The GMAT Quantitative Section

The Quantitative Section of the GMAT is an adaptive section that almost exclusively tests math that is traditionally taught in high school. It includes questions about arithmetic, algebra, and statistics. You will not need to know topics like trigonometry or calculus, and questions that require specific geometry knowledge have been removed from the current version of the GMAT. In this section you are given 45 minutes to answer 21 questions, just over 2 minutes per question. Think back to when you were in high school. Were you able to answer most math questions in about two minutes?

That's the case for most students and not a problem at all!

Great! That means your math skills were likely strong, and if you've continued to use them all, they're probably still strong now.

Keep in mind, though, that there are a lot of things that make questions on the GMAT different from questions you were probably asked in high school. For example, the GMAT will combine mathematical concepts in new ways. But on the positive side, the exam will also include fewer long calculations and big numbers than you might expect, due in part to test takers being unable to use a calculator on the Quantitative section of the GMAT. So what do you think you should do so you can consistently answer these questions in about two minutes, on average?

Being good at math is important, but it's only part of the recipe for success on the GMAT. Even with a solid foundation of math basics, difficult GMAT questions can flummox even the best math students because of the unique ways multiple concepts are combined and presented. Doing problems in the traditional manner could leave you running out of time by the end of the section.

Strategies are important, but without a good understanding of the math involved there's only so far they can take you. So you need at least a solid foundation of math basics to be successful. Where the strategies come in handy is in helping you with those hard GMAT questions—the ones that flummox even the best math students because multiple concepts are often combined and presented in unique ways. Doing problems in the traditional manner could leave you running out of time by the end of the section.

In the end, being successful means not only raising your math skills, but also knowing how to use the parameters of the test to your advantage. For example, the GMAT Quantitative section only contains multiple choice questions. How does that differ from the way you answered math questions in high school?

That is true. And while you don't *need* to show your work, it is often a good idea to use the laminated sheets you're given in order to prevent silly calculation mistakes or to sketch a visual to help understand a tricky problem, for example.

Probably not. You might think that being shown answer choices would make a question easier, but the GMAT will present you with very tempting distractors that you might pick if you aren't careful. It's important to avoid jumping to conclusions from just reading the answer choices. Do the work, and don't get tricked!

That's right. Unlike the way math is usually required to be done in high school, you don't need come up with the answer on your own. In fact, you can use the answer choices as a way to approach the problem instead of solving it from scratch.

This is just the tip of the strategy iceberg. Our GMAT prep course will teach you all of the test-taking strategies and specific math content you need to be successful on the Quantitative section of the GMAT.

All in all: [[summary]]

Not at all.

Most of the time.

Get really good at math.

Learn strategies for answering the different types of questions.

I don't need to show work.

The correct answer will be easier to find.

The correct answer is staring me in the face.

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