Go back to school for GRE quant

Sept. 8, 2010 - PRLog -- THE most dreaded part of the GRE is the 800- point quant section, which tests basic mathematical skills, quantitative reasoning and elementary mathematical concepts. But there really is no need to panic if you brush up on the mathematical concepts you learnt in higher secondary school.

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“ Many of the questions are posed as word problems in a real- life setting, with quantitative information given in the text of a question or in a table or graph of data,” says David Payne, senior vice president, Educational Testing Services which prepares the GRE. “ Other questions are posed in a pure- math setting that may include a geometric figure, a graph, or a coordinate system.

Here are some tips on how to crack the quant section:

When comparisons matter

Have two columns, ‘ A’ and ‘ B’, and you will be asked whether the quantities are are equal, or which is greater. Here is what you can do to ace this part of the test: œ You will have about a minute per question, so don’t get into lengthy calculations. Remember, you only need to compare two quantities – so limit your calculations to this.

œ Do not get stuck if you can’t figure out which of the quantities is greater, for it is possible that you wouldn’t be able to determine their relationship with the information given in the question. You will know this if you establish that the quantity in one column is greater in one case while the quantity in the other column is greater in another case.

Choose the option, “ The relationship cannot be determined from the information given” and move on.

Remember, time is of essence! œ If a triangle looks right- angled, do not assume it is so until it is marked so. Geometric figures may not be drawn to scale, so you must take care to ensure that the comparisons are based on the given information rather than on the exact appearance of the figure.

œ Remember to use your scratch paper for computations.

Not just simple calculations

The other kind of questions that figure in the quant section are the problem- solving type. These are multiple- choice questions. Some of these require only simple computation.

But not all are simple — many will require multi- step problem solving. Here’s what you should keep in mind: œ Remember that these are to be answered only on the basis of the data and everyday facts ( such as the number of days in a year).

œ Make sure you look at all answer choices before you launch into multistep computations.

Some of the answers can automatically be eliminated at the first glance.

œ Data analysis questions can be tricky. While you should analyse the data before you start attempting the question, do not waste too much time on this. Concentrate only on those details that the questions are about.

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