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GMAT Quant Questions: Problem Solving

Note: GMAT Quant questions cover Problem Solving, and so much more. Be sure to use our GMAT Practice Test to test your knowledge of these concepts.

GMAT Quant Problem Solving-magoosh

On the GMAT Quantitative section, the Problem Solving questions are just the familiar five-choice multiple choice math problems you have seen on every standardized test since well before puberty.  Here, you have discovered a veritable treasure chest of Problem Solving sample questions.  

Below is a link to thirty-two different articles on this blog, each with at least two Problem Solving questions.  The sample GMAT Problem Solving questions are often at the top of the article, although sometimes they are further down in the text.  The total number of sample Problem Solving problems available from this page is far more than 37, the total number of math questions you will see on a full Quantitative section of the GMAT. 

In each blog, the solutions & explanations to the sample questions are at the ends of the articles.  (If the topic is less than crystal clear for you, you may find the article itself enlightening.)

1. Problems with Averages

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/gmat-averages-and-sums-formulas/

2. Distance, Rate, Time

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/word-problems/gmat-distance-and-work-rate-formula/

3. Permutations & Combinations

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/gmat-permutations-and-combinations/

4. Factors & Prime Factorizations ( five practice PS questions at the bottom of the article )

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/arithmetic/gmat-math-factors/

5. Advanced Geometric Solids

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/geometry/gmat-math-advanced-geometric-solids/

6. Estimation questions

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/the-power-of-estimation-for-gmat-quant/

7. Difficult Dice Questions

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/basics/gmat-probability-difficult-dice-questions/

8. Difference of Two Squares

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/algebra/gmat-quant-difference-of-two-squares/

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9. Sequences ( five PS practice questions scattered through article )

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/word-problems/sequences-on-the-gmat/

10. Remainders

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/basics/gmat-quant-thoughts-on-remainders/

11. Work & Work Rate

https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-work-rate-questions/

12. Circle & Line Diagrams

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/geometry/circle-and-line-diagrams-on-the-gmat/

13. Polygons

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/geometry/polygons-and-regular-polygons-on-the-gmat/

14. Set Problems, with Double Matrix Method

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/word-problems/gmat-sets-double-matrix-method/

15. Set Problems, with Venn Diagrams

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/word-problems/gmat-sets-venn-diagrams/

16. Scale Factor & Percent Change

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/geometry/scale-factors-on-the-gmat-percent-increases-and-decreases/

17. Standard Deviation

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/standard-deviation-on-the-gmat/

18. Radicals

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/algebra/simplifying-radical-expressions-on-the-gmat/

19. Function Notation

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/arithmetic/function-notation-on-the-gmat/

20. Algebraic Factoring

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/algebra/algebra-on-the-gmat-how-to-factor/

21. Hard Factorial Problems

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/arithmetic/gmat-factorials/

22. Backsolving from the answers

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/gmat-plugging-in-strategy-always-start-with-answer-choice-c/

23. Distance in the x-y plane

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/geometry/gmat-coordinate-geometry-distance-between-two-points/

24. Pythagoras !

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/geometry/pythagorean-triplets-to-memorize-for-the-gmat/

25. Lines in the x-y plane

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/geometry/gmat-math-lines-slope-in-the-x-y-plane/

26. Tricks for Calculating Combinations

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/gmat-math-calculating-combinations/

27. Parallel & Perpendicular Lines and Midpoints in the x-y plane

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/geometry/gmat-math-midpoints-and-parallel-vs-perpendicular-lines/

28. Probability: AND & OR Rules

https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-math-probability-rules/

29. Probability: “at least” statements

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/basics/gmat-math-the-probability-at-least-question/

30. Probability: counting problems

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/gmat-probability-and-counting-techniques/

31. Hard counting problems

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/word-problems/gmat-counting-with-restrictions/

32. Probability: geometric probability

https://magoosh.com/gmat/math/geometry/geometric-probability-on-the-gmat/

Also check out these GMAT Probability questions .

Other GMAT Practice Questions

Magoosh has practice materials for all of the GMAT question types in GMAT Quantitative  and in GMAT Verbal. Look at the table below, and click the links for more practice!

And make sure you do practice questions that cover the most common GMAT Quant concepts too.

Addendum to the table: A special note on Sentence Correction questions

Sentence Correction questions are the very shortest questions on the test, both in terms of word count and time. Ideally, you should complete any SC question in less than one minute. Make sure you set your speed for this question type carefully. And be aware that Sentence Correction questions do NOT have their own subsection in GMAT Verbal; instead, SC is mixed in with Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension on the GMAT.

Mike MᶜGarry

Mike served as a GMAT Expert at Magoosh, helping create hundreds of lesson videos and practice questions to help guide GMAT students to success. He was also featured as “member of the month” for over two years at GMAT Club . Mike holds an A.B. in Physics (graduating magna cum laude ) and an M.T.S. in Religions of the World, both from Harvard. Beyond standardized testing, Mike has over 20 years of both private and public high school teaching experience specializing in math and physics. In his free time, Mike likes smashing foosballs into orbit, and despite having no obvious cranial deficiency, he insists on rooting for the NY Mets. Learn more about the GMAT through Mike’s Youtube video explanations and resources like What is a Good GMAT Score? and the GMAT Diagnostic Test .

