GMAT Quantitative Section:
Prep Tips for Problem Solving Questions

Problem solving questions are part of the 75-minute quantitative section. There are 23 to 24 multiple choice questions of this type and they are mixed in with 13 or 14 data sufficiency questions.



Getting Started with Problem Solving Questions

You are presented with a problem and you try to find the solution which is one of five answer choices.

Please do not be intimidated by problem solving questions, or any of the quantitative section. I have an engineering degree. While that made it easier for me to work these problems (and, admittedly, easier for me to say not to be intimidated), it most importantly gives me lots of insight into how these types of questions work. Please be sure to review all the tips below.

Problem solving questions measure your basic math and algebra skills, your quantitative reasoning ability, ability to interpret graphical data, ability to solve quantitative problems in arithmetic, algebra and geometry.

Questions test these quantitative skills:

  • arithmetic
  • algebra including algebraic equations
  • the number line and ordering
  • integers, factors and multiples
  • decimals, real numbers, fractions, percentages and ratios
  • length, area, volume, mass and weight
  • exponents, squares and square roots
  • powers of 2, cubes and cube roots
  • factorials
  • permutations, combinations
  • probability
  • statistics: arithmetic mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation
  • operations on variables
  • geometry, including coordinate geometry
  • interpretation of data

Tips for Problem Solving Questions

Get a study guide for the quantitative section or a general book on improving your math skills if you are weak in math or intimidated by it. It will help you immensely.

Practice taking old GMAT tests using scratch paper. Use scratch paper during the test.

However, if you are using your pencil and paper a lot, study the shortcuts below and in study guides.

Always read each question carefully. The answer choices include at least one that exploits carelessness. The testers look for this by providing answer choices that anticipate careless errors.

Complicated, long calculations are generally unnecessary. There is usually a shortcut that makes it easier. Practice looking for shortcuts throughout your prep work.

Practice the art of “guesstimating”. It works better with problem solving questions than on other sections. Most answers are numerical values. Read the answer choices. The values increase in size as you go down the list. The five values will not even be close. Estimate roughly the size of the number being asked for and you will quickly identify the answer.

When you lose all hope of figuring out the answer, pick the (c) (middle) answer. Plug it into the question / equation to see if it is correct, or the correct answer is higher or lower. That narrows your guessing considerably.

Geometric figures are drawn to scale (that is, proportional) unless explicitly stated otherwise. However, use math to solve the problem. Do not eyeball line length, area, angles or other geometric measurements. Visual estimation is one supposed shortcut that cannot be employed.

Use visual estimation for figuring out questions involving bar charts and line graphs.

Learn other shortcuts in study guides. There are others including knowing how to do conversions, learning how to see relationships between numbers.

The process of elimination should be your last resort because it is time-consuming

Practice, practice, practice this section. That is how you will get quick with various shortcuts and tricks that are critical to know in order to get a high GMAT score.

Like in other sections, these are not trick questions. Do not look for ambiguity or subtle meanings in the question,

Instructions For Problem Solving Questions

The instructions appear on your screen just before your first problem solving question. You can also review them while working on a problem by clicking the help button. However, you really should prepare and know all instructions by heart so you do not waste valuable time reading the instructions.
Directions:  Solve each problem and indicate the best of the answer choices given.

Numbers:  All numbers used are real numbers.

Figures: A figure accompanying a problem solving question is intended to provide information useful in solving the problem. Figures are drawn as accurately as possible EXCEPT when it is stated in a specific problem that its figure is not drawn to scale. Straight lines may sometimes appear jagged. All figures lie on a plane unless otherwise indicated.

To review these directions for subsequent questions of this type, click on HELP.

Be sure to learn these and never have to read them during the test, or even slow down to think about the mechanics of the question.