Key Lessons for the GMAT

Question

I'm initiating an 8-week intense study program for the GMAT. I thought it would be helpful to post some of the key lessons that I have learned along the way. Hopefully they will help others as they prepare. If nothing else, they force me to work through the processes in my head and help me prepare.

So you know, I started with an initial score of 680 and the goal is to hit 750. Therefore, my lessons will be for a mix of simple and advanced problems.

Quant Lesson #1:  Read every problem twice. First, write down exactly what the question is asking for. Second, determine the process needed to answer that question. Third, write down the known information from the QUESTION. Forth, (for data sufficiency questions only) attempt to solve each proposed set of information individually, then together.

Example:  John is looking to buy a square rug that covers exactly 25% of the floor in a circular room. The diameter of the room is 10 feet. What is the length of one side of the rug?

Walkthrough:  Reading this question too quickly can throw you off. (1) Write down what they are looking for and assign it to the value x. x = length of one side of the rug. (2) Determine what process/formula to use. What do you use to determine the length of a square rug when you know it's area? L*W = A. For a square, L=W. Therefore, L=square-root of A. (3) We know the area of the circle and the area of the rug. Plug and solve.

gmatbull · Answer

Is 680 your first official GMAT score, or is it the result from GMATPREP?

bb · Answer

Great! Welcome to GMAT Club! Thank you for posting this - looking forward to hearing more as you move along your journey. Good luck with the goal :wink:

lonewolf · Answer

Good luck, starting with 680 is awesome already. I am sure you can achieve your target in no time

jfrost25 · Answer

Quant Lesson #2: Remember this formula when working on problems with polygons where the angles are undefined. The sum of all angles = 180*(n-2). N = number of sides. If you need to solve for an angle, write down formulas such that the sum of the angles equals 180.

Similarly, whenever a problem asks you to come up with a numerical answer without giving you any numbers in the question, you need to plug in formulas.

Practice Question (without a diagram): What is the sum of the five angles at the five points of the five triangles on a perfect pentagram?

Answer: First, use the "sum of all angles" formula above to determine that the sum of all angles in a pentagon (which sits in the middle of a pentagram) is 540, with each angle coming in at a whopping 108 degrees. We know that the sum of all angles on the same side of a straight line = 180. Therefore, we can determine that all of the base angles of triangles are 72*. 72 + 72 + x = 180. Each of the angles is 36 degrees. BUT THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER! Multiply 36 * 5 and you get 180 degrees. Now go buy a penta-house.

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