GRE quant is often referred to as GRE math as well, which could be a good indication of why so many people are so intimidated by it. Fortunately, though, the truth is that GRE math is only a very small part of the mammoth subject of mathematics.

If you’re wondering what GRE quant tests, it’s just stuff we’ve learned in school.

Honestly! We’re not kidding.

However, we understand if you still have reservations in your mind about how easy GRE math really is. So, we’ve made a series of articles on the different parts of GRE quant with one article each on arithmetic, algebra, data interpretation, and geometry.

In this article, as the title suggests, we will focus on Arithmetic. Here’s what this article will talk about at length:

1. Number Theory
2. Ratios
3. Percentages
4. Application-Based Topics

The word ‘arithmetic’ is derived from the Greek word, ‘arithmos’ which means number. Arithmetic is the branch of mathematics which deals with the study of numbers and their properties.

For a fairly long time in the history of mathematics, arithmetic has been synonymous with number theory. However, when we approach Arithmetic from a Test Prep perspective, we can see it in a much broader sense.

Arithmetic on GRE Quant

Generally, arithmetic refers not only to Number Theory but also to its various applications including ratios and percentages and their respective applications, too.

As such, arithmetic is indeed the Queen of Math, especially when it comes to the GRE, because it constitutes almost 50% of the questions in the Quant section.

Questions from GRE Quant Arithmetic basically boil down to Number Theory, Ratios, Percentages, or Application-Based Topics.

Therefore, preparing for arithmetic entails preparation on these topics.

Let’s now look at each of these topics in detail, beginning with Number Theory.

1. Number Theory

One of the greatest mathematicians of all time, Carl Friedrich Gauss, once said,

“Mathematics is the queen of the sciences and number theory is the queen of mathematics.”

Since Number Theory is the root of all numbers and mathematics is nothing but numbers, it’s only right that it should be considered the most important part of mathematics. As such, Number Theory is the study of different types of numbers and their properties.

Additionally, Number Theory is also a study of the behavior of various types of numbers when mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and exponentiation are performed on them.

For the sake of GRE Quant, topics under Number Theory can be broadly divided into the following categories:

1. Properties of Integers
2. Properties of Fractions
3. Exponents & Roots

Let’s dive into what questions each of these categories could throw up.

a. Properties of Integers

This is probably the broadest of all categories under Number Theory. Here are some concepts you might be tested on:

– Basic properties of different types of numbers (For example, Natural Numbers, Whole Numbers, Prime Numbers)
– Division Algorithm and Divisibility Rules
– Factors & Multiples with special emphasis on HCF and LCM
– Composite Number Concepts
– Remainder Concepts
– Factorial Notation

Sample Question:

If a number has a remainder of 4 upon division by 5 and a remainder of 2 upon division by 3, what remainder must it have upon division by 15?

i. 5
ii. 7
iii. 9
iv. 11
v. 14

Solution:

The basic equation for division is Dividend = Divisor x Quotient + Remainder.

Accordingly, a number which has a remainder of 4 when divided by 5 can be written in the form of 5k + 4, where k is the quotient and can take values of 0,1,2,3 and so on.

Hence, the possible values for the number are 4,9,14,19 and so on.

Further, a number which has a remainder of 2 when divided by 3 can be written in the form of 3p + 2, where p is the quotient and can take values of 0,1,2,3, and so on. 

Hence, the possible values for the number here are 2, 5, 8, 11, 14 and so on. 

So, when we look at both the lists of possible answers, we find that the common number in both sequences is 14. Thus, we can conclude that this is the number we are looking for. 

As a rule, if a smaller number is divided by a larger number, the remainder is the smaller number itself. So, when 14 is divided by 15, the remainder is 14 itself. 

Hence, the correct answer is option E.

b. Properties of Fractions

This part of Number Theory tests your knowledge of fractions and decimals, which are also referred to as Real Numbers.

The inherent nature of questions on fractions and decimals is that they consume a lot of time for even basic calculations. You have to be super sorted with the basic concepts here because if you’re not, you risk losing out on time. 

Under this topic, you can expect questions from: 

– Comparison of fractions
– Conversion of decimals to fractions
– Identifying whether a fraction represents a terminating decimal or a recurring decimal

Sample Question: 

Which is greater, 17/21 or 21/25?

Solution:

To compare fractions, cross multiply the numerator of the first fraction with the denominator of the second fraction and vice versa. The fraction on the side of the bigger product is the bigger fraction.

c. Exponents & Roots

This part of number theory tests your knowledge of exponents/indices and their rules. Questions from this area can include:

– Questions based on laws of indices
– Questions on cyclicity of units digit
– Maximum power of an integer in a factorial

Sample Question:

Find the units digit of 9^8235!

Ans: _____

Solution:

Any power of 9 always ends with a 9 or 1. Whenever 9 is raised to an odd power, the units digit of the resultant number is 9 and whenever it is raised to an even power, the units digit of the resultant number is 1. 

