Forum Home > GMAT > Quantitative > Problem Solving (PS)
Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Dec 1310:00 AM EST
-12:00 PM EST
Have you ever wondered how to score a PERFECT 805 on the GMAT? Meet Julia, a banking professional who used the Target Test Prep course to achieve this incredible feat. Julia's story is nothing short of an inspiration.
Dec 1410:00 AM EST
-12:00 PM EST
Think a 100% GMAT Verbal score is out of your reach? Target Test Prep will make you think again! Our course uses techniques such as topical study and spaced repetition to maximize knowledge retention and make studying simple and fun.
Dec 1411:00 AM IST
-01:00 PM IST
Attend this session to learn how to Deconstruct arguments, Pre-Think Author’s Assumptions, and apply Negation Test.- Dec 15
11:00 AM IST
-01:00 PM IST
Attend this free GMAT Algebra Webinar and learn how to master the most challenging Inequalities and Absolute Value problems with ease. 
Dec 1608:00 AM PST
-11:59 PM PST
GMAT Club 12 Days of Christmas is a 4th Annual GMAT Club Winter Competition based on solving questions. This is the Winter GMAT competition on GMAT Club with an amazing opportunity to win over $40,000 worth of prizes!- Dec 17
09:00 AM PST
-10:00 AM PST
Join Manhattan Prep instructor Whitney Garner for a fun—and thorough—review of logic-based (non-math) problems, with a particular emphasis on Data Sufficiency and Two-Parts. - Dec 18
10:00 AM PST
-11:00 AM PST
Here is the essential guide to securing scholarships as an MBA student! In this video, we explore the various types of scholarships available, including need-based and merit-based options.
ZenYogi
Joined: 03 Jan 2016
Last visit: 02 May 2022
Posts: 101
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 59
Location: India
Schools: ISB '19 Goizueta '20 (A) Anderson '20 (D) Rotman '20 (WL) Kelley '20 (A) Kenan-Flagler '21 (A$)
GMAT 1: 640 Q49 V29
GMAT 2: 760 Q51 V41
GPA: 3.2
Schools: ISB '19 Goizueta '20 (A) Anderson '20 (D) Rotman '20 (WL) Kelley '20 (A) Kenan-Flagler '21 (A$)
GMAT 2: 760 Q51 V41
Posts: 101
Kudos:
24
17 Mar 2017, 09:16
Kudos
Bookmarks
I have noticed that in some of the CATs I took, I faced a conundrum on some of the more difficult questions whether to skip the question or solve it by giving it a couple more minutes (I'm talking 3:30-4 minutes overall on especially difficult DS or CR questions, or 5 mins on RC passage comprehension) and sacrifice my pacing in the process.
Since the GMAT takes into consideration the difficulty level of the question in evaluating the score, and from what I understand, an incorrect question earlier in the section does more harm than an incorrect question later into the section (please confirm this assumption!), and conversely, getting difficult questions correct earlier in the section is good for overall score, what is the ideal range or point in the section where one can make a transition from trying to focus on accuracy on each question to ensuring that one completes the section on time and minimize the number of final questions in the section on which one has to guess one's way through to the end.
Since the GMAT takes into consideration the difficulty level of the question in evaluating the score, and from what I understand, an incorrect question earlier in the section does more harm than an incorrect question later into the section (please confirm this assumption!), and conversely, getting difficult questions correct earlier in the section is good for overall score, what is the ideal range or point in the section where one can make a transition from trying to focus on accuracy on each question to ensuring that one completes the section on time and minimize the number of final questions in the section on which one has to guess one's way through to the end.
ashwink
Current Student
Joined: 15 Mar 2014
Last visit: 20 Nov 2023
Posts: 169
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 12
Location: United Kingdom
Concentration: Technology, General Management
Schools: Kenan-Flagler'23 (M)
GPA: 4
17 Mar 2017, 09:53
Kudos
Bookmarks
ZenYogi
I have noticed that in some of the CATs I took, I faced a conundrum on some of the more difficult questions whether to skip the question or solve it by giving it a couple more minutes (I'm talking 3:30-4 minutes overall on especially difficult DS or CR questions, or 5 mins on RC passage comprehension) and sacrifice my pacing in the process.
Since the GMAT takes into consideration the difficulty level of the question in evaluating the score, and from what I understand, an incorrect question earlier in the section does more harm than an incorrect question later into the section (please confirm this assumption!), and conversely, getting difficult questions correct earlier in the section is good for overall score, what is the ideal range or point in the section where one can make a transition from trying to focus on accuracy on each question to ensuring that one completes the section on time and minimize the number of final questions in the section on which one has to guess one's way through to the end.
Since the GMAT takes into consideration the difficulty level of the question in evaluating the score, and from what I understand, an incorrect question earlier in the section does more harm than an incorrect question later into the section (please confirm this assumption!), and conversely, getting difficult questions correct earlier in the section is good for overall score, what is the ideal range or point in the section where one can make a transition from trying to focus on accuracy on each question to ensuring that one completes the section on time and minimize the number of final questions in the section on which one has to guess one's way through to the end.
The incorrect question earlier in the exam doing more harm than later is most probably a myth. It is ideal to finish the questions in under 2mins and if it takes more time, you would need to guess or triage it. This would require a lot of practice though! Try getting all the questions right for the right reasons during the first phase of your prep. The time that you would need to get the questions would gradually increase as well. All the best!
17 Mar 2017, 18:01
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi ZenYogi,
You ask some important questions, but the exact 'data' that you need to properly answer those questions will never be available. Instead, you should think in these terms: one of your real goals on Test Day is to be 'efficient.' That does NOT mean that you have to answer every question 'fast' - it means that whatever choices you make on Test Day, you must make them in an efficient fashion (so that you don't waste time). If by spending lots of time on one question (or on a couple of questions), you end up having to 'rush' through a lot of questions later on in the section (and you end up guessing on them and getting them wrong), then THAT is part of the reason why you haven't hit you score goal.
NONE of the Quant questions that you'll face on Test Day will actually require 4 minutes of 'work'; if a Quant question takes you 4 minutes to solve, then you were almost certainly working in an inefficient way (using a "slow" approach - when faster options were available, doing work in your head, making sloppy mistakes that you then have to go back and correct, etc.). By extension, if you find that "your way" of dealing with GMAT questions is taking a long time, then you likely have to learn/practice new Tactics.
1) How long have you studied?
2) What materials have you used?
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
4) What is your goal score?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
You ask some important questions, but the exact 'data' that you need to properly answer those questions will never be available. Instead, you should think in these terms: one of your real goals on Test Day is to be 'efficient.' That does NOT mean that you have to answer every question 'fast' - it means that whatever choices you make on Test Day, you must make them in an efficient fashion (so that you don't waste time). If by spending lots of time on one question (or on a couple of questions), you end up having to 'rush' through a lot of questions later on in the section (and you end up guessing on them and getting them wrong), then THAT is part of the reason why you haven't hit you score goal.
NONE of the Quant questions that you'll face on Test Day will actually require 4 minutes of 'work'; if a Quant question takes you 4 minutes to solve, then you were almost certainly working in an inefficient way (using a "slow" approach - when faster options were available, doing work in your head, making sloppy mistakes that you then have to go back and correct, etc.). By extension, if you find that "your way" of dealing with GMAT questions is taking a long time, then you likely have to learn/practice new Tactics.
1) How long have you studied?
2) What materials have you used?
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
4) What is your goal score?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
