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question types on the real test???

Problem Solving — algebra and arithmetic (GMAT Focus Edition)
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question types on the real test???

by wiz9 » Tue Oct 02, 2012 11:03 pm
I took the test today and found that there was not a large variety of questions.

I got a LOT of absolute value, a lot of inequalities, a lot of those weird cray exponents you have to simply for.

Not a lot of algebra, not a lot of money questions.

Is there a lot of variety in the test???

I figured it is just what you luck out with when you draw from the pool of questions.

OR is there a type/category of question that shows up more often???

I would like to be more prepared for next time, but the real test did not resemble the practice tests at all in terms of the material covered.

Any help would be appreciated.
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by Jim@StratusPrep » Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:53 am
There are patterns but they relate to how well you perform in certain areas.
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by wiz9 » Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:16 am
So why did I get so many absolute value and inequalities??? IT seemed very lopsided.

I'd like to get more variety next time.

And I'm afraid im going to be hit with the same narrow question choice.
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by Ian Stewart » Thu Oct 04, 2012 9:17 am
I'm not sure what the reply you got above means. According to Lawrence Rudner, GMAC's VP of research and development, "For the Quantitative section, the mix of data sufficiency, problem solving, algebra, geometry, arithmetic function, applied and formula-based questions will always be the same." That's from one of GMAC's official research reports about test "reliability".

So content balance is carefully controlled, and is the same for all test takers, regardless of their level. That said, many of the categories the test uses are quite broad. So while you will see the same number of 'applied' questions as everyone else, those questions might sometimes be concentrated in one specific area, just by fluke luck; sometimes you'll see a lot of rates questions, sometimes a lot of Venn diagram questions, sometimes a lot of weighted average questions, sometimes a lot of percent/ratio questions, or whatever. So if you see a lot of questions on some very specialized area -- absolute value, say -- on one test, it's always possible that will happen the next time you take the GMAT, but it's very unlikely.

Inequalities are a different story, though; that's a very big part of algebra, and inequalities are often heavily tested on the GMAT. Absolute value is nowhere near as important a topic.
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by wiz9 » Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:21 am
Thanks I understand your response much more.

I knew that my luck would depend on the pool of questions I got and what I drew from that "luck pool".

It sucks because I saw no weighted average, no percents, no fractions, no algebra where you solve for useful normal stuff. It felt like my ENTIRE test was just absolute value and the most intense inequalities and functions questions ever.

I saw none of the stuff that I was actually prepared for.
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