Any factorial greater than 2 will always be an even number. 

Hence, 8235! will be an even number. 

Therefore, the question given to us can be written as 9even which will have a units digit of 1.

2. Ratios

Ratios are important not only because they can give direct problems but also because they are applied in other areas as well. You are expected to know the basic concepts of ratios so that you can apply them.

In this topic, you will be expected to solve problems on:

a. Interpreting ratios
b. Bridging ratios
c. Conducting mathematical operations on ratios
d. Word problems based on ratios

Sample Problem:

In a class of 35 students, if boys and girls are in the ratio of 2:3, how many girls are there?

Ans: _____

Solution:

Given that the ratio of boys and girls is 2:3. This means that for every 2 boys there are 3 girls. 

Let the number of boys = 2x and the number of girls = 3x. 

Then, 2x + 3x = 35 

i.e. 5x = 35 

Therefore, x = 7

Therefore, the number of girls which is 3x, will be 21.

3. Percentages

This is a very important topic because you’ll get direct questions related to it and you’ll probably also get questions related to its applications.

You can expect one or two direct questions on percentage concepts. However, the applications of percentages like Profit and Loss will also give you two to three questions. 

Hence, the topic of percentages accounts for almost 40% of the Arithmetic questions. So, make sure that you are well prepared on this topic. 

Direct questions on percentages could be based on

a. Basic percentage calculations
b. Percentage Change concepts
c. Successive percentage change concept

We will have a look at the application areas of percentages in the next section.

Sample question:

The price of a ticket increased from $80 to $84. Find the percentage increase in the price of the ticket?

Solution:

The percentage increase in a quantity is given by the expression:

In this case, the initial value is 80 and the final value is 84. Substituting these values in the expression given above, we get 5% as the answer.

The value 5 has to be filled in the answer box provided.

4. Application-based topics

Application-based topics cover a large variety of sub-categories. The ones you could be tested on are:

a. Profit & Loss and Interest which are applications of Percentages
b. Word problems based on ratio concepts
c. Word problems based on number theory
d. Time & Distance and Time & Work which are applications of Ratios

a. Profit & Loss and Interest

Questions on Profit & Loss and Interest are usually perceived by students to be formula oriented topics. This means that you may have a stereotype in your head that you need to memorize a number of equations to be able to solve questions from these areas.

However, this is farthest from the truth. And the truth is that if you are well versed with the basic percentage calculations and percentage change concepts, Profit & Loss and Interest problems are mere applications of these concepts. 

Hence, our advice to you would be to practice as many questions as possible from the Percentages topic so that you have built up sufficient muscle memory to tackle questions from Profit & Loss and Interest. 

Sample Question:  

A shopkeeper bought a pound of almonds at $4. He made a profit of 33.33% after giving a discount of 33.33%. Find the marked price of the pound of almonds.

i. $5
ii. $5.66
iii. $7
iv. $8
v. $9

Solution:

The cost incurred by the shopkeeper to purchase the almonds is $4. Hence, CP =  $4.

If he made a profit of 33.33%, it means he made a profit of 4/3 (because 33.33% = ⅓ and remember, profit percentage is always calculated with reference to CP).

But, Profit = SP – CP

Hence, SP = CP + Profit

Therefore, SP = 4 + (4/3) 

SP = 16/3 

We know that he gave a 33.33% discount. Percentage of discount is always calculated with reference to Marked Price (MP). Let MP = x. 

Then, Discount = x/3 (remember 33.33% = ⅓)

Discount = MP – SP

(x/3) = x – (16/3)

To simplify, we have x = 8.

Hence, the correct answer option is D.

b.Word problems based on ratio concepts

Word problems based on ratio concepts usually require you to apply the concept of interpreting a ratio and then build a mathematical version of the statements to solve the question. 

Since a word problem is usually built around lengthy and complex statements, word problems also test your reading and comprehension skills. 

They also test your ability to integrate different bits of data into a whole similar to solving a jigsaw puzzle.

Word problems based on ratios can be:

a. Word problems on interpreting ratios
b. Problems on ages
c. Problems on numbers and digits

Sample Problem:

Six years ago, the ratio of ages of Bob and Joe is 2 : 5. Four years from now, the ratio of their ages will be 4 : 5. Find the sum of their present ages.

Ans: _____

Solution:

Let the ages of Bob and Joe, six years ago, be 2x and 5x respectively. 

Then, their ages, four years from now, will be 2x + 10 and 5x + 10 respectively.  

It is given that the ratio of their ages, four years from now is 4:5.  

Therefore, 2x + 105x + 10 = 45 

Solving this, x = 1. 

Therefore, the present ages of Bob and Joe are 2 and 5 respectively which means the sum of their present ages is 7.

c. Word problems based on Number Theory

Word problems based on number theory also test your comprehension and interpretation skills. Along with these, they also test your in-depth knowledge of number theory concepts.

Word problems on number theory are usually based on properties of numbers. 

