GMAT Math Guide Print

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Background on the GMAT Math The GMAT is designed to measure how well your intelligence is suited for success in the business world. It's a business IQ test. The test wants to measure your ability to solve problems, not your ability to memorize methods for solving problems. As a result, the GMAT is a difficult test to prepare for because raising your score above a certain point requires you to become smarter. This Prep Guide's purpose is twofold: First, it is to make you familiar with all the different types of questions and general methods for solving them. Second, it is to make you smarter at solving GMAT type questions. We are actually going to teach you how to think better so that you can react when hitting a trick question or if you get stuck. You Aren't Graded on Style Your goal when taking the GMAT is to pick the right answer on a multiple-choice exam. The way you get a high score is by selecting the right answer choice for as many questions as possible. Nothing else matters except getting to the right answer. You are not being graded on style or form. This isn't a figure skating competition where you are being graded on grace. It doesn't matter if you answer the question in the "ideal" fashion. In fact, the fastest way to an answer often does not involve using a routine method. The 800score study program is geared to maximizing your achievement on the GMAT and is not a generic math textbook review. Our goal is not only to show you the methods necessary for getting the right answers, but also to give you insight into GMAT math so that you may solve problems more efficiently and more accurately. Each question may have several different approaches. Students need to develop an ability to recognize a fast and effective way to answer the questions. Perhaps there is a quicker way to solve the question, but your main objective is to simply answer the question in a reasonable amount of time. To answer GMAT questions, you have to choose one of many possible strategies. Scrap (Dry Erase) Paper On the GMAT you don't have scrap paper per se, but you use laminated dry erase material with a marker pen that is fairly awkward to use effectively. Doing calculations in your head may increase errors, particularly under the pressure of test day. On the other hand, copying questions also invites errors. Because you cannot write on the screen, every question has to be partially recopied onto scrap paper. 800score Tip: Writing on dry erase laminated paper with a sloppy marker pen while getting ink on your hand and then smearing it accidentally as your hand moves across the dry erase paper.... then trying to wipe... Do you really need to do this to get into Harvard Business School? Keep in mind that dry erase paper is not nearly as effective as pencil and paper, so those of you out there who like to heavily use scrap paper will be at a disadvantage. Don't make long and elaborate calculations in tiny writing. You simply can't do this on test day. As an aside, Sean Selinger, the owner of 800score met the CEO of GMAC and discussed this issue. Regrettably, GMAC does have security concerns when administering the GMAT and conventional scrap paper allows people to easily take questions from the test center.

Details The GMAT math section consists of 37 questions in 75 minutes. There are two main question types. About 2/3rds of GMAT questions will be multiple choice where you a have 5 answer choices. Data Sufficiency (which we discuss in depth later) does not require a discrete answer per se, but tests to see if a given statement provides enough information to solve a problem. Note: the remaining sections in this chapter are intended for advanced students who have already done extensive preparation or who have excellent math skills. If that is not you, go through more sections in the Table of Contents and return later.

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gmat Math Intro: 8 Math Strategies (ADVANCED)

Note: these strategies are intended for advanced students. Use them if you have done some gmat preparation already or have very good math skills. If not, review some math chapters and return to this page later. 1. Plow 2. Don't Do That Math! 3. Backsolving 4. Plug-In (Testing Numbers) 5. Ballpark (Possible Range Strategy) 6. Experiments 7. Find Patterns 8. Ladder of Difficulty

Plow means to simply run the numbers and start doing calculations. This is time intensive. There is little in the way of tricks here; you are simply putting marker pen to dry-erase paper and grinding out calculations. There are two times when you Plow: 1) When you first read a question it often helps to start writing out the numbers. This process of simply translating the question into numbers will stimulate your brain and help you get a handle on the question. If this fails, start playing with the numbers and see if you see any patterns or anything that might help you get a conceptual handle on the question. 2) If you do have a game plan and know how to answer the question, Plow is just the tedious process of crunching answers and solving the question. Often this process can get feverish if you are running behind pace. Obviously, be very wary of investing too much time mindlessly on calculations, which brings us to our next strategy........

