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Arithmetic Strategies

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Arithmetic Strategies

by clowe1989 » Thu Oct 02, 2014 6:55 am
Hey there,

I was wondering if you guys have any arithmetic strategies. I was wondering because I am working problems out of McGraw Hill's GMAT book and it is asking me to do arithmetic problems like 105(Root 3)*37,500.

I learned how to do math going from right to left (the traditional way in our educational system). I recently came across this book (sourced below), which asks the user to do math from left to right. It is technically faster if one takes the time to learn this new system.

Another issue I am having is the number of calculations I am doing on the problems. Some problems, I may do several calculations, which is time consuming.

Here are my questions boiled down:

1) What resources/techniques have you used to improve your arithmetic?
2) Do you use more arithmetic, or guesstimation when solving problems?
3) What advice do you have for me?

Thanks!

Math book - https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Mental-Ma ... ental+math
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by [email protected] » Thu Oct 02, 2014 11:32 am
Hi clowe1989,

How much GMAT practice have you done besides working with this book?

I ask because the Official GMAT will give you questions that can usually be solved in a variety of ways (and many of those ways are faster than just "doing math"). GMAT Problem Solving questions also include 5 answer choices that often provide clues to solving the problem or shortcuts to help you avoid doing excess work. By not learning to use ALL of the information you've been given, you'll significantly limit your options when it comes to solving a problem (and you've already noticed that you might take too much time).

To help you get the most out of your study time, I'm hoping that you can answer a few questions:
1) When do you plan to take the GMAT?
2) What is your goal score?
3) Have you take the Official GMAT yet or any FULL-length practice CAT tests? If so, then what were your scores?

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Rich
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by Matt@VeritasPrep » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:18 pm
Clowe, there's no substitute for practicing a lot of arithmetic, especially computation. It's kind of the mental equivalent of lifting weights: it's boring, but it'll make you a lot stronger.

That said, I wouldn't do too much mindless multiplication: you can often practice your computation while doing other problems. The important thing is to get away from calculators; force yourself to do the multiplication by hand, or even better, in your head, then check to see how you've done. You'll become familiar with certain common numerical relations and you'll start to see all sorts of computational shortcuts.

A nice, cheap resource if you want a lot of practice is Gerard Kelly's Short Cut Math: it has lots of clever ideas and worthwhile exercises. If you want to delve further into the notion of divisibility, an all-time favorite of mine is this great book on the topic, which will absolutely make you a mathematician!
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