Sample Question: 

Sum of the LCM and HCF of two numbers is 760, and LCM is 18 times their HCF. If one number is 360, then the other number is:

i. 20
ii. 48
iii. 64
iv. 80
v. 96

Solution:

Let the two numbers be x and y; let their HCF be H and their LCM be L.

Then,  L + H = 760

It’s also given that L = 18H.

Substituting this in the equation above, we have 18H + H = 760

Therefore, 19 H = 760 or H = 40.

Hence, L = 18 x 40 = 720.

Let x = 360.

Product of two numbers = Product of their HCF and LCM.

Therefore, 360 x y = 40 x 720

Therefore, y = 80.

So, the correct answer is Option D.

d. Time & Distance and Time & Work

Both the topics mentioned above are the most significant applications of all topics that you learn in Arithmetic namely Numbers, Ratios and Percentages. 

This is because questions from these two areas usually involve multiple concepts drawn from multiple topics, intertwined in such a way that a person without a firm grasp of all the concepts will find the going tough. 

This is also the reason why these two topics contribute at least 3 to 4 questions to the Quant section.

Sample Question:

Stan drives at an average speed of 60 miles per hour from Town A to Town B, a distance of 150 miles. Ollie drives at an average speed of 50 miles per hour from Town C to Town B, a distance of 120 miles.

Solution:

Speed = Distance/Time

Hence, Time = Distance/Speed

Stan’s Speed is 60 mph and he has covered a distance of 150 miles. Hence, the time taken is (5/2) i.e. 2.5 hours.

Similarly, the time taken by Ollie is (12/5) i.e. 2.4 hours.

Hence, Quantity A is definitely greater than Quantity B.

The correct answer option is Option A.

Conclusion

So, that is all for now, folks! This is everything we thought you might need some clarity on for now.

With this blog, we hope we have given you enough ammunition to ruminate on and plan your prep for Arithmetic.

Go ahead, pick up that study material and get cracking with your GRE Quant prep!

Feel free to reach out to us through the comments section below by posting any questions/suggestions you may have. We’ll get back to you ASAP!

Does the very idea of GRE Quant give you the jitters?

Are multiple sources of information confusing you further rather than helping you understand GRE quant?

Would you like to take advantage of the GRE exam pattern to target a 165+ score on quant?

If you answered with a ‘No’, we’re happy to see that you have your GRE math act together! Congratulations, well done! We do hope that this article will help you anyway.

If you answered these questions with a “YES!”, look no further. You have come to the perfect place!

In this blog, we’ll be giving you a detailed insight into the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) section of the GRE. Here’s a quick roadmap to help you navigate this article.

1. GRE Test Pattern
2. Scoring Pattern for GRE Quant
3. Quant vs Math
4. Subsections in GRE Quant
5. Using the Calculator

Let’s begin by refreshing our knowledge of the GRE test pattern.

GRE Test Pattern

Here’s what the GRE pattern looks like:

The test starts off with the mandatory AWA section which spans the first 60 minutes.

Next, you’ll either get a Quant section or a Verbal section to solve, but which one comes first is decided at random. Based on which section comes first, you can figure out how many of which section you should expect.

If your AWA is followed immediately by a VR section, it means that you will see 3 VR sections interspersed by 2 QR sections. However, if you see a QR section following your AWA section, it means you will be required to answer 3 QR sections and 2 VR sections.

Whichever way it is, you are required to answer 100 questions (20 questions per section x 5 sections) in 160 minutes to 165 minutes.

This is because one of the five sections is an unidentified experimental section, which will not be scored.

However, since it is an unidentified section, we advise you to go ahead and answer the test as though it actually contained 100 questions.

Scoring Pattern for GRE Quant

Your performance on the two scored sections of GRE math is first converted to a raw score. This raw score is based on how many questions you answered right and how many you answered wrong.

This raw score is then converted to a scaled score which can range from 130 to 170, in single-point increments. So, even if you get all the Quant questions wrong, you will still get a 130. But that’s the equivalent to getting a zero on GRE quant.

Statistically, scoring 165 on GRE math represents the 89th percentile.

This means that if you get 165, you have scored as much as or more than 89% of all the GRE test takers. In other words, you are in the top 11 percent of all students who took the GRE.

Food for thought –  The highest score one can get in Quant is 170, which represents the 100th percentile. This is a difference of just five points in terms of marks scored, but when it comes to percentiles, the same distance represents an 11-point difference. What does this tell you?

The only reason this can happen is that a substantial number of people get scores between 165 and 170. What does THIS tell you?

In our opinion, this suggests that it’s not all that difficult to get that perfect GRE quant score.

So! Let’s now get into dissecting GRE quant so that you have a very clear understanding of the whole thing by the time you finish reading this blog.

Quant vs. Math

You may notice that the words ‘quant’ and ‘math’ are used interchangeably, even in this blog.

However, here’s the thing:

Quant ≠ Math. At least not on the GRE.

