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HESI A2 practice questions with explanations

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These are original practice items written to the HESI A2 blueprint (4 options, no penalty for wrong answers), not actual exam questions. Try each one before you open the answer.

Practice by section

Vocabulary and General Knowledge 912 in the bank Mathematics 901 in the bank Grammar 896 in the bank Reading Comprehension 841 in the bank Anatomy and Physiology 470 in the bank Chemistry 448 in the bank Biology 448 in the bank

Mixed sample questions

Question 1

In a species of flower, red petal color (R) is incompletely dominant over white (r). A heterozygous plant (Rr) produces pink flowers. If a pink-flowered plant is crossed with a white-flowered plant, what percentage of the offspring will have pink flowers?

  1. A 25%
  2. B 50%
  3. C 0%
  4. D 100%
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Cross Rr (pink) × rr (white). The pink parent passes R or r with equal chance, and the white parent always passes r, so the offspring are 50% Rr (pink) and 50% rr (white).

Why the other options are wrong:
A: 25% is the share of red (RR) or white (rr) offspring in an Rr × Rr cross; this cross makes half Rr.
C: 0% pink would require that no offspring receive R, as in rr × rr; the pink parent carries R.
D: 100% pink would require every offspring to be Rr, as in RR × rr; here half the offspring are rr.

Question 2

The patient reported a vague sense of malaise for several days before the fever finally appeared. What does 'malaise' most nearly mean?

  1. A Loss of appetite only
  2. B General feeling of discomfort or unease
  3. C Intense localized pain
  4. D Sudden improvement in condition
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Malaise means a general feeling of discomfort, illness or unease. "Vague" signals a hard-to-pin-down sense of being unwell that came before the fever.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Malaise is a general feeling of being unwell, not a single symptom such as loss of appetite.
C: Intense localized pain is specific and sharp, unlike the vague feeling described.
D: Sudden improvement contradicts the course described, since a fever appeared afterward.

Question 3

Given the patient's history of falls, the nurse thought it was prudent to keep the bed rails raised at all times. What does 'prudent' most nearly mean here?

  1. A Optional and easily skipped
  2. B Sensible and showing careful judgment
  3. C Unnecessary and clearly excessive
  4. D Careless and done without thought
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Prudent means sensible and showing careful judgment. Given the patient's history of falls, the nurse judged that keeping the rails raised was a sensible precaution.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Optional and easily skipped contradicts doing something "at all times" out of concern for safety.
C: Unnecessary and excessive is the opposite of how the nurse viewed the precaution.
D: Careless and done without thought is the opposite of prudent; the nurse acted because of the fall history.

Question 4

During which phase of the cell cycle does DNA replication occur?

  1. A G1 phase
  2. B S phase
  3. C M phase
  4. D G2 phase
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

The S (synthesis) phase of interphase is when DNA is replicated in preparation for cell division.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: G1 phase is a growth phase where the cell increases in size and produces proteins; no DNA replication occurs.
C: M phase (mitosis) is when the cell divides; DNA replication is already complete.
D: G2 phase is another growth phase after DNA replication, focused on preparing for mitosis.

Question 5

A nurse needs to administer a medication that requires mixing 1/3 cup of solution A with 1/4 cup of solution B. What is the total volume of the mixture in cups?

  1. A 1/12
  2. B 5/7
  3. C 2/7
  4. D 7/12
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

To add fractions with different denominators, find a common denominator. The least common denominator of 3 and 4 is 12. Convert: 1/3 = 4/12, 1/4 = 3/12. Sum = 7/12 cup.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: 1/12 comes from subtracting instead of adding (4/12 - 3/12).
B: 5/7 results from adding numerators (1+1=2) and denominators (3+4=7) and then incorrectly simplifying? Actually 2/7 is already that; 5/7 might come from adding 1/3+1/4 as 0.333+0.25=0.583, then rounding? No clear error pattern.
C: 2/7 results from incorrectly adding numerators and denominators (1+1=2, 3+4=7).

Question 6

Which organelle is primarily responsible for producing ATP through oxidative phosphorylation?

  1. A Mitochondrion
  2. B Golgi apparatus
  3. C Ribosome
  4. D Nucleus
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Mitochondria are known as the powerhouses of the cell because they generate most of the cell's ATP via oxidative phosphorylation in the inner membrane.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: The Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts, and packages proteins, but does not produce ATP.
C: Ribosomes synthesize proteins, not ATP.
D: The nucleus stores genetic material and directs cell activities, but does not produce ATP.

