The problem solving questions in the GMAT Quantitative section should be familiar to the vast majority of those taking the MBA admissions exam, as they are extremely similar to mathematical tests and exams taken at high school.
However, many of those taking the GMAT will not have practiced these maths skills for a significant amount of time. For these test-takers, an awareness of what will be asked of them, as well as certain tips to watch out for can enhance their GMAT Quantitative score considerably.
The most important rule to remember when tackling the problem solving questions in the Quantitative section is that the diagrams are always to scale, unless it is specifically stated otherwise. Unfortunately though, this does not mean that GMAT test-takers can visually work out the answer – after all, the test-makers want to ensure that those taking the GMAT actually understand the maths behind the questions.
Data interpretation
On the other hand, data interpretation questions, such as those based upon pie charts and line graphs, require test-takers to base their answers upon the visual data provided. These questions are regularly found in the problem solving questions in the Quantitative section.
GMAT participants will often find that they are able to roughly estimate what the answer might be. This is an important tip to remember, and learn how to do by working with free GMAT practice questions. If an estimate is accurate, it can help you single out the correct multiple choice answer without having to work through the whole question. This will of course save a great deal of time, allowing you to focus on more troublesome questions.
Unfortunately for those without a strong background in maths, for many problem solving questions in the GMAT's Quantitative section the only way of arriving at the correct answer is to understand the mathematical methods. For these questions, test-takers will need to brush up on the formulas needed, such as how to work out the hypotenuse of a triangle, or a percentage. However, as the maths is generally considered to be around the same level as that taught in most high schools, GMAT test-takers should already be familiar with most question types, and might even have text books and other materials left-over from previous years in education.
Overall, while the multiple choice approach of the problem solving questions in the GMAT Verbal section does make them a little less daunting and might allow for small shortcuts, the only real method of ensuring that you arrive at the correct answer is by knowing your maths.
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