GMAT Strategy: How to avoid complex algebra by Picking Numbers | Kaplan Test Prep

GMAT problems with unknown values can be big time-eaters on the GMAT's Quantitative section. In this video, Kaplan will show you how to avoid this GMAT trap and get straight to the right answer by picking numbers and using arithmetic instead of algebra.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• quantitative
• section
• GMAT
• Algerba
• gmat
• percent
• questions
• strategy

[madaznboy]

So basically... Your guessing with random numbers until you get lucky and get some number that works...

[KaplanGMAT]

@madaznboy that's often how it feels at first... but with practice, you learn to pick numbers that are 1) permissible and 2) manageable and which get you to the solution the first time.

[700Nisarg]

Im an idiot :(

[MrTonyc58]

this is useless info...if i did this i would fail right away

[DPEART6475]

Thanks these example problems helped a lot!!!!

[dedrawilliams]

@700Nisarg :( me too then .

[TheMeemerz5]

iu am so bad at this i dont need those answers i need more answers!!!!

[gdawgrapper]

I like the approach and it works for a lot of problems, but in the problem done from 3 to 5 minutes, if your algebra skill is ok you might get this one in 15-30 seconds. If not and you use this Kaplan method, you might be at 1 minute plus which would be a real time killer. I think all the other problems were pretty good examples.

[spartan120888]

@peruanaGorda same here

[berna2280]

like it it can help me

[berna2280]

its ok like it

[Jwst4921]

I had no idea what was going on, i was texting! :)

[MatthewToffelmire]

@volks0388 We were doing stuff like this in grade nine. It's terribly difficult. There are situations where variables are helpful, but not bluntly impossible questions like this where you can only guess the right numbers.