Word Problems Articles
The GMAT Official Guide 2019 edition, part 1
Ah, June. The days are long, the snow is a distant memory (for a few more months at least), and I get to work through the new problems in the [...]
Executive Assessment: Quant Strategies for Faster Solutions - Part 4
Welcome to the fourth installment of Quant Strategies for the EA! If you’re just joining us now, head back to the first part and work your way back here. We’re going to [...]
Executive Assessment: Fast Math for Faster Solutions - Part 2
Last time, I gave you a couple of questions to try and then we discussed how to minimize your work on the first one. (If you haven’t read the first [...]
Executive Assessment: Fast Math for Faster Solutions - Part 1
The Executive Assessment (EA) shares a lot of roots with the GMAT, GMAC’s flagship graduate business school exam. In certain ways, the EA feels almost like the GMAT on steroids—it’s [...]
Know the GMAT Code: Interest Rates on the GMAT
I’m excited about the problem I have to share with you today in the latest installment of our Know the Code series. :) Interest rate problems can be extremely annoying [...]
Know the GMAT Code: Overlapping Sets - Part 2
Welcome to the second installment of our Know the Code series on overlapping sets. We’re learning how to recognize (quickly!) that you have an overlapping sets problem in the first [...]
Know the GMAT Code: Overlapping Sets - Part 1
GMAT story problems can be pretty frustrating. First, you have to turn the problem into math, and then you still have to do the math—all in 2 minutes! It’s important to [...]
How to Do Math FAST for the GMAT - Part 2
Welcome to the second installment of our Fast Math series. (Miss part 1? Take a look here .) Here’s the basic premise: I’m always on the lookout for ways to get [...]
How to Do Math FAST for the GMAT - Part 1
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty lazy when it comes to doing math on paper. Blame constant access to Excel and the calculator on my phone … but [...]
Final Exam: Are You a Great GMAT Guesser? - Part 4
Okay, you’ve had several weeks to practice your GMAT guessing . Let’s put your newfound skills to the test! (If you’re reading all these articles at once, stop here. Give yourself [...]
How to Become a Great GMAT Guesser - Part 1
You’ve probably figured out by now that, sometimes, you’re just going to have to guess on the GMAT. If you’ve got 5 seconds to get something in before the test [...]
GMAT Story Problems: Draw It Out!
Whenever I see a story problem, I immediately make myself think, “How would I solve this in the real world?” I don’t want to get sucked into doing a bunch [...]
Avoiding Calculations on GMAT Problem Solving
Last time, we talked about how to avoid annoying calculations on Data Sufficiency . It’s not so surprising that you can do this on DS, since you don’t “really” have [...]
Avoiding Calculations on GMAT Data Sufficiency
The beautiful thing about Data Sufficiency is that we’re allowed not to do all of the calculations that a Problem Solving problem might require. Still, leave it to the GMAT [...]
Using “Word Equations” to Help Write Algebraic Equations
Algebraic techniques can often help us solve word problems. The process typically involves assigning one or more variables, writing an equation (or two or three), and then solving that equation. [...]
GMAT Prep Story Problem: Make It Real
In the past, we’ve talked about making story problems real . In other words, when the test gives you a story problem, don’t start making tables and writing equations and [...]
Reorient Your View on Math Problems - Part 2
In the first part of this article , we talked about how GMAT quant problems are often written to imply a certain approach or solution path that is not actually [...]
Reorient Your View on Math Problems - Part 1
The Quant section of the GMAT is not a math test. Really, it isn’t! It just looks like one on the surface. In reality, they’re testing us on how we [...]
Story Problems: Make Them Real - Part 1
I’ve been on a story problem kick lately. People have a love / hate relationship with these. On the one hand, it’s a story! It should be easier than “pure” [...]
This Problem is Work!
Raise your hand if you love rate and work questions. They’re awesome, right? They tend to be fairly long, and the set-up is pretty complex, plus we get to build [...]
How to Make Weighted Average Problems Easy
Most people don’t like weighted averages, and for good reason. The formula is complicated, and these often come in the form of “story” problems, which are hard to set up. [...]
How Do I Translate This GMATPrep problem?
I’ve been speaking with a lot of students recently who are really struggling with translation problems – even when they can figure out how to translate, they end up taking [...]
Translating Words into Math, Part 2
This is the second part of a two-part article on the topic of translating wordy quant problems into the actual math necessary to set up and solve the problem. Click [...]
Translating Words into Math
I’ve spoken with several students recently who are struggling with translating wordy quant problems into the actual math necessary to set up and solve the problem. Some people make too [...]
Manhattan GMAT Challenge Problem of the Week - 4 April 2011
Here is a new Challenge Problem! If you want to win prizes, try entering our Challenge Problem Showdown . The more people enter our challenge, the better the prizes! Question [...]