CFAT *Totally New Question*

[slowmode]

Hey guys, Well I know many of you are going to read the title of this topic and tell your selves "man this guy did not do his research". Well, I looked through as many topics as I could and I was not able to find the exact answer I was looking for. I made sure this topic post would not be a waste.

Anyway, I got called today to do my CFAT and I'm doing it the Monday of March Break. I am hoping to get into the 33rd Engineers. I feel like i'm set for everything on the test except the math part. I have been studying divison, multiplication, dividing fractions, and such. I have also be practicing BEDMASS *ex: 5(3-3)+3-5 *. My main question is: Is that all the math I really need to study? Should I study the substitution method and elimination method and algebra. I just want to be really ready for this.

Thanks a lot for the Help.

Mike G.

 

[MediTech]

When you take the test they tell you that you are not to tell anyone about the content.  Your best bet is to check out any information you can find on the forum or on the forces.ca website.  I would like to help you out but that would be dishonest.  Don't worry about the test too much. 

 

[slowmode]

Thats fair enough, I was not aware your not allowed telling people questions that are on the test. Sorry for the mixup.

But atleast are you able to tell me what to study? Like what parts of math possibly?

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Try here http://www.recruiting.forces.gc.ca/v3/engraph/resources/howtojoin_en.aspx?bhcp=1, click on the prepare for aptitude test.

 

[241]

Here is a suggestion, study everything that you learned in High school, then you will have everthing covered and at worst will have refreshed your memory on stuff that didn't happen to be on the test.  Better to study to much than not enough....

 

[slowmode]

Thanks a lot for the help everyone.

 

[orange.paint]

I graduated with a 51 in academic math.(My days absent were higher than my mark.)
I passed the test with every trade open to me.
Don't worry about it,it ain't hard....its the army.

 

[Al_729]

I recently wrote the CFAT.  As with some others here, I was not a good math student in high school.  Knowing this I studied up on my high school math pretty intensively for this and passed it easily.  Do not go into it thinking it will be a breeze- if this is important to you spend the time to get ready for it. As shown multiple times in the other CFAT discussions there are many math sites and government practice tests that you can use online to prepare for the CFAT.
Good luck.

Cheers

 

[SoF]

Don't worry about it,it ain't hard....its the army.

EX_RCAC_011, I see that you have 7 years in the reg force (which is 7 more than I have btw) so with all due respect it's attutudes like the one quoted above that encourage the "wrong" people to join.

 

[orange.paint]

EX_RCAC_011, I see that you have 7 years in the reg force (which is 7 more than I have btw) so with all due respect it's attutudes like the one quoted above that encourage the "wrong" people to join.

I was telling a young member not to worry about the test as it is easy.Who are the right people who join the army?Does a mathematical genius make a better armoured crewman.My short 7 years says no.As I said I did very poorly in math.Am I saying everyone should give a rats *** about math?No.I was explaining how basic the math on the test was.I did poorly in math due to my non attendance during my final year.How the hell does that reflect on my soldier skills/advancement in the army?You tend to grow up in the army.I was 17 when I joined the reg force.

As a NCM in the Armoured Corp I have never applied Hess's law from chemistry.As for math I have a conversion chart in my pocket to convert quarts to liters/km to miles etc.
I have a adequate knowledge of basic math skill's that get me through life.My wife a graduate of the Ontario schooling system requires a calculator for everything,unlike myself.

What are the "Wrong" people in your opinion?I guess having said that I spent 7 years in an army I wasn't suited for? :

P.S:Before you insult the intelligence of someone,maybe you should spell "attutudes" correctly.As on PER's there is a score for written communication,but neither one for math skills.

 

[slowmode]

THanks a lot guys for all the help.

This is what i'm doing, everyday  before the test I'm reviewing my multiplacation, addition, subtraction, fraction and divison. I am not thinking like *oh this will be a breeze*. I am going to act like this is my exam, it can determin my future so  I will study hard.

 

[career_radio-checker]

Don't worry about it,it ain't hard....its the army.

Uhh... it is the army, and the army has a spectacular gift for making the simplest things appear hard.
A simple way around that is to READ THE QUESTION! -- twice if need be -- and not to be fooled by the army's logic, that's the only hard part  ;D.

Good luck

 

[SoF]

I was telling a young member not to worry about the test as it is easy.Who are the right people who join the army?Does a mathematical genius make a better armoured crewman.My short 7 years says no.As I said I did very poorly in math.Am I saying everyone should give a rats *** about math?No.I was explaining how basic the math on the test was.I did poorly in math due to my non attendance during my final year.How the hell does that reflect on my soldier skills/advancement in the army?You tend to grow up in the army.I was 17 when I joined the reg force.

As a NCM in the Armoured Corp I have never applied Hess's law from chemistry.As for math I have a conversion chart in my pocket to convert quarts to liters/km to miles etc.
I have a adequate knowledge of basic math skill's that get me through life.My wife a graduate of the Ontario schooling system requires a calculator for everything,unlike myself.

What are the "Wrong" people in your opinion?I guess having said that I spent 7 years in an army I wasn't suited for? :

P.S:Before you insult the intelligence of someone,maybe you should spell "attutudes" correctly.As on PER's there is a score for written communication,but neither one for math skills.

EX_RCAC_011, you seemed to have totally misunderstood my reply and took it as a personal potshot towards your mathematical skills. I was not trying to "insult your intelligence". I was just stating my disappointment toward your pervious comment; "it ain't hard....its the army" (please lets not start bashing each others spelling/grammar).Yes you were telling a young member "not to worry about the test as it is easy" but you were also telling him and any other potential recruit who reads this thread the the army is the easy way, a joke almost. The way you worded that comment may make potential recruits think the army is not only "not hard" but infact the opposite; easy. An attitude like that is contagious, especially to new recruits who still don't know what the military really is. I found that comment of yours to be disrespectful to the army and military which is why I brought it up. I was not insulting you or your mathamatical skills and I want you to understand that.

