EMPOWERgmat Blog
Articles with "Quant"
Are you tired of breezing through GMAT passages only to realize you missed crucial information, or literally remember absolutely nothing? Or feeling like you’re in a race against time to answer all the questions correctly? Business schools look to the GMAT to measure a candidate's abilities in reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. There's simply no way that a candidate can achieve a score worthy of the top business schools if a test taker pretends to be a speed reading super hero. It’s time to slow down, take […]
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Many Test Takers tend to find the Quant section of the GMAT to be easier than the Verbal section. Quant is based on more ‘obvious’ rules and patterns and you can often pinpoint the correct answer without having to consider (and then eliminate) each of the other 4 incorrect answers first. By default, many GMATers work through Verbal questions with the idea that they should eliminate the four incorrect answers… and the answer that remains will be the correct one. While you should often be able to eliminate a […]
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In the prior post, we discussed proper reading pace for when you deal with GMAT RC passages (as a reminder, that pace should be about 150 words per minute). Unfortunately, simply knowing that fact won’t necessarily lead you to adjust your reading speed. So here are three practice prompts – taken from the OG12 – for you to practice on. Use a timer and make sure to note how long it took you to read each passage. The proper (goal) amount of reading time is listed beneath each prompt. […]
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Many GMATers make the mistake of thinking that ‘skimming’ is the proper way to deal with Reading Comp passages. By its nature, skimming is often a desperate way of trying to quickly deal with a (frequently lengthy) passage. Unfortunately, it sacrifices all manner of comprehension and note-taking for speed. That is a TERRIBLE trade-off – and often causes serious problems for Test Takers as they practice RC during their studies. By extension, those same Test Takers often fail to perform at a really high level on RC on Test Day, […]
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1) A motorist averaged 40 miles per hour on his way to work. He averaged 70 miles per hour on his way home along the same route. Which of the following is the closest to his average speed for the round trip? A. 40 B. 51 C. 55 D. 59 E. 59.5 The answers to this question are 'spaced out' in such a way that you don't need to do much math at all to get to the correct answer. This prompt is a fairly common 'design' for […]
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Each of the three questions listed here can be solved algebraically. However, if you pay attention to the five answer choices in each question, then you can cut down on the amount of work that is needed and potentially save some time. Remember that the goal on Test Day is to be correct AND be efficient, so while a shortcut that saves 5-10 seconds might not seem like much, if you could find that type of shortcut on every question, then you would cut 3-7 minutes of work-time in each […]
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In a couple of prior posts in this thread, we’ve discussed how to taking advantage of the answer choices (by TESTing THE ANSWERS or by thinking about what the answers choices 'mean') can be a really fast and easy way to get to the correct answer in certain Quant questions. Beyond using the answers and doing the straight-forward arithmetic though, you will sometimes be given a HUGE ‘hint’ from the GMAT question writers – the answer choices themselves will be designed in such a way that you can avoid doing […]
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The GMAT is a remarkably consistent and predictable Exam, so improving your performance isn’t just about ‘fixing’ the things that you are doing ‘wrong’ – it’s also in developing the proper skills to improve on work that you can already do. Consider the following question. For many “math thinkers”, the approach would be “system algebra” – write out the appropriate equations and then solve for whatever the question asks for. That approach will absolutely get you to the correct answer here – and I suggest that you try it. […]
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While each of these three prompts might look complex, you CAN get to the correct answer by defining the patterns involved. 1) How many positive integers, from 2 to 100, inclusive, are not divisible by odd integers greater than 1? In this prompt, we're asked to think about the numbers 2 to 100, inclusive. To start, there's NO way that the GMAT would ask us to truly think about each of these numbers individually, so there MUST be a pattern involved. Now to the specifics: which of […]
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For each of these three prompts, you should attempt to ‘play around’ with the question to define the pattern(s) involved – using the same approach showcased in the prior post. An explanation for how to approach each prompt in such a way will be provided tomorrow. 1) How many positive integers, from 2 to 100, inclusive, are not divisible by odd integers greater than 1? A. 5 B. 6 C. 8 D. 10 E. 50 2) There are 20 doors marked with numbers 1 to 20 […]
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Since the GMAT is a standardized Test, all of the questions that you’ll face are designed around one or more patterns. Sometimes the patterns are obvious – such as math formulas or grammar rules. Sometimes the patterns are more subtle - such as number properties or causality arguments. With the proper study materials and Study Plan, you can learn all of the necessary patterns and train to properly use them. However, sometimes the patterns are so rare that they’re not worth learning in advance and sometimes they are […]
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Whether you’re just beginning your studies or have been training for the GMAT for some time now, you likely have some idea of what your ‘goal score’ is. For many GMATers, the goal is 700+. That score is relatively rare territory though – only about 10% of Test Takers ever reach that level (and some of them actually hit that score repeatedly - in an attempt to score higher - so not as many Test Takers score 700+ each year as you might think). Obviously, the numbers become even more […]
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Getting extra GMAT math help can spell the difference in your score and how it will impact your future. Many prospective MBA students fear the math section on the GMAT because they pursued a liberal arts undergraduate degree or are older students who have been in the workforce for a few years. Time away from math can make you rusty, and many MBA hopefuls have anxiety that the dreaded Quant portion could stop them from getting a great GMAT score and enrolling in the best program possible. Luckily, technology has made prepping […]
