BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

calculate large exponents

Problem Solving — algebra and arithmetic (GMAT Focus Edition)
Expert replies
Source: — Quantitative Reasoning |

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:33 am
VINIYA wrote:How can I calculate (1.035)^ 12 very fast? any help is greatly appreciated.
You wouldn't be required to perform this calculation on the GMAT.
Please post the entire question (with the 5 answer choices). It's possible that there's another approach that you've overlooked.

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Join the discussion

subject hijinks

by Matt@VeritasPrep » Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:00 pm
To do it exactly we'd have to ask Shakuntala Devi! She'd be able to do it in a matter of seconds, but I don't know how. She wrote quite a few books on mental math, though.

I agree with Brent, we'd be best off estimating, but it'd still be tough. My rule of thumb is that (1 + small change) squared tends to be about 1 + 2*small change, so I'd work with that:

(1 + .035) * (1 + .035) ≈ 1.07

(1 + .07) * (1 + .07) ≈ 1.14

(1 + .14) * (1 + .14) ≈ 1.28

So 1.035 to the eighth gets us about 1.28. From there, we're looking at 1.28 (the eighth power) * 1.14 (the fourth power), so about 1.42. (The real answer is about 1.51, so you be the judge of whether this is close enough! The problem with this approximation is the more times you do it, the grosser the error becomes.)
Join the discussion