You have 75 minutes to answer 37 questions. This means that you have about 2 minutes to answer each question and you can't use a calculator. in addition, the dry erase paper isn't suited to writing out complex calculations. As a result, you simply don't have the time or the means to do highly tedious calculations, so they must be avoided. Keep in mind that the gmat is a test of intelligence, not an attempt to determine if you are a human calculator. So the GMAT doesn't want you to waste 10 minutes doing calculations. The GMAT is more concerned with your ability to find tricks and shortcuts. The result of these factors is that questions will almost always have shortcuts (visible only to the brightest students) designed so that the question can be answered in a fraction of the time. What is the sum of numbers from 1 to 100, inclusive?

Please do not start adding those numbers on test day. Don't get stuck in Plow mode and waste enormous amounts of time doing calculations. If you are taking 5 minutes, or the question looks as if it will take 5 minutes..... HALT! There's a nasty gmat TRAP you've just stepped into. Take a second.... inhale .....exhale and then defuse the trap. Somewhere in that question there must be a shortcut! (As an aside, in a later chapter we will teach you a shortcut to add the numbers from 1 to 100 in just a few seconds). If you must do intense calculations, these shortcuts will make it much easier. a) Divide and compare fractions through estimating What is 36,568/12,985? a) 4.234 b) 2.816 c) 5.65
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Instead of actually dividing those two numbers, just look at it and do you see the numbers look like 36/12 or 3? Next, look down at the answer choices. Do you see something near 3? If you do, then you just found the shortcut. The answer is 2.816 (choice B) and it took 3 seconds for you to do this shortcut instead of 30 seconds to divide 36,568/12,985. Congratulations, you just saved 27 seconds! It helps when dealing with fractions to simplify it to resemble an integer or a basic fraction like 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4. Use this technique to compare and comprehend fractions quickly. Which is gmatater: 24/51 or 26/49? 24 is less than half of 50, so it is below 1/2. 26 is gmatater than half of 50, so 26/49 is larger than 24/51. b) Multiply the last digits If the final step of your calculation is 123 341 = ? Simply take a look at the answer choices. Multiply the last digit by the last digit. You get 123 x 341 or 3 The gmat is a multiple choice test. Pick the answer choice ending in 3. c) Always look to cancel 3 324 162 4 Can be easily solved by canceling the 162 into 324 to get the final answer of 3/2. The GMAT often provides these easy cancellation shortcuts to save you time. It goes without saying that the GMAT will often make you have to factor or be very sharp to see how numbers can quickly cancel out.

Backsolving involves inserting one of the five answer choices into the variables in the question. You obviously cannot use this on Data Sufficiency questions (where there are no answer choices). When to Backsolve Want to to double check an answer? Backsolve your answer choice and see if it works. This is where Backsolving is most effective. You are completely stumped and you don't know what to do. Start plugging in answer choices and hope you get lucky! Even glancing at the answer choices may give you a concept of where the question is going and if you are on the right track. Note: try plow and playing with the numbers before backsolving. Sometimes you can use Backsolving to skip complicated algebra by substituting the numbers instead of trying to solve for the variables. How to Backsolve: 1. Decide if the problem is too complicated to solve algebraically. Before Backsolving, try to Plow through the numbers and run some calculations. Don't jump to Backsolving too quickly. Note : sometimes a question will be so tricky that you won't even know how to backsolve the numbers into a question. In this situation, Backsolving is useless. 2. START AT (C). Insert the middle answer--the one that would be in the middle of potential answers if it were on a number line. The answer choices are usually arranged from lowest to highest value--answer choices A through E. You can adjust to pick (D)/(E) or (A)/(B) depending on whether you need a higher or lower number. 3. Eliminate the choices down to the one answer that works and choose.

800score Tip:
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The reality is that multiple choice tests are fundamentally flawed in that you can Backsolve questions. The result is that the gmat becomes a game of chess where the GMAT knows that you can Backsolve. So questions are written with this in mind and designed not to be Backsolved effectively because they are so complicated. On the other hand, sometimes questions are designed where the GMAT is testing your resourcefulness and expects you to have Backsolve in your bag of tricks.

Example Try Backsolving on this question: When the positive integer Z is divided by 24, the remainder is 10. If Z is divided by 8 the remainder is 2. What is the value of Z? a) 18 b) 34 c) 40 d) 49 e) 57

Solution Notice that this question seems to defy a quick algebraic solution. We also have variables in our question, and real numbers in our answer choices, so this would be the perfect place to feed answers into the question until we find one that works. Let's Backsolve using common sense. The first rule Z must follow is that when divided by 24 it gives a remainder of 10. Only (B) does this, and when divided by 8, it also gives us a remainder of 2, making this the correct answer. This strategy turns a hard algebra question into an easy arithmetic question.