Mathematics is akin to outer space, in that it is MASSIVE. You could go from school level mathematics to post-doctoral degree-level math and still not cover everything there is to know about mathematics. There’s literally nothing in the universe that is unrelated to math.

Seriously, if you have doubts or think this is crazy-talk, Google ‘golden ratio‘. Oh and also, just for fun (yes, fun) try this website out.

Mathematics is not only about formulae; it is also about theories, theorems, propositions, proofs, and a whole bunch of other things that are difficult to comprehend, even for the best of us.

The point is, it’s a capital mistake to mix up quant and math in your head. You’ll just end up making a mountain out of a molehill because the GRE quant is only a very small subset of the gigantic subject called Mathematics.

Quantitative Reasoning on the GRE is exactly like it sounds. It looks to gauge your reasoning skills – both analytical and logical – when it comes to numbers, along with your basic mathematical skills.

When we say ‘basic mathematical skills’, we mean the fundamental level of mathematics we all learned in high school, regardless of how our academic paths digressed from there on.

Didn’t we all learn that the sum of the three angles in a triangle is 180 degrees?

This is an example of a basic mathematical skill we all acquired when throughout our school lives. In GRE math, this is the level that you’re expected to be well-versed with.

As a rule, the GRE doesn’t look to find mathematicians. The objective is to test intelligence, which mostly means the ability to apply whatever you do know. GRE quant measures your ability to estimate, use logic, use the given answer options and eliminate them to solve the questions you face – in short, your ability to use ‘reasoning’ with numbers.

We hope that this has assuaged at least some of the fears and mental blocks you may have had with respect to GRE math/quant. Please note that we only mean a small subset of mathematics when we say ‘GRE math’ or ‘GRE quant’, and not the entire mammoth that is math.

Next, we talk about what actually constitutes ‘GRE quant’.

Subsections in GRE Quant

There are three ways in which you can divide GRE Quant to help you study it properly.

1. Based on Areas of Math
2. Based on Question Types
3. Based on the relevance of the question

Let’s get into the details of each of these, one at a time.

I. Based on Areas of Math

The questions in GRE quant comprise of questions drawn from the following areas of Math:

1. Arithmetic
2. Algebra
3. Geometry
4. Data Analysis

Of these, Arithmetic takes the lion’s share of importance – almost 8 to 10 out of 20 questions come from Arithmetic. That’s almost 50%, which is why preparing well for Arithmetic questions is of paramount importance.

Algebra and Data Analysis each account for 15% to 20% of the questions, while Geometry accounts for 10% to 20% of the questions.

As we said before, the questions you can expect from each of the four areas will be from topics that you learned in high school. But, this is not to say that you will be tested on all the topics that you learned in high school.

Topics like Logarithms, Progressions, Relations and even Trigonometry are not tested on the GRE.

Relieved to hear that? We know the feeling!

II. Based on Question Types

There is another way of categorizing Quant questions – it’s based on question types. There are four different types of questions in GRE Quant which you need to be aware of. They are: 

1. Quantitative Comparison
2. Multiple Choice – Select One Answer Choice
3. Multiple Choice – Select One or More Answer Choices
4. Numeric Entry

Now, let’s examine each one of these in further detail.

1. Quantitative Comparison (QC)

Although this type of question tests your basic mathematical skills, it tests your reasoning and estimation skills to a larger extent. The basic structure of a Quantitative Comparison question is shown below:

Information / Constraints

A. Quantity A is greater
B. Quantity B is greater
C. The two quantities are equal
D. The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

As you can see, QC questions test your ability to compare two quantities and arrive at a conclusion about their magnitude. Generally, 6 to 8 out of 20 questions will be QC questions.

This goes to show the importance that this question type holds in GRE Quant. 

A QC question may have additional information/constraints given above the two quantities or may not have. Based on this, you are required to compare the two quantities and mark the relevant options out of the four. 

Accordingly, you will mark: 

Option A if Quantity A is ALWAYS greater than Quantity B. 
Option B if Quantity B is ALWAYS greater than Quantity A. 
Option C if Quantity A is ALWAYS equal to Quantity B. 
Option D if a definite relationship cannot be established between the two on the basis of the information provided. 

The pertinent point to be noted here is the word ALWAYS. 

For example, if Quantity A is sometimes greater than Quantity B but sometimes lesser than Quantity B, then Option A cannot be marked as the answer. Similar reasoning can be applied to the other options as well.

Sample Question:

Akshay is younger than Chitra

A. Quantity A is greater
B. Quantity B is greater
C. The two quantities are equal
D. The relationship cannot be determined from the information given

Now, if you observe this question, there is hardly any math involved in solving this question except basic inequality concepts.

Consider Akshay’s age = 10 and Chitra’s age = 20; in this case, Quantity A will be equal to Quantity B.

On the other hand, consider Akshay’s age = 10 and Chitra’s age = 30; in this case, Quantity A will be lesser than Quantity B.

