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GMAT Quant Help!

Problem Solving — algebra and arithmetic (GMAT Focus Edition)
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GMAT Quant Help!

by bssb » Thu Jan 21, 2016 7:44 am
I haven't been in touch with math for the last 3 years and have forgotten few cencepts. Now when I try to solve quant questions, it takes me about 10-15 minutes per question to understand the solution and then I try solving questions. Quant has been my weakest area. Some concepts are totally alien.

How can I improve my understanding of the concepts and increase my speed of solving questions?
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by ceilidh.erickson » Thu Jan 21, 2016 7:53 am
You'll definitely need a solid grounding in the core math concepts tested before you should begin working on real OG problems.

I would recommend starting with a Foundations of Math guide or program from one of the top companies. Take notes, make flashcards, and drill yourself on the basics: arithmetic, solving basic equations, exponent rules, fractions, etc.

Only when you have a solid grasp on these things should you turn to to Official Guide or try more practice tests.

If you're interested, Manhattan Prep offers:
- Foundations of Math guide: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/stor ... gmat-math/
- Foundations workshops: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/prep/workshops/
- Basic math drill sets (if you sign up for an account).

Feel free to contact our Student Services for more information on our Foundations of Math offerings: [email protected]
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by [email protected] » Thu Jan 21, 2016 9:36 am
Hi bssb,

If your Quant skills really are that 'rusty', you shouldn't necessarily be working through GMAT materials just yet.

For free math practice and help, I recommend that you set up an account at Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org). The site is completely free and makes the learning a bit more fun and 'game-like' (as opposed to the dry academic approach taken by most books). While the site is vast, you should limit your studies to basic Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry. After spending a little time re-building those skills, you can restart your GMAT studies.

1) How long have you been studying?
2) What is your goal score?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
4) Do you know which Schools you're planning to apply to?

If you have any additional questions, then you can feel free to contact me directly.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
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by MartyMurray » Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:41 am
Hi bssb.

Fortunately the GMAT does not use all that many quant concepts. The point of GMAT is to test your skill in getting to answers more than to test your knowledge of math itself. So really you just need to understand a few dozen basic things.

Much of what you need to do is to assess what you understand and what you don't understand and what you could understand better. Then go over each topic, checking off one and moving to the next, maybe going back to some topics later for more review. When you do things that way, the whole process is pretty manageable. You whittle away at the stuff you don't know, and the to do list gets smaller and smaller.

Once you understand the basics involved in a question type and have some idea of how to get to the answers to that type, you can do dozens such questions until you become an expert. Trust me. You can do this. I have seen people who felt intimidated by GMAT quant drive their scores up this way. Takes work, yup. Still, getting your score to what you want it to be is eminently doable.

For categorized quant practice questions you could see how you like the question bank here. https://bellcurves.com To access it, you go to the GMAT area of the site and sign up for a practice account.
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by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Thu Jan 21, 2016 12:18 pm
There are a lot of great websites out there to learn basic mathematical concepts (like Khan Academy), HOWEVER none of them address GMAT-specific concepts and strategies (data sufficiency strategies for one). Also, users are often exposed to concepts that are not tested on the GMAT. For example, if you look at the Basic Geometry module on Khan Academy, you'll find that many of the concepts covered are not tested on the GMAT. Finally, many of Khan's modules assume that you have a calculator available, but you don't get to use a calculator for the quant section of the GMAT.

If possible, I suggest that you stick with resources that a specifically towards the GMAT. Our free video course starts with the most basic concepts and works up to 800-level concepts. I'm sure there are other courses that do the same.

NOTE: Throughout our videos, we often direct students to reinforce learning via very specific Khan Academy videos and quizzes, but the goal is to first present concepts in the context of preparing for the GMAT.

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
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