards deemed important for entry-level health science
applicants to possess.
The ATI TEAS is given in both paper-and-pencil and computerized
formats, and all test items are four-option, multiple-choice questions.
The exam features 170 test items, 20 of which are not scored,
making a total of 150 scored items. The total time for the test
is 209 minutes, broken down into four sections — Reading,
Mathematics, Science, and English & Language Usage.
The breakdown for the new ATI TEAS, the sixth edition of the test, is
as follows:
Number of
Questions
Time Limit
Reading
53
64 minutes
Mathematics
36
54 minutes
Science
53
63 minutes
English and Language Usage
28
28 minutes
Total
170
209 minutes
Content Area
1
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 1
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Chapter 1
What’s on the TEAS Test?
Mathematics
21%
Science
31%
Reading
31%
English and
Language
Usage
17%
Each content area is divided into sub-content areas, each of which
has a specific number of scored items on the test. The unscored
pretest items for each content area do not have a specific number for
each topic. (The unscored items are used to improve future versions
of the TEAS.) Although the TEAS is divided into four content areas, it
is scored as a single test, with a composite score for each complete
administration of the test.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Content and
Sub-Content Areas
Number of
Unscored
Scored Items Pretest Items
Reading
47
Key Ideas and Details
22
Craft and Structure
14
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
11
Mathematics
32
Number and Algebra
23
Measurement and Data
9
Science
47
Human Anatomy and Physiology
32
Life and Physical Sciences
8
Scientific Reasoning
7
English and Language Usage
24
Conventions of Standard English
9
Knowledge of Language
9
Vocabulary Acquisition
6
6
4
6
4
2
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 2
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Taking the TEAS
REGISTERING FOR THE EXAM
Before you can register for the TEAS, you must create an account
at the ATI testing website, www.atitesting.com. Once you have
an account set up, you can view more information about the
registration process, fees, payment options, and score reports.
There are two ways to register for the TEAS exam. Most test-takers
register for the test at www.atitesting.com. You can also register at a
PSI test site by going to: https://candidate.psiexams.com (or via the
link on the ATI main page) and following the instructions. However,
if you sign up for the exam through the PSI site, you still need to pay
your registration fee at the ATI website.
Once you’ve registered, you will receive a receipt/confirmation email
from ATI containing the ID # required by PSI to complete scheduling
of the test. Note that you will not be able to schedule an exam with
PSI unless you pay your exam fee on the ATI website.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
You may also call PSI at 1-800-733-9267 24 hours after payment for
the examination to schedule a time and location to take the TEAS.
They will require the ID # from your purchase confirmation so make
sure you have the number available.
Keep in mind that there is a no-refund policy on TEAS registration. If
you register at www.atitesting.com, all registrations are final. If you’re
unable to attend the scheduled test date, you must re-register and
pay for a new exam date.
Check with your nursing program for specific scoring and entrance
requirements regarding the TEAS. You should also find out the
nursing school’s policy on retaking the TEAS.
CAN I USE A CALCULATOR ON THE ATI TEAS?
Yes. The ATI TEAS allows for the use of a four-function calculator.
Please do not bring your own calculator to the testing center, as a
calculator will be embedded within the online version of the exam.
For paper-and-pencil versions of the TEAS, the testing center will
provide a four-function calculator.
3
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Chapter 1
WHAT TO BRING TO THE TEST (AND WHAT NOT TO BRING)
Be sure to bring:
Valid photo identification of yourself, such as a driver’s license,
passport, or green card. To be admitted to the test, your ID must be
government-issued and contain a current photograph, a permanent
address, and your signature. A photo credit card or student ID are
not sufficient to meet the criteria for the test.
If you’re taking the paper-and-pencil version of the exam, be sure
to bring two sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers. No other writing
utensils are allowed. Calculators will be provided for certain sections
of the TEAS.
If you’re taking the online version of the test, you must bring your
login information with you. Your student account must be created
beforehand at www.atitesting.com prior to the day of the test.
Do not bring:
Additional clothing, including jackets, coats, and hats. All clothing is
subject to inspection by the test proctor. (Allowances may be made
for religious apparel.)
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Personal items of any kind, such as purses, backpacks, duffel bags,
and computer cases.
Electronic devices of any kind, including cell phones, smart phones,
beepers/pagers, and digital watches.
Food or drink, unless you have a documented medical need for such
an item.
GENERAL TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES FOR THE TEAS
Answer every question. You are not penalized for wrong answers,
so make sure you answer every question, even if you guess.