Since we are unable to say whether Quantity A is ALWAYS equal to B or ALWAYS less than B, the answer to this question is option D.

2. Multiple Choice – Select One Answer Choice

This question type is something most of us will be familiar with. In this question type, a question will be followed by five answer options named A, B, C, D and E. Your job is to solve the question and pick one of the five options, which you think is the answer.

Two points to note about this question type:

– There is one and only one correct answer to each question.
– The five options will be arranged in either ascending order or descending order of magnitude if numbers constitute the options.

While solving questions of this type, you need to make use of point number 2 above, by eliminating options and retaining those which you think could make the cut.

If you resort to the conventional methods in all problems of this type, you will end up wasting precious time whilst getting the same answer which does not sound commonsensical. 

Approximately 6 to 8 questions of this type can appear in the Quant section. Therefore, this question type coupled with QC constitutes almost 75% of the entire Quant section of the GRE. 

Sample Question: 

Which of the following numbers is the farthest from the number 1 on the number line? 
A. -10
B. -5
C. 0
D. 5
E. 10

From the given diagram, it is clear that -10 is the farthest number from the number ‘1’. Hence, Option A is the correct answer.

3. Multiple Choice – Select One or More Answer Choices

This is the more challenging variant of the Multiple Choice question type. Here, a question can be followed by any number of answer options ranging from 3 to 10 and therein lies the challenge. Your job is to select all the answer choices applicable under the conditions given. 

A few points to note about this question type:

– These questions are marked with square boxes beside the options, not circles or ovals.
– Some questions of this type might ask you to mark a specific number of options as answers.
– Some other questions of this type might ask you to mark all those options as answers as are applicable.
– Some questions of this type might also have only one correct answer.
– No partial credit is awarded ( in this sense, this question type is analogous to the multiple blank questions that you encounter in SE or TC of the Verbal section of the GRE).

Eliminating as many options as possible by logic and estimation is a very good strategy to adopt in such questions. Elimination based on concepts is also a good method. Plugging in the remaining options into the question and checking if all of them apply, is the last stage of filtration before finalizing the answer options.

Around 3 to 4 questions in the Quant section belong to this question type. Hence, this question type does not pose that big a challenge anyway.

Sample Question:

Which of the following integers are multiples of both 2 and 3? A. 8 B. 9 C. 12 D. 18 E. 21 F. 36

This is a very simple question based on divisibility concepts. 

Any number that is a multiple of 2, is an even number. So, if a number has to be a multiple of both 2 and 3, it has to be an even number first.

Based on this, we can eliminate options B and E, since they are not even. 

Now, the next step is to eliminate the numbers which are not multiples of 3. Clearly, 8 is not a multiple of 3. Hence, Option A can be eliminated. 

We are left with options C, D and F. Let us see if these are the final options which we can retain. 

Any number which is a multiple of both 2 and 3 is a multiple of 6. All three numbers, i.e., 12, 18 and 36 are DEFINITELY multiples of 6. Hence, we can retain options C, D and F as the final answer. 

There we go: the correct options to be marked are C, D, and F!

4. Numeric Entry

This is probably the only question type that we can all relate to from our school days. Because this is the question type where you have to work out the problem from start to end and there are no options provided!

Yep, you read it right!

No options are provided as part of the question. So, you have to be extra careful while reading and analyzing the question and working it out methodically. 

You will be required to type in your answer in a single box if your answer is an integer or a decimal, or in two boxes if your answer is a fraction. 

The good news is that this question type contributes a measly 10% of the total number of questions in Quant. So you may expect 1 or 2 questions from this type. 

A few points to note about the Numeric Entry question type:

– Sometimes, there will be labels before or after the answer box to indicate the appropriate type of answer.
– If you are asked to round the answer, make sure you round it to the required degree of accuracy.
– Only mark the final answer in the box and not any of the intermediate answers that may be a part of your solution.
– Enter your answer as an integer or a decimal if there is a single answer box OR as a fraction if there are two separate boxes—one for the numerator and one for the Denominator.
– To enter an integer or a decimal, either type the number in the answer box using the keyboard or use the Transfer Display button on the calculator. 

i. First, click on the answer box—a cursor will appear in the box—and then type the Number.
ii. To erase a number, use the Backspace key.
iii. For a negative sign, type a hyphen. For a decimal point, type a period.
iv. To remove a negative sign, type the hyphen again and it will disappear; the number will remain.
v. The Transfer Display button on the calculator will transfer the calculator display to the answer box.
vi. Equivalent forms of the correct answer, such as 2.5 and 2.50, are all correct.
vii. Enter the exact answer unless the question asks you to round your answer.

– To enter a fraction, type the numerator and the denominator in the respective boxes using the keyboard.

i. For a negative sign, type a hyphen. A decimal point cannot be used in the fraction.
ii. The Transfer Display button on the calculator cannot be used for a fraction.
iii. Fractions do not need to be reduced to lowest terms, though you may need to reduce your fraction to fit in the boxes.

