OAR Practice Questions (2026) — Free Sample Questions with Answers

Answer: A

60 mph: Correct. Time = 150/50 + 150/75 = 3 + 2 = 5 hours. Average speed = 300 miles / 5 hours = 60 mph.

62.5 mph: This averages the two speeds. The vehicle spends more time at the slower speed, so the true average is lower.

65 mph: This has no basis in the trip data. It is above the simple average of the two speeds.

58 mph: This is too low. Total distance divided by total time gives exactly 60 mph.

Average speed = total distance / total time. Never simply average the speeds when the time spent at each is different.

Answer: B

20%: This divides the change by the new value (20/100). Percent change uses the original value.

25%: Correct. Change / original = 20 / 80 = 0.25 = 25%.

80%: 80% is the original as a fraction of the new value (80/100), not the percent change.

125%: 125% is the new value as a percent of the original. The increase is 25%.

Percent change = (new - original) / original x 100. Always divide by the starting value.

Answer: A

the study's sample left out the cases most relevant to the decision: Correct. The analyst points out that vehicles destroyed or disabled by damage elsewhere were not in the data, so the sample is biased.

armor should never be added to vehicles that have returned safely: The analyst questions where to add armor. Nothing is said about never adding armor.

the damage maps were drawn inaccurately by the other analysts: The analyst does not question how accurate the maps are, only which vehicles were included.

the vehicles that returned had suffered more damage than the others: The analyst makes no claim about how much damage each group suffered, only that one group is missing.

Survivorship bias: drawing conclusions only from cases that "survived" a filter can hide the very cases that matter most.

Answer: A

Messages should state their main point first, followed by supporting details.: Correct. The passage recommends putting the main point first and explains why: readers often stop after the first lines.

Busy leaders should read every message in full before acting.: The passage describes how leaders read. It gives no advice to leaders about reading habits.

Supporting details are unnecessary in professional messages.: The passage says details should follow the main point, not be dropped.

Long messages are always more persuasive than short ones.: The passage does not compare persuasiveness by length, and "always" overstates it.

Main-idea answers capture the recommendation plus its reason. Options that address a different audience or drop part of the advice are distractors.

Answer: D

0.75 feet: This divides the lift by the mechanical advantage. The force is reduced, but the rope distance is multiplied.

3 feet: Pulling only 3 feet would give no mechanical advantage. Each supporting segment must shorten by 3 feet.

7 feet: This adds 4 + 3. The rope distance is the lift multiplied by the number of supporting segments.

12 feet: Correct. With 4 supporting segments, MA = 4. Each segment shortens by 3 ft, so the rope is pulled 4 x 3 = 12 ft (with 100 lb of effort).

Machines trade force for distance: effort x effort distance = load x load distance (ideal). Here 100 lb x 12 ft = 400 lb x 3 ft.

Answer: C

Greatest in the wide tank, because it holds the most water: Pressure at a point depends on depth and fluid density, not on the total volume or weight of water in the tank.

Greatest in the narrow tank, because the water is concentrated: A narrower column at the same depth has the same pressure at the bottom, not more.

The same in all three, because pressure depends only on depth and density: Correct. Hydrostatic pressure P = ρgh. With the same liquid and the same depth, the bottom pressure is equal whatever the tank's shape.

Lowest in the cone-shaped tank, because the walls slope inward: Wall shape does not change the pressure at a given depth in a liquid at rest.

Liquid pressure depends on depth and density (P = ρgh), not on the container's shape or the total volume of liquid.