Make an educated guess. An educated guess — when you have
some idea about the correct answer — is a much better choice than
an uneducated “wild” guess, in which you are randomly choosing an
answer.
• With an “uneducated” guess in which your answer choice is
random, your answer has a 25% chance of being correct.
4
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TEAS CC.p3.indb 4
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Taking the TEAS
• If you can eliminate one wrong answer, your guess has a 33%
chance of being correct.
• If you can eliminate two wrong answers, your guess has a 50%
chance of being correct.
Answer the easy questions first. Don’t worry about answering
questions in order. Look for questions you know first. This allows you
to move ahead on the test and then come back to the more difficult
questions and give them more thought.
Mark the tough questions. If a question is troublesome,
ambiguous, or for some reason too hard to answer at once, mark it
and come back to it later. If you have an answer but you’re unsure
about it, mark the question and revisit it later.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Be aware of the clock. Keep in mind how much time you have for
each test section. For example, you will have 64 minutes to complete
the Reading section of the test. After 15 minutes, you should have
answered about 12 to 15 of the 53 Reading questions. After one
half hour, you should have answered about 25 to 30 of the Reading
questions, and so forth.
Aim to have spare time after you have gone through the
entire test. Your goal should be to complete the test with about
10 minutes or more to spare. This will give you time to go over the
most difficult questions that you had trouble answering. If you don’t
reach your goal of having spare time at the end of the test, don’t
worry. The most important time management element is to stay
calm, work steadily, and answer all the questions.
5
Allen, John. ATI TEAS Crash Course® Book + Online, Research & Education Association, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
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Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
TEAS CC.p3.indb 5
4/26/17 2:58 PM
Chapter 1
Be intuitive. In general, your first guess at a question you don’t
know is often your best guess. If an answer seems better, it often is.
Identify what is being asked. Your first order of business for a
question is to make sure you are answering what is actually being
asked. For example, look at the units of the answer for gas mileage.
If your answer is not in miles per gallon, it can’t be correct.
Watch out for decoy answers. Most questions have one or two
wrong answers that are way off the mark and at least one answer
that is plausible in some way.
• Eliminate the clearly wrong answers right away.
• Then consider the two or three plausible answers remaining.
Try plugging these answers back into the question to see if
they make sense.
• If you still can’t identify the best answer, use your intuition to
make an educated guess.
Review your answer. A good strategy is to work as quickly as
possible but always take time to review the answer that you choose.
Ask yourself:
• Does this answer make sense?
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
• Am I falling for a decoy?
• Did I find the answer that the problem was actually asking for?
Be cool. Stressing out over the test makes your results worse, not
better. So focus on serenity. Think of your stress as an energy source
that can be harnessed and used in a positive rather than a negative
way.
Avoid these mistakes in preparing for the test:
• Failing to eat a good breakfast. Your brain needs to be in
top working order during the test. You can’t afford to run out
of energy or lose focus. Try to eat well and sleep well as you
prepare for the test.
• Overconfidence. If you are a qualified applicant, the TEAS
should not seem overly difficult. However, you shouldn’t take
the test lightly either. Be serious. Give the test the respect it
deserves. Your nursing career may depend on it.
6
Allen, John. ATI TEAS Crash Course® Book + Online, Research & Education Association, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vgcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4902175.
Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
TEAS CC.p3.indb 6
4/26/17 2:58 PM
Taking the TEAS
• A bad attitude. You may consider yourself a poor test-taker,
but apprehension, fear, and pessimism can only make your
performance worse. Try to approach the test with an air of
quiet confidence.
• Cramming. You may be able to cram for a narrowly focused
junior high spelling test, but the TEAS is too broad, too varied,
and too general for last minute cramming. Cramming can only
result in making you tired and anxious on exam day.
Follow these smart tips that lead to success on the test:
• Get regular exercise. Exercise does more than build physical
stamina; it also builds mental stamina. You will need plenty
of both kinds of stamina when taking the test. Get into an
exercise routine weeks before you take the test. You will eat
better, sleep better, and study more effectively as a result.
• Get help. Don’t know much about chemistry? Rather than
try to learn it all on your own, seek out someone who can
help — a friend, sibling, teacher, tutor, or parent.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
• Set goals. The key to getting things done is to map out your
study goals ahead of time. Chart your progress on a table or
graph.
• Be honest with yourself. If you’re not good with fractions, it
won’t help to skip over them and hope they don’t show up
on the test. Realistically assess your strengths and weaknesses.