This is when you make up numbers to insert into a question. This will usually occur when there are variables in the question and variables in the answer choices as well questions so abstract that you shake your head when reading them! Pick smart numbers . The numbers you choose for Plug In/Testing Numbers should fit the question's parameters. For example, if the question asks for an integer, you should insert integers. Usually try plugging in a few different numbers (positive, negative, zero, etc.). When testing numbers for Plug-In, always try picking 0, -2, +2, fractions, etc.. or any numbers that may be particular to the question. These will help check your answers. Pick a variety of numbers to make sure that you are exploring all possible reasonable scenarios. Plug in (Testing Numbers) Pros and Cons 1. Used very effectively in Data Sufficiency questions to test if the statements are sufficient. Use Testing Numbers constantly on Data Sufficiency as you use Backsolve constantly on multiple choice questions. 2. On some geometry questions it can be effective to pick angles and lengths to see if they work as a test. 3. Use in questions with small and finite pools of possible answers: How many primes between 11 and 30 satisfy this statement? Start substituting prime numbers to see if it works. This works wonderfully on small sets of numbers because you can test a few numbers without spending too much time. 4. Use in questions where you have to prove true or false Is ab > 0? For a question like this, it is logical to test the conditions using a variety of numbers. 5. Many people find it easier to do calculations with numbers rather than variables. So substituting numbers for variables can speed up your math. Plugging in numbers and "trying them out" can speed up the process.
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Very often when you see a question, it will boil down to: should I do the long algebra or just Plug In / Backsolve? This means that many gmat questions have two distinct solution strategies. 800score math explanations will often feature two approaches: algebra and/or Backsolving/Plug-In. 6. Sometimes algebra is quicker (especially when you are good at seeing shortcuts). y + 1 < 1/2

Example If n is an even integer, which of the following must be an odd integer? a) 3n - 2 b) 3( n + 1) c) n - 2 d) n/3 e) n/2

Solution (B) This question has both variables in the question and in the answer, so we need to plug in our own numbers. Make n equal to 2. If n is 2, then 3(n + 1) = 9. Since our target is an odd integer, this answer choice works. Try a few more numbers to double check. For example, 2 may work with choice (e) to make an odd number (1), but it will not work with any other even numbers. Note: When plugging in, if you get a result of two or more answer choices being correct, you must plug in again. In the second case you should probably plug in a number you know will disprove a certain answer choice, or a number that is totally different from the initial number plugged in (larger than the original number, even if the original was odd, etc.)

By using Ballpark, you find an answer by what could reasonably be in the range of the answer or reasonably within the scope of the question. Try the Ballpark Strategy here: Example If 0.303z = 2,727, then z = a) 9,000 b) 900 c) 90 d) 9 e) 0.9

Solution (A) Because the answer choices are so far apart, you can ballpark this problem. Think about it: .303 is close to 1/3. 1/3 of z = 2,727, then what answer could possibly be correct? You don't even have to do the math. 2,727 is about 1/3 of 9,000; therefore, the answer must be 9,000, according to the Ballpark Strategy (note that there are no other answers even in the 9,000 range). Or, you could multiply both sides by 1000 to eliminate the decimal points, then divide 2,727,000 by 303 and get the same answer.

Why use Ballpark? 1)To double check yourself. Does the answer look reasonable? 2) It is quicker than doing the calculations. Sometimes you can ballpark and jump straight to the right answer choice or tell if a statement is sufficient on Data Sufficiency. 3) This is a particularly useful strategy when the possible answers are scattered over a large range.

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800score Secret: Do you know how the geometry questions with drawings always say "not drawn to scale"? Well..... don't tell anyone this...... but they ARE drawn pretty much to scale (in almost every instance). This means that you can double check your geometry answers by seeing if they "fit" the geometry picture. So you can Ballpark geometry questions by looking at the drawing. If a drawing looks like an equilateral triangle (a triangle with three equal sides), and you came up with three legs of 3, 12, and 14..... hmmm.... you might want to double check your math! Why is this the case? Deliberately making a drawing not look like the right answer is just going too far..... even for the GMAT, so the drawings are usually pretty accurate.