 

[eerickso]

When I did the test, it was multiple choice. You read a bunch of numbered questions and marked the correct answer on another sheet. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THESE TYPES OF TESTS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU ARE DOING QUESTION 9, YOU FILL OUT THE CORRECT SPOT ON THE OTHER SHEET. The reason I am saying this is that sometimes you might need to skip an answer and you might fill out the next question in the wrong place. Many smart people fail this type of test for that reason!!

 

[orange.paint]

EX_RCAC_011, you seemed to have totally misunderstood my reply and took it as a personal potshot towards your mathematical skills. I was not trying to "insult your intelligence". I was just stating my disappointment toward your pervious comment; "it ain't hard....its the army" (please lets not start bashing each others spelling/grammar).Yes you were telling a young member "not to worry about the test as it is easy" but you were also telling him and any other potential recruit who reads this thread the the army is the easy way, a joke almost. The way you worded that comment may make potential recruits think the army is not only "not hard" but infact the opposite; easy. An attitude like that is contagious, especially to new recruits who still don't know what the military really is. I found that comment of yours to be disrespectful to the army and military which is why I brought it up. I was not insulting you or your mathamatical skills and I want you to understand that.

The army testing is a joke.What do you want me to say?It really difficult and all should be worried?It's not a hard exam.Period.

How is it disrespectful to the army?How about when I say the fitness standards is a joke?Is that disrespectful?No its true.As is the exam to enter the military.

As for "it ain't hard its the army" it's a pretty common phrase.Doing a section attack or completing a PCF does not require a PHD.It requires common sense (read common-as most people have it).It's not an insult to the army.I'm just not one of those guys who come on line and tell young recruits how difficult BMQ and entry exam's are.Why?Because it isn't difficult.

The usual people who rant about how"you better study your butt off" are the same guys who just got in, and want to validate their very small experience.Making it look like they accomplished something difficult.

Now if your basic math skills are low,study!However as a person who graduated highschool and entered I didn't find it necessary.I also didn't have fancy internet connections to look up tests.I just went there and wrote the darn thing.


Guys coming in review basic math (grade 12) if you believe you will have a problem.Don't stress out over it,and take your time on the exam.You will be fine.

 

[SoF]

How is it disrespectful to the army?

A comment like "it ain't hard....its the army" makes the entire army (not just the cfat or other tests) appear to be a joke, not exactly the kind of attitude you a want a new recruit going into bmq thinking. As for my previous comment about recruiting the wrong people; well lets just say I wouldn't want to work with someone who has no respect for the organization he/she works for.

 

[bcbarman]

Everyone seems to get hung up on the math part of the test.  It is not called the "math" portion, it is called the problem solving portion. There is more to the CFAT then figuing out if you paid more attention to Mrs. Andersons chest then the chalkboard.  The problem solving part is to see if you can solve problems in a timely manner in a controled enviroment. We use math in some ellements because basic math is needed for all members of the military.  Calculate a back bearing, convert to mills, measure the number of ounces of milk in Scrambled eggs.  We need the math, but its not the reason we test it.  

To pass the CFAT, study basic grade 10 math, get a good nights sleep, arrive prepared and rested, and answer every question the best you can.  If you have 10 min left, go back and re check the answers.  that question that you put your best guess at, well, now you have time to work it through.

 

[Gimpy]

In all honesty the CFAT isn't very difficult. With myself as an example I only passed Grade 10 math with a 51 and on the CFAT I was told that I was in the 93rd percentile. All you need to do to do well on the CFAT is study some aptitude tests on the internet the week leading up to the test and you'll be perfectly fine. You also get some sheets of paper to solve the problems on so its not like you have to do all the equations in you're head. Just stay focused and the answers should come rather easily.

Just to add, I took my CFAT in January of this year, so it wasn't too long ago.

 

[orange.paint]

Everyone seems to get hung up on the math part of the test.  It is not called the "math" portion, it is called the problem solving portion. There is more to the CFAT then figuing out if you paid more attention to Mrs. Andersons chest then the chalkboard.  The problem solving part is to see if you can solve problems in a timely manner in a controled enviroment. We use math in some ellements because basic math is needed for all members of the military.  Calculate a back bearing, convert to mills, measure the number of ounces of milk in Scrambled eggs.  We need the math, but its not the reason we test it.  

To pass the CFAT, study basic grade 10 math, get a good nights sleep, arrive prepared and rested, and answer every question the best you can.  If you have 10 min left, go back and re check the answers.  that question that you put your best guess at, well, now you have time to work it through.

Good answer.

Did anyone ever have issues with this exam?Personally I dont think I'm a brilliant man,I never studied and had every trade open.And as bcbarman said....grade 10 math.

..but whats with the backbearing thing.....thats a joke right. ;D

Just to add..I cant defend right now as I'm heading out to kill the math part of my brain with vodka.

 

[career_radio-checker]

A comment like "it ain't hard....its the army" makes the entire army (not just the cfat or other tests) appear to be a joke, not exactly the kind of attitude you a want a new recruit going into bmq thinking. As for my previous comment about recruiting the wrong people; well lets just say I wouldn't want to work with someone who has no respect for the organization he/she works for.

No disrespect SoF, I hope that most recruits take the testing and organization just as serious as you do, but... The recruit in question is in the room with you and can see what you're typing. How might that last sentence make a new recruit who is excited to join feel? Might be an unneeded anxiety going into testing?

I'm sure you'll do fine slowmode, just keep reviewing and remember to breath during the test.