Work extra hard on the skills that give you trouble.
SETTING UP A STUDY PLAN
First, determine how much time you have before the test and how
much time you can realistically devote to preparation each day. Do
you have months? Weeks? Only a few days? The amount of study
time you have will determine how your study plan proceeds.
Find your strengths and weaknesses. (This is precisely where taking
REA’s online practice test will come in handy.) Then find those topics
in this book and work on them. Look at the following chart as an
example.
7
Allen, John. ATI TEAS Crash Course® Book + Online, Research & Education Association, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vgcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4902175.
Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
TEAS CC.p3.indb 7
4/26/17 2:58 PM
Chapter 1
SELF-EVALUATION CHART
I’m
confident
I need
to review
When I
studied
Reading
Summarizing
Making Inferences
Identify topic, main idea, and
supporting details
Follow directions
Get information from graphics
Recognize sequence
Fact and opinion
Text structure
Context clues
Author’s purpose
Author’s point of view
Text features
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Make predictions
Compare themes
Evaluate an argument
Mathematics
Fractions, decimals, and percentages
Perform operations with rational
numbers
Compare and order rational numbers
Solve equations in one variable
Solve real-world problems with
rational numbers
Estimation and rounding
(continued)
8
Allen, John. ATI TEAS Crash Course® Book + Online, Research & Education Association, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vgcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4902175.
Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
TEAS CC.p3.indb 8
4/26/17 2:58 PM
Taking the TEAS
I’m
confident
I need
to review
When I
studied
Proportions
Ratios and rates of change
Tables, charts, and graphs
Relationship between two variables
Standard and metric systems
Science
General human anatomy
Body systems
Macromolecules
Chromosomes, Genes, and DNA
Mendel’s laws of heredity
Atomic structure
Properties of substances
Changes in states of nature
Chemical reactions
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
Scientific measurements
Design of a scientific investigation
English and Language Usage
Spelling
Punctuation
Sentence structures
Grammar
Formal and informal language
Elements of the writing process
Paragraph organization
Word analysis
9
Allen, John. ATI TEAS Crash Course® Book + Online, Research & Education Association, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vgcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4902175.
Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
TEAS CC.p3.indb 9
4/26/17 2:58 PM
Chapter 1
Set up a calendar on which you schedule various study areas and
mark off how much time you spend on them in the chart on the
previous pages.
An alternative strategy, especially if you have a lot of time, involves
working systematically through this entire book from start to finish.
You should find the review to be extremely helpful, and you will be
surprised at how many new things you learn even in areas in which
you previously thought you were strong.
Use triage at all times. If you have only a few weeks to prepare,
you need to focus only on weaknesses and general areas. You don’t
have time to be systematic. On the other hand, if your time is not
limited and you find that spending extra time on a topic such as
macromolecules is valuable, go ahead and do it.
Be steady. Have a regular study time and try not to let anything
interfere with it. Remember, the work you put in now for this test has
the promise of paying off over an entire lifetime.
TEST STRATEGIES FOR SPECIFIC QUESTION TYPES
READING COMPREHENSION PASSAGES
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One of the common question types on the TEAS is the long reading
passage from which you’ll need to draw conclusions and make
judgments about things like author’s purpose.
Read the title and scan the paragraphs. Get a feel for what the topic
is and what to expect from your reading. Note whether multiple
questions are associated with the passage. In many cases, they
will be.
After previewing the title and general text structure, many expert
test-takers like to go over the questions before they read the passage.
Note: This technique may or may not be for you! However, if you are
a person who benefits from a question preview, go ahead and do it.
Read quickly but carefully. After each section, briefly review what you
just read before you continue. After finishing, consider the piece as
a whole. How did the paragraphs fit together? What was the main
point of the piece? How was it supported?
10
Allen, John. ATI TEAS Crash Course® Book + Online, Research & Education Association, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vgcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4902175.
Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
TEAS CC.p3.indb 10
4/26/17 2:58 PM
Taking the TEAS
Feel free to underline, circle, and write notes as you read. For
example, if you view a sentence as providing critical support for a
key idea within the passage, mark it clearly.
Finish the passage and go on to the questions. If the first question or
two seem daunting, keep moving until you come to a question you
are sure of. Then go back to the more difficult questions.
MATH WORD PROBLEMS AND PROBLEM SOLVING
The TEAS Mathematics section has many different types of word
problems. Some are simple and require only a quick calculation.
