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Time management

Problem Solving — algebra and arithmetic (GMAT Focus Edition)
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Time management

by siddus » Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:43 pm
Hi,

Experts, I need your opinion on a few questions here. Other commentators are most welcome.

1) How much time should one spend on the tougher quant questions, for example, this one taken from the 198 700+ level compilation - https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/a-c ... 2638.html . Its a GMAT Prep question I suppose.

As per my opinion such questions and many other in the 198 compilation take at an average 4-5 minutes to solve. To get them right means to push your score up. Can you please explain how such questions should be approached in terms of time management? I am guessing that the strategy suggested will also be applicable for the English section?

2) Can one of the experts do a detailed article on time management for the Quant and English sections? I have seen many opinions on the internet but everyone seems to have their own strategy. I read somewhere that 8-10 questions at the beginning of the section and an equal number at the end should be solved carefully because they affect your score to a large extent. This same article suggested that questions in the middle questions should be paced through as they tend to be "experimental" questions.

I am self-studying for the GMAT without the benefit of an expert coach. Few good forums such as BTG are the only way for me to get reliable information from experts. For the benefit of students like me, I request the experts to please take some time to provide their best opinion on the above.

Many Thanks

Cheers
Sid
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by siddus » Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:44 pm
This is quite funny, I posted my question thrice but I cant see anything but blank space!! So I am going to post it here again -

Hi,

Experts, I need your opinion on a few questions here. Other commentators are most welcome.

1) How much time should one spend on the tougher quant questions, for example, this one taken from the 198 700+ level compilation - https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/a-c ... t2638.html. Its a GMAT Prep question I suppose.

As per my opinion such questions and many other in the 198 compilation take at an average 4-5 minutes to solve. To get them right means to push your score up. Can you please explain how such questions should be approached in terms of time management? I am guessing that the strategy suggested will also be applicable for the English section?

2) Can one of the experts do a detailed article on time management for the Quant and English sections? I have seen many opinions on the internet but everyone seems to have their own strategy. I read somewhere that 8-10 questions at the beginning of the section and an equal number at the end should be solved carefully because they affect your score to a large extent. This same article suggested that questions in the middle questions should be paced through as they tend to be "experimental" questions.

I am self-studying for the GMAT without the benefit of an expert coach. Few good forums such as BTG are the only way for me to get reliable information from experts. For the benefit of students like me, I request the experts to please take some time to provide their best opinion on the above.

Many Thanks

Cheers
Sid
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by tpr-becky » Thu Jun 10, 2010 1:58 pm
I will answer your question in two posts

for the questions
A construction company was paid a total of $500,000 for a construction project. The company's only costs for the project were for labor and materials. Was the company's profit for the project greater than 150,000?

(1) The company's total cost was three times its cost for materials.
(2) The company's profit was greater than its cost for labor.


The key is identifying the core concept - which in this case is inequality and algebra. Algebra means you need to know about the number of variables and construct and equation and inequality means you will probably have to do some solving(but focus on the algebra part first).

so the statment says that L+M+P=500,000

Statement 1 says Materials was 1/3(500,000) - which isn't enough becuase you now have two unknown variables with is unsolveable.

Stament 2 has a worse problem - you know a relationship between P and L but you have no M and no real numbers.

When you put them together you now have P+L=2/3(500,000) and P is greater than L - which means that P is greater than 1/3 of the cost - which is $166,666 (here's where the calculation comes in) so the answer is C.
Becky
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by tpr-becky » Thu Jun 10, 2010 2:04 pm
As for time management I will work on an article but in general I think it is hard to standardize because of the nature of the CAT format and different strengths and weakness people have. In general it is important to study core concepts (concepts in their simpilest form) so that you can recognize them in the problem - then you need to really evaluate your strengths and weaknesses honestly.

In math, when you come upon a question the dialog you shoudl have with yourself should be something like "what is being tested in this question" then based on past experience and practice do I feel I can do this type of question in under 3 minutes or so? if not you may look for some test taking techniques like pluggin in numbers that may help with the time. If you can't do it in 3 minutes then use a guessing strategy and move on to the next problem. If you feel you can do it then jump in with a core concept and get to work - no deciding which way is better or evaluating methods, pick a method and move. If the problem gets murky in the middle it is time to re-evaluate whether you should spend any more time on it- can you eliminate some answers? are you just scared or are you really lost?

Part of the problem is that people focus on when they don't know something which makes them freeze and becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Another common problem is people start down a path that has worked in teh past but then begin to doubt themselves and try something different 90% of the time staying a course that has worked before will get you to your answer because this test is standardized.

HOpe that helps a little.
Becky
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by siddus » Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:31 pm
Hi Becky,

That was very good. I think I get what you are trying to say here. I will try to use the suggested technique while preparing. Can you help me with the following questions?

1) As you mentioned, the test is standardized. To what extent can one expect to see similar problems in the exam that one has practiced while preparing.

2) What is the maximum time one should on a tough question (maths and english). You mentioned 3 minutes for maths.. Is it OK to stretch to 4? Will be glad if you can provide some detailed insight here.

3) I am very confused about this one in particular - Is there a strategy for time management one should follow along an entire section? For example, as I mentioned in my last post - should questions at the beginning and ending of a section be done more carefully? What I am coming here at is, what are experimental questions what can you do to get the best out of them..

Thanks.

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by tpr-becky » Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:39 pm
As far as seeing similar questions there are a very limited number of core concepts that can be asked but they can be combined and re-worded to look like different problems. That is why it is so important to have a core concept strategy instead of a problem solving strategy - every practice problem should fit into a core concept so you focus on that instead of simply solving the problem.

2. As far as I am concerned over 3 minutes is too much for all but a very few problems - if you are 3 minutes in and well on your way to a solution keep going but if you are 2 min 30 in and don't really know what you are doing it is time to jump ship.

3. as far as entire section the advice on this has changed over the years - we used to tell people to be sure to answer the begining of the test correctly and then guess near the end but that strategy isn't always the best anymore. While you certainly want to avoid large sections of wrong answers, section strategy is more about your own personal strategy - are you horrible at permutation problems, then you should probably develop a guessing strategy and leave them alone no matter what number they come in. As far as experimental they can show up any time and you won't know you are working an experimental. The best use of this fact is psychological - if you have a hard time on a problem and have to guess simply tell yourself that one was probably experimental - stops you from beating yourself up over it. And never tell yourself a question is experimental if you think you got it right.
Becky
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by siddus » Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:14 pm
Beck, that was very good! Thank you very much indeed.
I really liked your last advice.


I hope a few more experts share their views on this topic.

Regards
Sid.
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