GRE Data Analysis will, true to its name, require you to analyze data. Sometimes the data will be a series of large values in a graph or table, and you may feel tempted to punch lots of numbers into your calculator. Yet the necessary math may be simpler—and less error-prone—than you realize. Try this table-based […]
Arithmetic: Breaking Down Complex Fractions
Complex fractions are made up of one or more other fractions. For instance, a complex fraction could have ½ as its numerator or ¾ as its denominator—or both! You probably haven’t thought much about complex fractions since elementary or primary school. After all, the further you get in your education, the more you get to […]
Reading Comprehension Challenge: Weaken the Argument
GRE Reading Comp questions that make you think critically are rarely easy. In fact, some will be very hard. But others will be medium difficulty, like this week’s “weaken the argument” question. Reading Comprehension: Weakening Arguments Difficulty Level: 3 (Medium) Question Difficulty Very High50 High420 Medium 340 Low26080 Very Low1100 % of Test Takers Who Answered Correctly […]
Geometry Challenge: Use the Volume Formula Wisely
GRE geometry can sometimes seem like a formula fest. Formulas matter, for sure, but simply memorizing them isn’t enough. You also need to know how to use them efficiently. For practice, try this Quantitative Comparison question that requires you to apply the volume formula for a cylinder.
Arithmetic Challenge: Find the Expression that Must be Negative
GRE arithmetic questions can challenge you to think abstractly about simple concepts such as squaring or subtracting numbers. Meeting this challenge often becomes easier when you replace any variables with specific values. See for yourself with this arithmetic problem that only about half of test takers would get right.
Word Problem Challenge: Extreme Meal Pricing
GRE word problems sometimes use “real-life settings,” says ETS, to test your quantitative problem solving skills. Talk of salary ranges, fabric purchases, population densities, or similar topics will prompt you to do some algebra or other standard GRE math. Figuring out the math can be tough, given that word problems can be a bit convoluted. […]
Data Analysis Challenge: Probability at Maximum Difficulty
Data analysis problems make up about one-quarter of GRE Quant, and most of them will bemuse and beguile the majority of test takers. In The Official Guide to the GRE, Practice Test 1 includes a probability question that only 15% of examinees got right when it was on a real exam. Think you can solve […]
Most Common and Most Difficult GRE Reading Comprehension Questions
GRE Reading Comprehension makes up about half of the Verbal section. Passages range from roughly 50 words to almost 500. The vast majority are just a single paragraph that’s under 150 words. Subjects include the arts, sciences, and humanities as well as a smattering of non-academic topics. You might think that longer passages or less familiar […]
Spotting Classic Quadratic Forms in GRE Algebra
When it comes to quadratics in GRE algebra, you might think the only equation you should memorize is, well, the quadratic equation: ax2 + bx + c = 0. But an expression like ax2 + bx + c can take many forms, and some come up more often than others on the exam. Call the […]