Others are complex and may require a detailed analysis. For any
word problem, whether it involves whole numbers, fractions,
algebra, or any of the topics in Chapter 3, follow these basic steps.
Problem Solving: Basic Steps
1. Read the problem carefully. Many problems are
misunderstood simply because the problem solver fails to
understand the situation.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
2. If possible, solve immediately. If you see the key relationship
right away, there is no need to go through a complex analysis.
Solve. Then go on to step 7 below.
3. Underline, circle, write, list. If you don’t see the key
relationship right away, mark up the problem by circling,
underlining, or making lists and writing equations. You may
wish to list information in two sections that roughly set out
“What I know” and “What I don’t know.”
4. Identify what you need to find. This is usually the most
important step in the process. Find out what you need to
know. Focus on the units of your unknown such as inches,
grams, milliliters, or miles per hour.
5. Make a plan. For simple problems, this might entail nothing
more than identifying an operation — addition, subtraction,
multiplication, or division — to carry out. For more complex
problems, your plan may involve more than one step and
more than one operation. In your plan, look for key words.
11
Allen, John. ATI TEAS Crash Course® Book + Online, Research & Education Association, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vgcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4902175.
Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
TEAS CC.p3.indb 11
4/26/17 2:58 PM
Chapter 1
Add 1
Subtract 2
Multiply 3
Divide 4
in all
sum
total
together
sum total
combined
plus
less than
fewer than
more than
minus
difference
take away
left over
decreased by
increased by
product of
times
multiplied by
increased by
a factor of
quotient
per
each
equal parts
split
divided by
­ratio of
6. Set up the problem and solve. Carry out your plan and
calculate the answer.
7. Go over your answer. First ask, “Did I find what I was looking
for?” If you were looking for miles per gallon and you found
gallons per mile, your answer is almost certainly wrong. Check
your units. Check your calculations. Make sure that your
answer solves the problem.
Copyright © 2017. Research & Education Association. All rights reserved.
PROBLEM SOLVING DO’S AND DON’TS
✓
DO
• Write. Writing things out helps you visualize the ­problem.
Also draw, diagram, model—do anything that helps you see
relationships.
• Estimate. Use estimation both before and after you solve the
problem. Preview to estimate what your answer should be;
then check to see if your answer was correct.
• Ask yourself, “Does this make sense?” This is probably the
most important step after you’ve solved the problem. Does
your final answer fit the situation and seem reasonable for the
context of the problem? If not, it’s probably best to rethink the
problem.
• Think simple. The test is not out to force you to make
complicated and “messy” calculations. If you get an ­answer
that seems overly messy looking or complicated, it’s probably
wrong.
12
Allen, John. ATI TEAS Crash Course® Book + Online, Research & Education Association, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vgcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4902175.
Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
TEAS CC.p3.indb 12
4/26/17 2:58 PM
Taking the TEAS
✗
DON’T
• Try to do it in your head. Mental math and estimation work
only with simple relationships and simple numbers. If you
have any doubt, write out the problem. Being able to see your
thought process on paper is always a good check.
• Jump to conclusions. Make sure you understand what the
problem is asking for before you answer it.
• Rush. The worst thing about rushing is that it makes you
sloppy and careless. Work fast and keep moving but ­always
focus on staying calm and steady.
• Be stubborn. Being sure you’re right is good. Being too sure
is not good. If your problem-solving procedure or your answer
seems suspect, don’t hesitate to rethink the problem and start
all over.
GRAMMAR QUESTION TYPE: WHICH SENTENCE IS
WRITTEN CORRECTLY?
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One of the most common — and most important — question types in
the English and Language Usage section of the TEAS is a variation of
“Which sentence is written correctly?”
1. Look for obvious mistakes. Questions might include such
errors as failing to capitalize the first word in the sentence,
misplaced apostrophes, or failing to put punctuation at the
end of the sentence.
2. Is the sentence complete? Answer choices may feature
dependent clauses or other nonsentences trying to pass as
sentences. Make sure that the sentence has a complete subject
and complete predicate and is not a dependent clause. For
example:
After the rain stopped in the meadow. (Not a complete
sentence)
After the rain stopped in the meadow, we ate lunch.
(Complete sentence)
13
Allen, John. ATI TEAS Crash Course® Book + Online, Research & Education Association, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/vgcc-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4902175.
Created from vgcc-ebooks on 2022-09-08 18:15:22.
TEAS CC.p3.indb 13
4/26/17 2:58 PM