Under the intense pressure of test day, expect to forget some basic math rules. In these instances, don your toga and pretend that you are a gmatek mathematician 2500 years ago. Take a moment out to prove basic laws of math. For example: 4525 4512 = ?

Pardon me, Mr. test proctor, but I am in the midst of the most important test of my life and I seem to have forgotten an obscure math rule... Would you mind taking a moment to remind me what exactly happens when you divide exponents? No, gmat proctors will not give you such information on test day, regardless of how politely you may ask. Therefore you must derive the math rule on-the-fly. Why don't we "experiment" with the number 2? 23 22 = 21 ? 8 4 = 2? Voila! Yes, you do subtract exponents from the same base when you divide! Experiments can be very time consuming, but if you aren't running behind and are determined to get that question right, give it a shot.

Sometimes you can look for patterns in questions to solve seemingly impossible questions. What is the units digit of 3801 ? Am I going to sit here and calculate 3801 ? Will they have to call security to get me out of the test center after it closes? Surely that sneaky the GMAT must have made this question with a shortcut! Indeed, use Find Patterns and it shows up pretty quickly: 31 = 3 32 = 9 33 = 27 34 = 81 35 = 243 36 = 729
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Every 4 powers and you get the same number as the units digit. We know 800 is a multiple of 4. And 801 is therefore one gmatater than a multiple of 4. So the units digit is 3, as above when the exponent is 1 gmatater than a multiple of 4.

800score Tip: When you see a question where you scratch your head and think it will take an hour to do.... odds are that there will always a shortcut. Using Backsolve, Plug In, Find Patterns or math shortcuts, you will likely find the easy way to solve it.

" The test is adaptive, a Computer-Adaptive Test (CAT), which means that questions will match your skill level. There should be very few easy questions that you can solve in a few seconds. So if you are a top student, expect to see very hard questions. If you are a poor student, expect easy questions (that you will still struggle to solve). The question difficulty can make huge leaps in the first few questions. Expect the first question to be moderately difficult (most gmat guides say the first question is "average" but expect it a hair more challenging than just "average"). There are experimental questions that won't be at your skill level, but most questions will. We can generalize this rule: If a question seems unusually easy or quick to solve, double check yourself. If a question seems unusually hard, look for shortcuts. Most questions should fit your skill level, but do expect some exceptions. As a side note, in designing the 800score gmat computer-adaptive tests, we have kept a few questions that might seem a little out of your skill level as a curveball. We do not want our tests to be "too perfect" and want to best simulate the actual gmat experience.

5-Step Method To Answer Math Questions (ADVANCED)

5 Steps When Tackling a Math Problem: 1. Read question until question makes sense. a) Try to put in your own words b) Break down the question into simple parts. c) Be on the look out for traps or anything unusual. d) Still confused? Try running some numbers and crunching what you have. Use any of our techniques if you get caught in a jam: 1. Plow 2. Don't Do That Math! 3. Backsolving 4. Plug-In - Testing Numbers 5. Ballpark (Possible Range Strategy) 6. Experiments 7. Find Patterns 2. Create a game plan By now it should "click" and you should have an idea about how to solve the question. 3. Run the numbers and follow your plan. If it is taking too long, see if you can find shortcuts on the math or ditch your plan and go back to Step 1 and reread the question. 4. Eliminate down to one answer and choose. 5. Double check if necessary Usually do this with Backsolving. Try not to waste too much time in this process and get behind pace. The "Oh #$&%!" Moment This is when you are taking the test and suddenly realize that you have no idea whatsoever about how to do the question. You panic, your heart races, you become nervous... no......you relax.

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Why do you relax? Because you have techniques. 1) Plow (just write down the numbers, play with them) is a good way to get ideas. Try playing with some of the math. The hardest problems will be abstractions, so substituting real numbers (through Backsolve or Testing Numbers) is a second way to get ideas. Any of the other techniques such as Ballpark and Finding Patterns can be useful in a pinch. 2) Know when to cut your losses and move on. The penalty for getting one question wrong is insignificant.

The "Ahhhhhhh......" Moment Let's you know when you have found the question's trick (that most students did not catch) and now it is much easier to solve.

Like Overly Complex Charts? This diagram illustrates a "summary" of our methods for tackling math problems. This is intended for advanced students only. GMAT Problem Solving Strategy Chart (use MSIE, not firefox)

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