Sample Question:

A rectangle R1 has a length of 25 and a width of 20, while another rectangle R2 has a length of 30 and a width of 20. What is the ratio of the perimeters of the two rectangles?

The perimeter of a rectangle is given by the formula 2 (l+b) where ‘l’ represents the length of the rectangle and ‘b’ represents the breadth/width of the rectangle.

Therefore:

Perimeter of R1 = 2(25 + 20) = 2(45) = 90

Perimeter of R2 = 2(30 + 20) = 2(50) = 100

Hence, the required ratio is 9:10. Remember that, because the question is asking you to find out a ratio, you have to simplify it to the lowest form before entering the numbers 9 and 10.

On the contrary, had  the question asked you what fraction of perimeter of R2 is perimeter of R1, then you could directly plug in 90 and 100 without worrying about simplifying it to the lowest form.

III. Based on the Relevance of the Question

The two question types based on the relevance of a Maths question are:

1. GRE Quant Questions Described in a Real-Life Setting

Questions of this type are Maths questions where real-life scenarios are simulated/described in the questions. 

Questions from Numbers, Word Problems, Time and Work, Time and Distance, Permutations and Combinations, Probability, Statistics & Data Interpretation, will all come under this category.

2. GRE Quant Questions Described in a Purely Mathematical Setting

Questions of this type are mostly concept-oriented and you may not be able to relate the situation described in the question to real life every time.

Questions from equations, inequalities, modulus, functions, and geometry, all come under this category.

Using the Calculator

The GRE proves to be a very student friendly test. This is testified by the fact that there is an onscreen calculator available for use in the Quant section.

Although you may think that using the calculator extensively will reduce the burden of calculations, it will actually do the opposite because you will end up spending a lot of time keying in the values.

Even if you make one error while keying in the values, you may end up getting a wrong answer, but you will not realize this until later, since you would not consciously notice that you made an error, because of the time constraints.

As such, our advice to you on using the calculator would be to use it: 

1. When you are adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing substantially large numbers so as to save time and improve accuracy;
2. When you are dealing with addition, subtraction, multiplication or division of decimals
3. When you have to find the square of a number which has 3 digits or more.
4. When your calculations involve finding a square root of a large perfect square or smaller imperfect squares
5. When estimation/approximation cannot be resorted to, to get to the answer.

On the other hand, avoid using the calculator for:

1. Simple calculations, which you know can be done mentally.
2. Questions where a fraction is required as an answer.

While using the calculator, make sure that:

1. You do not mis-key the numbers or the signs.
2. You know that all of the calculator’s buttons include Transfer Display
3. You know that the Transfer Display function can be used only with Numeric Entry questions with a single answer box
4. The calculator follows the PEMDAS sequence of operations while computing values
5. The calculator gives an error for mathematical operations like Division by ZERO and the square roots of negative numbers.

We hope that we have given you all that you needed to know about the Quant section of the GRE.

We also hope that we have imbued you with a sense of confidence to take the Quant section head on and quell the challenge. So, go ahead and start preparing for the Quant section using some of the best resources you can find for GRE preparation, from CrackVerbal.

How did you find this blog on GRE Quant? Please let us know in the comments section below!

“I love algebra! It’s so plain and simple!”

Said nobody, ever.

The mere idea of Algebra gave us nightmares when we were in school. Algebra was like a giant ‘x’ – full of random variables and symbols that we couldn’t make head or tail of!

However, you cannot hide behind excuses like how completely terrible you think Algebra is – if you want to get a 165+ in GRE Quant, that is.

Here’s the thing:

If you genuinely wish to up the ante, you cannot “not do well” in Algebra. You cannot say that you will try to cover it up in the other three sections.

So buckle up and let’s do this thing!

We’ll give you the lowdown on five basic tips to improve your performance in Algebra. By the time you finish reading this blog, you should have a fair idea of what you can do to score well in this area of GRE Quant.

Why is Algebra Important?

Before we answer that question, here’s an interesting fact about the origin of the word ‘algebra’. It comes from the Arabic term, ‘al-jabr’ which means the reunion of broken parts. How interesting, right?!

Questions based on Algebra account for around 15% to 20% of the questions in a GRE Quant section. So, this means you should expect 3 to 4 questions per section to be based on Algebra.

Hence, considering that there are either two or three Quant sections on the GRE, you should expect to see anywhere between 6 and 12 Algebra questions on one entire GRE test. That is a BIG chunk of the questions!

Further, GRE Quant Algebra covers 5 basic sub-categories:

1. Linear & Simultaneous equations
2. Quadratic equations
3. Inequalities (Linear & Quadratic)
4. Absolute values
5. Functions

Of these, equations and inequalities get the highest weightage in terms of importance. Questions from functions and absolute values are relatively easier and fewer in number.

With this approximate picture in mind, let’s move on to exploring 5 super-useful tips to help you boost your GRE Quant score.

