VP_Jim wrote:You'll quickly find that the quant explanations in the OG aren't the greatest. I'd also recommend you get yourself a quant prep guide from one of the reputable GMAT companies so that you're solving problems the right way, rather than the long, inefficient ways often described in the OG.
Otherwise, your GMAT book collection looks good! Many students go overboard and buy loads of books, when the OG and a prep guide is really all you need.
yes.
more specifically, you'll find that the quant explanations for WORD TRANSLATIONS are just plain horrible. you see, the vast majority of word translations problems require some sort of organizational device / chart to be soluble within a reasonable amount of time, and it just so happens that the o.g. NEVER uses such devices.
not at all.
with that in mind, you may want to buy our word translations strategy guide, which will give you a basic grounding in the use of the major devices / charts.
even if you choose not to buy that guide,
try to get into the habit of always using charts or tables for ANY word translation problem featuring more than one quantity.
this means that you should be using a chart / table
whenever you see any of the following in a word translations problem:
* more than one variable / specified quantity
* the same quantity/ies in two or more different situations (such as before/after or at different times)
* etc.
also know that the OG will NEVER give viable solutions using secondary methods, such as number plugging or estimation.
let me give you 3 examples off the top of my head (as usual, don't post actual details of the problems here):
* problem solving #238 is most easily solved by
estimating the desired quantity from a diagram and then matching that estimate to the answer choices. you should find that the only answer choice that comes anywhere close to your estimate is the correct answer; the other four answers are all
way too small.
* problem solving #200 is best solved by taking the answer choices themselves, grinding them 'backward' through the problem, and checking to see if the facts work out the way they're stated in the problem.
* problem solving #246 is best solved by picking particular values for length and width, finding the resultant area and perimeter, and then plugging everything into the answer choices to see which one works.
the o.g. will never let on to the existence of such solutions - remember, they're not in the business of helping you crack their own test - so it will be up to you to figure them out for yourself.
other than that - and being sure to
concentrate on takeaways - you should be ok with your selection of prep materials.
