"DS Guide" or "DS Bible" is needed (just ..7.. days to GMAT)

Question

Gents,

I have 7 days to my GMAT and DS questions bother me even more than Verbal part. 7 days is not enough time to enhance the score, and yet IT IS.

Thanks to GMATclub and MGMAT CATs, I'm pretty OK with many concepts and shotrcuts, but I yet to develop a good approach for DS qustions. The proplem is every time I encounter such a question, I lose MUCH time trying to figure out what numbers are better to pick, how distinct they should be, how maby pairs I need and etc. Moreover, If the DS question appears in a form of word problem, It may take a couple of valuable minutes without any guarantee of being solved correctly.

So I truly need some "DS Guide" or "DS Bible" to develop a good approach for DS questions. Do you, guys, know where I can find such materials? Yes, I will go through as many ques-s as I can, but it's way better to develop some system before. Many thanks in advance.

bb · Answer

Well, not sure if this is exactly what you are looking for, but there are these 2 things (probably won't get them in time for your test):

1.  Veritas Prep DS Guide 
2.  DS Prep Course

mohater · Answer

See the strategy master thread in my sig for a strategy to approach DS questions up to 650 level. Beyond 650, this strategy is not always useful.

Financier · Answer

Nice stuff - thanks! I've just gone through this Bunnuel's collection - it's helpful too: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939.html

qweert · Answer

I think Bunnuel's has a bunch of DS questions (in his signature) that might help you. However it might be of immediate help. You only have 7 days to go so be confident and just have a go at it.

Financier · Answer

I have 7 days OFF, more than 70 hours of studying, I think it worths something

PranavChamp · Answer

Hey...my suggestion is to go through all DS questions from OG12(redo them if you've done them already) and try to see explaination for each of them. Get your hands on OG Quant Review 2nd Ed book...do all DS questions from it...and if you still have time then go through gmatclub and mgmat DS probs again...by doing these stuff you'll get momentum and confidence to solve DS question...you'll be used to it.

Just Do It. My hearty wishes for your GMAT success.

PranavChamp · Answer

and in actual test...if you don't get answer of tough DS question in 3 minutes...just make an educated guess and move on...i made guesses in 3 DS questions and still got not-so-bad 47. If you'll make less silly errors then you can get 48-49 with making guess on 2-3 DS questions.

Financier · Answer

Yes, 47 is not-so-bad

Honestly, although I'm now at about 47 in math, I do need 50 in order to cross 700. And I can not rely on educated guess because I think that some additional silly errors are inevitable. So, I have do work-work-and-work and pray

PranavChamp · Answer

yeah you are right. it's very important to score 50+ in quant for a non native english speakers like us. just aim for 50+ and work on those DS stuff. all the best. may you perform like a ROCKSTAR in real GMAT.

whiplash2411 · Answer

I realize that there's not many women out here, but give us some credit, yo.

If you have the MGMAT, it's good. But personally I think the AD/BCE strategy works best for me. Just break it down into two problem solving questions and try to figure out what's going on. The GMAT Club Tests DS questions are really challenging if you're shooting for over a 700. I took one test and though I did pretty well, it was hard. Props to whoever writes the questions :D

PranavChamp · Answer

yeah (+1)*(infinity) KUDOS to GMATCLUB test creators. too good...too hard...

gurpreetsingh · Answer

Do update us with your result.

Here are some key points for the DS questions.

If the two statements ultimately say exactly the same thing – no more and no less – then you know that the answer is either D or E. 
If statement 2 includes exactly what statement 1 says plus some additional info, then the answer is neither A nor C. If statement 1 includes exactly what statement 2 says plus some additional info, then the answer is neither B nor C. 
If it’s very obvious that using the two statements together will work , then the answer is probably A or B. 
If one statement is really complicated and looks like Greek… guess that it works - only when you are pressed on time.

Just remember one thing you do not have to solve the problem, you have to find the sufficiency.
Try to reduce the question in simpler form.

I can bet you 80% of DS questions are real time savers. Do not forget to solve OG's DS questions.

Financier · Answer

Yes, I'm doing OG's DSs right now - they are veeery easy in comparison with Bunuel's breathtaking questions and are good only to get rid of silly mistakes and enhance the speed.

P.S. I've recheduled the GMAT; the new date is September, 10th.

whiplash2411 · Answer

Personally I still use the AD/BCE method.

Look at statement 1, see if it answers. If it does, then your answer is A or D. If it doesn't then it's B C or E. Good luck!

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"DS Guide" or "DS Bible" is needed (just ..7.. days to GMAT)

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