1. Start Out Positive

We cannot stress enough on the importance of starting out with a positive mindset about GRE Quant or even just algebra.

We know it is easier said than done, especially considering how much everyone seems to hate algebra.

And we know you’re probably thinking, “Dude, ‘positive’ is the last thing I can bring myself to feel about Algebra.” Trust us, we know the feeling. If you simply cannot feel positive about Algebra, try to at least develop a neutral perspective towards it.

Starting off with a negative attitude and thinking about all the horrible experiences you’ve shared with Algebra is the worst thing you could do for yourself right now. It just takes a few wrong answers for this feeling to spiral out of control and you will be back in familiar territory again cursing Algebra and saying “Algebra sucks, big time!”

And you’re not going to score a 165+ with that attitude. 

Instead, if you start off by telling yourself, “Okay, let’s just give this a shot,” a few wrong answers will only end up fortifying your determination to get the next few questions right. 

Every time you pick up the book to solve Algebra questions, remember that the only score you have to beat is your own previous score. 

If you got 5 right answers out of 10 yesterday, all you have to do today is get 6 answers right instead. 

This will help you stay calm and collected. 

With a calm and collected mindset, you’ll be able to perform better on every consecutive question, too.

2. Get Equations and Inequalities Sorted

Having a good grasp of the basic concepts is fundamental to doing well in any area of study. It’s no different with Algebra. 

If you want to be good at solving equations, you need to know some standard equations which are universally true.

Similarly, if you want to solve more inequality problems correctly, you need to be good at reproducing the basic concepts of inequalities. 

Simple things are not so simple, because we usually undermine their importance. 

For example, look at algebraic identities. 

How many algebraic identities can you rattle out in under a minute?

We’re not kidding, this is dead serious! Try it! Here’s what we came up with:

1. (a+b)^2 = a^2 + b^2 + 2ab
2. (a-b)^2 = a^2 + b^2 – 2ab
3. a^2 – b^2 = (a+b) (a-b)
4. (a+b+c)^2 = a^2 + b^2 + c^2 + 2ab + 2bc + 2ac
5. (a+b)^3 = a^3 + b^3 + 3ab (a+b)
6. (a-b)^3 = a^3 – b^3 – 3ab (a-b)
7. a^3 – b^3 = (a-b) (a^2 + ab + b^2)
8. a^3 + b^3 = (a+b) (a^2 – ab + b^2)

Wondering how knowing a few equations will help you? Let’s take a sample question to help you figure that out. 🙂

Sample Question:

3. Don’t Solve Everything

No, we’re not out of our minds – hear us out! 

We know it makes us sound cuckoo, advising you not to try and solve everything when solving stuff is literally all that’s expected of you. 

But here’s the thing:

Solving is NOT what’s expected. 

Think about it – GRE Quant is about finding the answer to every math question thrown your way, sure, but solving it is not the only way to find the answer! 

Most of us work on a more or less ‘automatic’ mode when it comes to dealing with math. We just get into calculations without over-analyzing the given question. And that works out well most times. 

However, that will work against you when it comes to GRE Quant. 

While Math requires solving, the GRE test doesn’t provide enough time for you to actually do that every time. Remember, the GRE doesn’t care how you arrive at a solution, they only care about whether you get to the right one in time. 

As we mentioned in our blog on GRE Quant, ‘Quant’ means much more than Math. Don’t approach it like Math. 

Here’s what you can do instead of solving, from time to time: 

Eliminate wrong answer options till you’re left with just one possible answer. Let’s consider an example to demonstrate this. 

Sample Question:

Solve for the range of x : 16 + x > 8x – 12

A. x > 5
B. x > 10
C. x = 4
D. x > 4
E. x < 4

Solution:

You know the usual way of solving this inequality-based question. Let’s try it our way:

To begin eliminating the available answer choices, we always start by plugging Option C into the question. Contact us to find out why. 

In this case, Option C is x = 4. Plugging that into the inequality, we get: 

LHS: 16 + 4 = 20

RHS: 32 – 12 = 20

In short, LHS = RHS. Given that this is supposed to be an inequality-based problem, Option C is clearly not the right answer. 

As the next logical step, let’s try option D, which says x > 4. What’s the first number that comes to mind when you consider x > 4? 

For us, it is 5. So, we’ll plug that in to see if it works, but you can choose whatever number you want. 

With x > 4 (or x =5 in this case), 

LHS: 16 + 5 = 21 

RHS: 40 – 12 = 28 

So, LHS < RHS. Meaning Option D is not the answer, either. 

Consider this: if x > 4 gave us LHS < RHS, surely the values given in options A and B will also give us the same result. Thanks to this, we can not only eliminate option D, but also options A and B. 

With A, B, C, and D, all eliminated, we’re only left with Option E, which HAS to be the answer.

Hope our little demo here has given you enough reason to believe that we’re not crazy and that solving everything is actually not necessary. 

