GMAT Exponents: Rules, Tips, and Practice

feature_GMATexponentExponents are one of the more frequently tested concepts on the GMAT. It’s likely that you learned all the exponent formulas that you’ll need for the GMAT way back in middle and early high school math, so you’re probably overdue for a refresher! And even if you consider yourself an “exponent expert,” you’re going to have to apply your knowledge of exponents in extremely particular ways on the GMAT, as exponents can appear in a wide variety of question types and are often combined with other mathematical concepts.

Luckily, we’ve done the hard work of distilling everything you need to know about GMAT exponents! In this post, we’ll cover all the relevant rules, properties, formulas, and shortcuts. We’ll also walk you through an example of every main kind of exponent question that you’ll encounter on the test, so you can see these formulas in action. By the end, you really will be an exponent expert!

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GMAT Fractions and Decimals: Everything You Need to Know

GMATfractionsfeatureAfter integers, fractions and decimals are usually the next most frequently tested concepts in the GMAT Quant section. The good news is, the math itself is fairly simple: you’ve likely learned all the rules you need to know about working with fractions and decimals in middle and early high school math. The bad news is that these rules and properties have probably been gathering dust in some unvisited corner of your brain—and even if they haven’t, you’re going to have to apply them in new ways on the GMAT.

Never fear! In this post, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about fractions and decimals for the GMAT. We’ll give you a refresher on all the relevant rules and formulas, tips and tricks for every question you’ll see on them on the GMAT, and some example questions with thorough explanations so you can see these strategies in action.
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All 64 GMAT Math Formulas You Need + How to Use Them

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Have you ever heard of Dave Hopla? He’s a basketball coach. Well, more specifically, he’s a basketball shooting coach. Throughout his career, he’s made 98 percent of the shots he’s taken. And, he trains players to do the same. How? By mastering the fundamentals.

You might be wondering why I’m beginning an article about the GMAT by talking about a basketball coach. Well, in this article, I’m going to be talking about the importance of mastering GMAT math formulas. Mastering GMAT math formulas is like practicing your free throw if you’re a basketball player. It’s a way to build up your fundamental skills so that, on test day, you’re able to achieve your goal score.

In this article, I’ll talk about why GMAT quant formulas are important, break down the most important formulas to know by subject, and give you some tips for how to incorporate formulas into your prep. I’ll also give you access to a downloadable PDF that you can use to practice offline.

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GMAT Statistics and Standard Deviation Questions: 4 Key Tips

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If Hayley takes the GMAT three times and scores 750, 770, and 800, respectively, what is her mean score? You probably won’t get a statistics question that’s quite that easy on the GMAT, but the good news about GMAT statistics questions is that they test mostly simple concepts. You don’t need to know any complicated formulas or equations to master statistics for GMAT quant questions, but you do need to develop a solid understanding of descriptive statistics principles.

In this article, I’ll give you an overview of what’s tested in GMAT statistics questions, define the four key definitions you need to know, and give you tips for mastering statistics questions. I’ll also walk you through two GMAT statistics sample questions. And, as an added bonus, I’ll offer up a range of terrible statistics puns. (Get it?) By the end of this article, you’ll have mastered statistics for GMAT!
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GMAT Math Tricks: The 9 Best Tips and Shortcuts

feature_surveytakerAs you may already know, the math required for the GMAT Quant section is actually fairly basic: nothing beyond early high school-level math is tested. What’s challenging is how quickly you’ll need to be able to execute calculations to finish within the 62 minutes allotted for the 31 questions and the reasoning and analysis required to get to the right answer. In other words, the GMAT Quant section, like all other sections of the test, is more a test of how you think than what you know.

Luckily, this means that there are several GMAT math tricks, tips, and shortcuts that you can use to improve your performance. In this post, we’ll give you all the major GMAT quant tricks, including tips and shortcuts for each of the two question types as well as some that apply to both. With these GMAT math tricks in your arsenal—plus the boatloads of studying you’re surely doing—you’ll be well prepared to nail the Quant section on test day.
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GMAT Percentages: 5 Key Tips for Percent Problems

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Percents are one of the most common math concepts: in fact, you probably use them every day, whether calculating a tip or determining how much a discount really is. It’s not surprising, then, that GMAT percentage questions pop up throughout the quant section. You may see percents tested by themselves, or they might be part of another question type, such as a geometry question.

Unfortunately, GMAT percent problems can be quite tricky even though the concepts they test are fairly simple. But don’t worry! In this guide, I’ll explain exactly what you need to know to master percentage questions on the GMAT and walk you through sample problems using percents.

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10 Top Tips for GMAT Problem Solving Questions

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For many test takers, the quantitative section of the GMAT is particularly daunting. The challenging section includes two types of questions: data sufficiency and problem solving. While data sufficiency questions are undoubtedly the more notorious question type, GMAT problem solving questions can also be quite tricky.

In this guide, I’ll give you an in-depth look at GMAT problem solving questions. First, I’ll cover what they are and what types of math they cover. Then, I’ll give you the top 10 tips for acing GMAT problem solving questions. Finally, I’ll walk you through solving five sample problem solving questions spanning a variety of topics.

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7 Expert GMAT Data Sufficiency Tips + Examples

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Let’s start with the obvious: the data sufficiency questions on the GMAT are really weird. They look nothing like any question you’ve seen in math class. For one thing, every single data sufficiency question has the same five answers. For another, data sufficiency questions aren’t just testing your math skills. They’re also testing your ability to analyze a set of data and decide what information you need to answer the question.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the GMAT data sufficiency section, give you several strategies for solving GMAT data sufficiency questions, and offer tips for preparing for these unique questions. I’ll also take you through solving several retired sample GMAT data sufficiency questions.

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What Is a Good GMAT Quantitative Score?

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Worried about how your GMAT quant score stacks up? Wondering where your score fits in relative to other test-takers?

In this article, I’ll go over what makes a good GMAT math score, how much business schools care about section scores, what GMAT quant percentiles mean, and how to set a target score for the quant section. Continue reading “What Is a Good GMAT Quantitative Score?”

Every GMAT Geometry Formula You Need to Know

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If you’re like me, you probably spent a lot of time in high school memorizing the difference between sine and cosine and sighing over long, multi-step proofs, only to forget all of this hard-earned knowledge the second that classes dismissed for break.

If you’ve forgotten a lot of your high school geometry rules or are just in need of a refresher before taking the GMAT, then you’ve found the right article. In this article, I’ll be giving you a comprehensive overview of GMAT geometry.

First, I’ll talk about what and how much geometry is actually on the GMAT. Next, I’ll give you an overview of the most important GMAT geometry formulas and rules you need to know. Then, I’ll show you four geometry sample questions and explain how to solve them. Finally, I’ll talk about how to study for the geometry you’ll encounter on the GMAT and give you tips for acing test day.

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