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GMAT test prep is always different from one student to the next. Some students worry about test prep for the essay. Others struggle with the math section. The same goes for data sufficiency questions, some students absolutely dread them. It's understandable, and you're not the only one who feels like that. The good news is that with the right kind of GMAT test prep, you can handle data sufficiency and any other section of the test. Let's take a closer look at some strategies that you can use. Learn […]
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The GMAT is challenging no matter what, especially the Quant section. Using prime factors as a way to break down complex problems into more bite-sized chunks is a great strategy. Here's a brief description of prime factors and how to use them for a successful GMAT test! What Are Prime Factors? Prime numbers are numbers that are only divisible by 1 and themselves. Prime factorization, then, is the process of breaking down numbers into their most straightforward prime number factors. Examples of prime numbers are 2, 3, 5, […]
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GMAT,
The GMAT is essential for admission to many graduate management and business programs. It is a daunting test that strikes fear into the hearts of takers and has inspired the consumption of large quantities of coffee in countless late night study sessions. However, a question that is often asked is, "What is the GMAT really testing?" Here's a quick overview of what the GMAT entails and assesses. Analytical Writing As you probably expect its title, the Analytical Writing section focuses on analytical writing. In the context of the GMAT, […]
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The quantitative section of the GMAT is known for being especially challenging, and GMAT percentage problems may be the most difficult of all. However, if you study with the right materials and strategy, you can achieve the scores you want. Here are a few basic things to remember to help you through those pesky GMAT percentage problems. Review Percentage Basics The GMAT is less about advanced concepts and calculations, and more about basic concepts used in practical ways. This doesn't mean that the questions aren't tricky or deeply […]
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The GMAT Quant is one of the basic sections on the GMAT standardized test. In this section, you have just over an hour to answer 31 multiple-choice questions to assess basic math and problem-solving aptitude. This is a generic assessment of basic arithmetic, algebra, and geometry without the use of a calculator. Basic math review can help you get ready for this section on the GMAT. The key thing is not to try and review decades of math. Instead, do a targeted review of the basics and get ready for […]
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If you have the preparation behind you, Quant is a great place to build momentum and fall into a quick rhythm to meet your timing goals. While they are rare, Roman numeral questions are known to be speed blockers for many GMAT takers. Some business school hopefuls decide to skip studying for these questions altogether and just guess the answer if they happen upon one. This makes some strategic sense since you could complete your whole GMAT without seeing a single Roman numeral. At the same time, with some simple […]
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If you’re just beginning your GMAT prep and it’s been a while since you’ve studied math at a high school level or above, you’re likely very intimidated. Just reading a practice algebra problem is overwhelming and makes your head spin. The good news is, you’ll probably catch on in no time. But it’s important to approach your studies in a way that gets you to your goal: competence and GMAT success. Here are some things to remember as you prepare for the GMAT algebra questions. The Difference Between Memorizing […]
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You know you need to start your GMAT preparation, but where do you begin? There’s not one right way to cover the material you need to know, but there are good arguments for starting with Quant topics. Here’s how to prep for the Quant portion of the GMAT. Know What Quant Is The Quantitative portion of the GMAT is made up of questions that include problem-solving and basic mathematics (specifically arithmetic, algebra, and geometry). It includes 37 multiple-choice questions, and you have 75 minutes to complete them. Each problem has […]
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Studying for the GMAT can be a challenging endeavor for many Test Takers. Arguably, one of the most common score goals for Test Takers (if not THE most common score goal) is 700+, but only about 10% of those same people can actually achieve that goal. One of the interesting aspects of scoring at that level though is that while you don’t have to be a ‘genius’, you do have to be able to figure out WHY you’re not getting questions correct... and then do specific work to fix those […]
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By GMAT Club Verified Reviewer bgbeidas How I aced the GMAT (760 Q49 V46) Man have I been looking forward to writing this post and thereby signaling the end of my GMAT journey. Before I launch into the juicy deets (study materials, practice CAT scores, etc), I think it would be worthwhile to provide you all with some background info on me. Also, please pardon the woeful tennis pun in the title. Four months of maniacal studying really took its toll. Retired professional tennis player (less impressive […]
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When it comes to studying for the GMAT, there are LOTS of different resources for you to choose from. As such, assembling the perfect combination of study materials can be a tricky task. What materials should you start with? What’s the ‘best’ way to learn the basics? How can you be efficient so that a 3-month study plan doesn’t balloon into a 6–month to 12-month study plan? Advice can come from so many different sources that you might not be sure whose advice to follow. Clouding the issue even further […]
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Over the years, the EMPOWERgmat Team has worked with tens of thousands of Test Takers, helping each to score at a higher level on the GMAT. I’ve dealt with almost every situation that you could possibly imagine – from the obvious to the subtle. I’ve seen certifiable geniuses get ‘stuck’ and absolutely ‘average’ students score at remarkably high levels on the GMAT. Of all of the situations that I’ve faced, one of the most frequent actually has nothing to do with the intelligence or test-taking ability of the individual at […]
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