By the way, a word of caution here:

Don’t think that we are advocating the method of ‘trial and error’ as a substitute to conceptual depth. This trickery will only work with MCQs, and inequalities will appear on the test in all forms including quantitative comparison and numeric entry.

Sure, you should play smart wherever you can and reduce your workload, but rest assured, this cannot be done unless your basic concepts are clear.

4. Don’t Get Overwhelmed by Word Problems

By ‘word problems’, we mean those questions which have statements that look more like an AWA essay. 

Sometimes, you wonder whether the problem is testing you on your knowledge of Math or Reading Comprehension! 

Honestly, though, your RC skills are also being tested here. If you don’t manage to make sense of the question statements, you will end up messing up the equation and hence, the answer. 

So, the best thing to do when you encounter highly verbose word problems is to keep calm and not get overwhelmed by the situation. Remind yourself that you have tackled RC passages in Verbal which had far greater verbiage. 

Sounds logical, right? 

The thing is this: 

If you start freaking out because you can’t make sense of the question right away, you’ll lower your chances of figuring out what it means within the time limit you have. Besides, none of us is Shakespeare, we all have trouble with complicated language. 

It’s okay if you don’t immediately understand. Take a moment, sip on some water and take a deep breath. 

Remember this: 

A lengthy word problem is like a Paper Masala Dosa. If you try eating it in one bite, you’re going to choke on it. So, take your time and eat your question masala dosa one bite at a time – interpret the word problem in parts, develop variables and then integrate the parts into a whole.

That actually brings us quite conveniently to the next part of this article!

5. How to Develop the Right Variables

In word problems on equations/inequations, you get the right answer only if you have framed the right equation/inequation.

Most of the time, people don’t have issues with solving equations – that’s the easy part. What’s difficult is developing equations/inequations from word problems. For those of you who just went, “YEAH DUDE!” in your heads, here are five simple steps to help you decode word problems into the appropriate math sums!

Step 1
Scan the entire question by quickly going through it to get a gist of what the question demands as an answer. Your sole aim here is to figure out what the question is asking, forget all the data it gives to help you do so. 

Step 2
Map the important pieces of information from your first reading. This is the stage where you pay attention to the data provided in the question. When you do this, you’ll have a rough idea of what the variables could be and also what the required mathematical operations could be. 

Step 3
Develop the variable/variables based on the mapping. 

Step 4
Using the mathematical operations described in the statements, connect the variables and form an equation. 

Step 5
Solve the equation. 

The number of unknown factors generally represents the number of variables. 

Words like more than, less than etc., represent specific mathematical operations which form the connections between the variables, represented using the symbols =, >, < , ≤, and ≥. 

The following table is a ready reckoner to convert certain phrases into their mathematical counterparts:

Let’s look at a sample question to understand how this can be done.

Sample Question:

At a fruit stand, bananas can be purchased for $0.15 each and oranges for $0.20 each. At these rates, a bag of bananas and oranges were purchased for $3.80. If the bag contained 21 pieces of fruit, how many of the pieces were oranges?

A. 8
B. 10
C. 13
D. 15
E. 16

Solution:

The unknown values here are the number of bananas and the number of oranges. Hence, these are the variables which have to be assumed. 

Let the number of bananas be ‘x’ and the number of oranges be ‘y’. 

Here’s what we know:

Cost of each banana = $ 0.15 and the cost of each orange = $ 0.20. 

If 1 banana costs $0.15, 2 bananas cost $0.30 i.e. 2 x $ 0.15. Right? 

Applying a similar analogy, we can say that x bananas cost $0.15x and y oranges cost $0.20y. When we add these two individual costs, we arrive at the total cost. Combine this with what’s already given and this is what you get: 

$0.15x + $0.20 y = $3.80 

Since we have two variables, we need two independent equations in order to find unique values for each. It’s quite easy to obtain the second equation because we already know that there were 21 pieces of fruit in the bag. Mathematically, this is written as: 

x + y = 21 

What do we do next? If you answered “Solve both the equations”, then you have forgotten point #3 of this blog. 

As mentioned before, we start by substituting Option C in both the equations and check if it works out. If it does, then that’s our answer. 

Remember that we’re trying to calculate the number of oranges. So, the given answer options are talking about the variable ‘y’. As per Option C, y = 13; therefore, x = 8. Hence, 

$0.15 x 8 = $1.20 and $0.20 x 13 = $2.60 

$1.20 + $2.60 =$3.80 

Well, what do you know! Both equations are satisfied if y = 13. Hence, option C is the right answer.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the idea is to keep your mind relaxed and be aware of everything you see on the question paper. This will help you with GRE Quant Algebra, Geometry, Arithmetic, as well as Data Interpretation.

So, that is about it, folks! We hope that you found this blog useful in your preparation for Quant on the GRE. We look forward to hearing from you about how you incorporated these techniques in your prep and how they helped you.

Feel free to leave any comments and feedback in the comments section below.