Question 7

A patient's temperature dropped from 102°F to 97.5°F. What is the percent decrease? (Round to the nearest tenth of a percent.)

  1. A 4.6%
  2. B 5.0%
  3. C 4.5%
  4. D 4.4%
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Decrease = 102 - 97.5 = 4.5°F. Percent decrease = (4.5 / 102) × 100 ≈ 4.4118%, which rounds to 4.4%.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: 4.6% might come from rounding 4.4118% up incorrectly or using 4.5/97.5 ≈ 4.6%.
B: 5.0% might come from using 5 as the decrease (102 - 97 = 5) or dividing by 100 instead of 102.
C: 4.5% would result from using the decrease as the percentage without dividing by the original (4.5/100 = 4.5%).

Question 8

Passage: Municipal recycling programs ask residents to sort materials such as glass, plastic, and paper into separate bins so that each type can be processed efficiently. However, contamination, which occurs when non-recyclable items or unwashed containers are mixed in with recyclables, can force an entire batch to be sent to a landfill instead of a recycling facility. City officials emphasize that rinsing containers and checking local guidelines before disposal are simple steps that significantly reduce contamination rates.

What is most likely the author's purpose in writing this passage?

  1. A To compare the cost of landfill disposal with the cost of recycling processing
  2. B To argue that municipal recycling programs should be replaced with private alternatives
  3. C To encourage residents to follow proper sorting practices to improve recycling outcomes
  4. D To describe the history of how modern recycling bins were first developed and designed
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

The passage explains how contamination can send a whole batch to a landfill, then points to simple steps residents can take, such as rinsing containers and checking local guidelines. Its purpose is to encourage proper sorting.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: The passage mentions landfills but never compares disposal costs with recycling costs.
B: The passage supports making municipal programs work better; it does not argue for replacing them.
D: The passage says nothing about the history or design of recycling bins.

Question 9

Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence:

The nurse, along with the doctors, __________ the patient.

  1. A treat
  2. B have treated
  3. C are treating
  4. D is treating
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

The subject is 'nurse' (singular). Phrases like 'along with the doctors' do not change the number of the subject. Therefore, the singular verb 'is treating' is correct.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: 'treat' is plural present tense; does not agree with singular subject.
B: 'have treated' is plural present perfect; does not agree with singular subject.
C: 'are treating' is plural; it would agree with a plural subject like 'doctors' but not with 'nurse'.

Question 10

Express the fraction 3/4 as a decimal.

  1. A 0.25
  2. B 0.75
  3. C 0.34
  4. D 0.50
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Divide the numerator by the denominator: 3 ÷ 4 = 0.75.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: 0.25 equals 1/4; it may come from computing 1 - 3/4 instead of 3/4.
C: 0.34 simply writes the digits 3 and 4 after a decimal point instead of dividing 3 by 4.
D: 0.50 equals 1/2 (or 2/4), which is less than 3/4.

Question 11

A solution has a hydroxide ion concentration [OH-] of 1.0 x 10^-3 M. What is the pH of this solution?

  1. A 3
  2. B 14
  3. C 11
  4. D 7
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

pOH = -log(1.0 × 10⁻³) = 3. At 25°C, pH + pOH = 14, so pH = 14 - 3 = 11, a basic solution.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: 3 is the pOH; reporting it as the pH would make a basic solution look acidic.
B: 14 is the sum of pH and pOH, not the pH itself.
D: 7 is neutral, but a hydroxide concentration of 10⁻³ M is far above that of pure water.

Question 12

As the day of her scheduled biopsy approached, the patient grew increasingly apprehensive, unable to sleep the night before. What does 'apprehensive' most nearly mean as used in this sentence?

  1. A confident about the results
  2. B anxious about what may happen
  3. C angry at the delay
  4. D indifferent to the procedure
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Apprehensive means anxious about what may happen. As the biopsy approached, the patient grew more worried and could not sleep the night before.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Confident about the results contradicts her growing unease and sleeplessness.
C: Nothing mentions a delay; her worry centered on the upcoming biopsy.
D: Indifferent means unconcerned, yet her sleeplessness shows strong concern.

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