|
Problem
solving questions are standard multiple choice questions
with five answers, just like the questions you probably
faced on the SAT or ACT. Problem solving questions are
not designed to test your ability to do math. They are
designed to test you ability to understand underlying
math concepts and to use those concepts to solve
problems.
The GRE
problem solving questions will be based on arithmetic,
algebra, and geometry. Generally, none of the math
concepts on the exam extend past high-school level. You
will not be allowed to use a calculator during the
problem solving portion of the exam.
The GRE
now has a new type of problem solving question that
examinees may see on test day. The new question does
not have five answer choices, but instead requires the
examinee to type in the answer. This new question type
will appear only once on the exam, and may not appear at
all.
Problem Solving Tips and Strategies
Look for
a shortcut. Almost
every single problem on the GRE can be done a faster way
than the way they taught you in school. Before you jump
in to set up a giant equation or compute any hefty
numbers, see if you can find an easier way to get the
answer.
Divide before you multiply.
If you are faced with 25 x 35 ÷ 7, divide by seven
first. This will give you 25 x 5, which is much easier
to multiply than 25 x 35. This technique will also help
you avoid long division, which is time consuming.
If you
find yourself overwhelmed or frustrated, move on to the
next question.. You
cannot afford to get bogged down on test day, since
there is a score penalty for not finishing the exam.
Don't let yourself get stuck on one hard problem.
Before moving on, see if you can use a shortcut to make
the problem easier. Try approximating or working
backwards from the answer choices.
Read the
questions carefully.
Before you confirm your answer, take two seconds to
reread the question. If the math problem is about how
many apples Kristen and Matt have, make sure you are
answering about the correct person's quantity.
Skip a problem to save time.
Because there is a large penalty for not finishing the
exam, it can be to your advantage to skip a problem that
you don't understand. If you are weak in a specific
area like probability and find yourself faced with a
particularly difficult probability question, you may
wish to guess on the question so you will have more time
to work on subsequent problems. It will be a far better
use of your time to spend more time answering the later
questions on subjects that you're better at than to
spend extra time on a question that you have a high
likelihood of answering incorrectly.
Don't
worry if the section feels hard. The test is adaptive, which means that by the fifth
question the questions will all be at or above your
level. You will not encounter the easier questions that
appear on the paper exam, so your brain will be working
hard during the entire section. No matter how you're
doing, you'll probably end the test feeling drained.
This is not an indication of your score! Because of the
adaptive nature, everyone feels drained at the end of
their exam. Some of the highest scoring students report
feeling like they had done rather poorly, and yet got
very high scores.
Tips for Studying Problem Solving
For a
quick math review, use the guide provided online by ETS.
You can find it here:
http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/GRE/pdf/GREmathPractice.pdf.
This review will take you through the basic math
concepts needed for the GRE, and refresh several
concepts that you may not have seen since high school.
Do not mark on the problem when studying.
On test day, you will not be able to draw on the
problem. To make your practice realistic, use scratch
paper when you study and practice making all your marks
on the paper.
Do problems a second time and look for a short-cut.
Almost every problem on the GRE has a short-cut. Look
actively for such short-cuts when you study by going
back through your homework problems a second time.
Take at least one mock-GRE in the computer adaptive
format. An adaptive test is very draining because the problems
will all be at or above your level after question five.
Thus, you will be struggling through almost every
question, whereas in a paper-based test you will sail
through quite a few easy questions. You'll want to
practice using the adaptive format at least once before
you take the real GRE, so you can get used to the feel
of an adaptive exam.
Click here
to try our
problem solving practice questions
GRETM
is a registered
trademark of the Educational Testing Service.
The ETS
does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner
or any content of this web site.
|
