How To Prepare for GMAT Math Section? 10 Tips!
By Jenish Shah
1. As you may be aware, the Quantitative Reasoning Section on the GMAT (a.k.a. Math Section) does not allow the
use of calculators nor there is an on-screen calculator on screen!
Therefore, during the first phase of your preparations, you must learn certain things by heart (memorize them). I
recommend the following:-
a. Multiplication Tables up to 25 X 25 ( or at least up to 20 X 20). Now most of you must already be knowing tables up
to 12 X 12 so half your job is already done! Once you know tables then you would be more comfortable breaking up
numbers into their respective factors also.
E.g. 144 = 12 X 12 = 16 X 9 etc.
b. List of Prime Numbers up to 130. Questions related to prime numbers are pretty common. Also once you know a
number is prime you also know that it cannot be simplified.
c. Squares of numbers up to 30. Perfect squares are also fairly commonly occurring numbers and it pays to memorize
them.
d. Cubes of numbers up to 15.
e. Reciprocals to Percentages up to 1/20 ( ½ = 50%, 1/3 = 33.33%, ¼ = 25% and so on.) Very useful for doing arithmetic
questions quickly.
f. Exponents up to 2^12, 3^5, 5^5, 7^5 and 11^5 .
g. First 5 Pythagorean triplets. Right Triangles are common figures in Geometry Questions on the GMAT.
h. First 7 factorials.
2. Revise and strengthen your fundamentals of all areas of Math tested on the GMAT (Arithmetic, Number Properties,
Algebra, Combinatorics and Statistics, Geometry) especially if you have not studied math in a long time, which is usually
the case for working professionals who take the GMAT. Only once your fundamentals are in place will you be able to
apply the concepts to more challenging problems. To strengthen your fundamentals, either go through your school +
high school material or go through the fundamentals’ material provided by me.
3. Try to get rid of habits that take up unnecessary time. Remember you only have 2 minutes per question. Some of
these include:-
a. Writing too many steps while solving the problems. Remember it is not a school or college exam where you get
marks for steps. The final answer is the only thing that matters!
b. Counting on fingers.
c. Reading aloud.
d. Writing down data given in the question in detail separately.
One must consciously work towards eliminating these habits right from the early stages of preparation as later it will
be harder and harder to change.
4. Ideal time frame for preparation is ~6 months. It can be less or more depending on the individual’s existing
capabilities and grasping power. Try to put in 2 hours of preparation time on every working day and 4 hours on non-
working days (holidays and weekends).
5. For each topic, first study the fundamental concepts, properties and formulae (if any) and basic examples of each
type. Start by working on easy level questions. Once you gain confidence, move on to medium level. Finally move on
to the hard (700+ level) questions for the topics you are comfortable with and those topics that you think are your
strengths. For the topics that you are not as comfortable with, you can skip the hard questions.
6. Take a small 5-10 minute break after every hour of studying, especially math. This is because studies have shown
the human brain cannot focus at optimum levels for long periods. Also do not do too many days of math in a row.
Alternate between math and verbal (and some days for Analytical writing, Integrated Reasoning too)
7. Once you have finished with all topics, take a mock GMAT (full-length and with proper timings in one sitting) once
every 3-4 days. Analyze each mock thoroughly the next day. On the third day, work on your weak areas. You can keep
one day for relaxing before you repeat. This 3/4-day cycle if followed properly will maximize your chances of getting a
great score.
8. Do NOT leave any Math topic completely. Make sure you know the basics of all topics. This is because you would
not want to lose out on an easy question from any topic!
9. While taking mocks (and of course during your final GMAT test), do NOT get stuck on any question for a long time.
Many people especially engineers have this bad habit of taking every problem as a challenge and not moving on till
they get the answer. This is a bad idea for GMAT! If you are unable to solve a question in 3 minutes, it is best to move
on. Time management is a very important part of GMAT and will come with practice of taking mocks.
10. Remember, a healthy body and a healthy mind will perform much better than an unhealthy one. Hence, do NOT
neglect your health during your months of preparation. Try to get regular good sleep, have a healthy diet consisting
of lots of fruits and vegetables (especially for your eyes), avoid regular intake of alcohol or other intoxicants, junk food
etc. Have regular meal times. Try to also keep aside some time for physical exercise. Try to maintain a good mood
whenever possible. The day before the actual GMAT relax completely. On the day of GMAT do not go on an empty
stomach. Reach the venue (if taking from centre) well in time and make sure you have all the required documents.
During the exam, do NOT panic if the first few questions do not go well. The score is based on all 31 questions, not just
first few!
Wishing you All the Best in your Preparation Journey
