MathSP is an Atlanta-based educational services and enrichment company with a mission to help you conquer math subjects as well as the Quantitative section of the GMAT. Many students struggle with math, and oftentimes, students haven’t seen or used the math concepts tested on the GMAT in many years. In this video, our students describe their MathSP experience and how it helped them to reach their goals.
You may be one of several people studying for the GMAT who feel confident with your GMAT Verbal Prep, but need additional support for the GMAT Quantitative section. You may ask yourself “How do I increase my Quantitative GMAT percentile so that my overall score is competitive for a top MBA program?”
It is not surprising that your Verbal abilities are stronger; you have been reading consistently since grade school. Thus, the Verbal section may be less daunting than the Quantitative section. Yes, you still need to familiarize yourself with the types of questions asked in the Verbal section and review grammar rules. However, you may feel comfortable with self-guided practice using a GMAT study book such as the Official Study Guide by GMAC.
Self-study for the Math section may be seemingly more complicated. For one, you may not have used Math – Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Analysis – in YEARS! There are hundreds of quantitative concepts tested on the GMAT. There also many strategies and math short-cuts to help save time on this section. Do you know what they are? Are you prepared to score your highest on the quantitative section of the GMAT? Furthermore, because Math is such a broad subject with lots of layers, you want to make sure you are learning what is important for success on the GMAT.
This is how Caroline D. felt.
Caroline increased her GMAT score by 280 points. While practicing Verbal on her own using the Official Study Guide Book, 12th edition, she focused intensely on the quantitative section. Here’s what Caroline did that led to her 280 point increase:
Step 1: Completed the Foundations book
Step 2: Signed-up for the MathSP small group course to understand GMAT Math
Step 3: Attended all 8 sessions spanning 24-hours solely dedicated to quantitative preparation
Step 4: Registered for additional hours of private instruction
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Problem:
In the figure, the coordinates of point V are what?
Solution:
V is 7 units to the right of the origin so the X coordinate is 7. V is 5 units beneath the origin so the Y coordinate is -5. Ergo (7,-5).
Strategy:
The orgin is the point where the horizontal x-axis and vertical y-axis intersect. To the left of the orgin represents negative x-values. To the right of the orgin represents positive x-values. Up from the orgin respresents positive y-values. Down from the orgin represents negative y-values.
Problem:
Solution:
1/(1+1/3) – 1/(1+1/2) (simplify both denominators)
= 1/(4/3) – 1/(3/2) (divide numerator by denominator)
= 3/4 – 2/3 (find common denominator)
= 9/12 – 8/12 = 1/12
Strategy:
When adding and subtracting fractions, the first step is always to get a common denominator.
When multiplying fractions, simplify first, then multiply numerators and denominators.
When dividing fractions, keep the first fraction, change the sign to multiplication, and invert the last fraction. Then, multiply.
Problem:
If n is a prime number greater than 3, what is the remainder when n-squared is divided by 12?
Solution:
The fastest way to solve this problem is to pick any prime number larger than 3 (5 being the easiest choice), squaring it, and dividing it by 12. 5-squared = 25 and the remainder when 25 is divided by 12 is 1.
Strategy:
Because only one answer choice can be correct, picking numbers works great for this problem.
You can also use modular arithmetic to solve this problem. Any prime number larger than 3 must be odd, so the remainder when that number is divided by 12 is 1, 5, 7, or 11 (note it can’t be 3 or 9 because then that number would be divisible by 3 and not prime). When you square the number the remainder is 1, 25, 49, or 121, and the remainder of 25, 49, and 121 when divided by 12 are all 1, thus the remainder when the square of a prime number is divided by 12 is 1.
Problem:
Of the five coordinates associated with points A, B, C, D, and E on the number line above, which has the greatest absolute value?
Solution:
The absolute value is greatest for the point farthest from the origin (0), which is point A.
Strategy:
Absolute value is the distance away from the orgin. Because you can never have a negative distance, the absolute value is always positive. For this problem, choose the coordinate that has the greatest distance from the orgin.
Problem:
Running at the same constant rate, 6 identical machines can produce a total of 270 bottles per minute. At this rate, how many bottles could 10 such machines produce in 4 minutes?
Solution:
6 machines produce 270 bottles per minute.
Therefore, 1 machine produces 270 / 6 = 45 bottles per minute.
Thus 10 machines produce 45 * 10 = 450 bottles in 1 minute, and
450 * 4 = 1,800 bottles in 4 minutes.
Strategy:
When working with rate problems, be sure to keep track of units. Your final answer should be the correct unit, in this case, minutes.
Problem:
The ratio of 2 to ⅓ is equal to the ratio of what?
Solution:
Multiply each side of the ratio 2 to ⅓ by 3, yielding 6 to 1.
Strategy:
You can also choose to write the ratio 2 to ⅓ as a fraction: 2 ÷ ⅓ which yields 6.
Problem:
150 is what percent of 30?
Solution:
150 / 30 = 5 *100 = 500%
Strategy:
These types of basic percent problems can be set up using the equation:
Is/Of = %/100
In this question: Is = 150; Of = 30; % = unknown
The equation becomes: 150/30 = x/100