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Sample GMAT Problem Solving Questions

We’ve already covered why studying with official practice questions is the best way to prepare for the GMAT .  But even if you come up with the correct answer to an official problem, you still might not understand the underlying principles used to create that particular question, leaving yourself open to traps and pitfalls set by the test writers.  In the explanations below, I will use some of the core tenets of the Menlo Coaching GMAT curriculum to breakdown two official GMAT problem solving questions and provide important principles for correctly attacking this question type in the future. 

Multiple choice “problem solving” questions are, to most students, familiar, yet they generally do not approach them properly. To succeed on these questions, you obviously need the requisite knowledge related to the content area being tested—math skills related to arithmetic, algebra, etc. However, it is just as important to read carefully, leverage every hint, and choose the right strategy (backsolving, number picking, conceptual thinking, etc.) People think of multiple-choice problem solving questions as just plain math questions, but this GMAT sample question shows that they are much more than that. Take a look at the following questions, and check out our problem solving video below.

GMAT Problem Solving, Sample Question #1

Rates for having a manuscript typed at a certain typing service are $5 per page for the first time a page is typed and $3 per page each time a page is revised. If a certain manuscript has 100 pages, of which 40 were revised only once, 10 were revised twice, and the rest required no revisions, what was the total cost of having the manuscript typed?

GMAT Problem Solving, Sample Question #2

A certain airline’s fleet consisted of 60 type A planes at the beginning of 1980. At the end of each year, starting with 1980, the airline retired 3 of the type A planes and acquired 4 new type B planes. How many years did it take before the number of type A planes left in the airline’s fleet was less than 50 percent of the fleet?

Sample GMAT Questions by Topic

  • Data Sufficiency: Practice for the GMAT with Official Data Sufficiency Sample Questions
  • Data Insights: How to Approach Data Insights: Practice Questions and Explanations
  • Reading Comprehension: How GMAT Reading Comprehension Questions Mislead Test Takers: Practice Questions and Explanations
  • Critical Reasoning: How to Succeed Against Official GMAT Critical Reasoning Questions

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Practice questions are an essential part of any GMAT prep. But how do you find the best GMAT sample questions?

In this article, I’ll address what to look for in GMAT practice questions, the pros and cons of both official and unofficial GMAT test questions, and tips on creating an effective GMAT study plan using these resources.

What to Look for in GMAT Sample Questions

There are a wide variety of GMAT sample questions out there. How do you know if you’re using quality practice ones? These are a few of the characteristics of good GMAT practice questions, whether they’re official or unofficial.

#1: Same Format and Question Types as the Real GMAT

Once you start taking GMAT practice tests, you’ll get a feel for how GMAT questions should look: how long they are, what they look like on the screen, the topics they tend to cover, and the style in which they’re written, for example. In every section, there will also be a mix of question types: the quant section always includes both data sufficiency and problem-solving questions, while the verbal section always includes a mix of sentence correction, reading comprehension, and critical reasoning questions.

The GMAT example questions you choose as you prepare for the test should be as similar as possible to real questions written by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC). The closer you can get to simulating real testing conditions, including everything from visuals to question content, the more comfortable you’ll feel on the day of the test. Also, answering GMAT practice questions that are similar to those you’ll encounter on exam day will help you gauge your progress and potential GMAT score range accurately.

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#2: Computerized (and Hopefully Adaptive)

The GMAT is a computerized adaptive test (CAT), which means it adapts to the test taker’s skill level in real time to determine both their score and the mix of questions they’re given. Ideally, GMAT sample questions should follow this format, so you can be best prepared for what you’ll see and experience on test day. Practice resources in CAT format will usually advertise that fact prominently. If they don’t, they’re likely not in the format of the official GMAT.

Obviously not every resource you use will be in CAT format—for example, if you’re using a book to do drills on specific question types. But a sizable portion of your prep should be done using practice questions in CAT format.

#3: Accurate Difficulty Levels

The GMAT always includes a mix of easy, medium and difficult questions. How many you receive of each will depend partly on the computerized adaptive test: You’ll start with ‘medium’ questions, and if you answer those correctly, you’ll be given more difficult questions on average; if you answer them incorrectly, you’ll get easier questions on average. However, every test taker will receive some questions at all three difficulty levels.

Your selection of practice GMAT questions should be at the same difficulty level as the real GMAT test questions. As you prepare, you’ll be able to tell if your sample GMAT questions seem too easy or too difficult on average. Practicing with either too-difficult or too-easy questions might give you an inaccurate picture of your probable ultimate GMAT score, and could also leave you underprepared for the real GMAT.

#4: Organized by Skill and/or Difficulty

You should target your weaknesses when completing GMAT practice questions. You may struggle more with data sufficiency questions than with problem-solving questions on the quant section, for example, or you may do well on most geometry questions but wrestle more with trigonometry and algebra. Alternatively, you may have mastered easy questions across the board and might need to focus on medium and/or difficult questions instead.

Resources that offer customizable sets (based on question type, skills tested, and difficulty level) of GMAT practice questions, or that separate the questions according to those categories, will help you study more effectively and in a more organized fashion than ones that aren’t labeled according to type or that are randomly compiled. The more specifically each question is categorized, the more effectively you will be able to form a study plan that hones in on your specific problem areas.

Computerized adaptive practice questions will help you prepare most effectively for the GMAT.

Official GMAT Practice Questions

The Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) releases a variety of practice resources that use official GMAT sample questions, either written by the test makers themselves or adopted from retired exams. For each resource, I’ll go over what’s included, its strengths and weaknesses, and the best way to make use of it in your prep.

#1: GMATPrep Software

The official GMATPrep Software is the best resource for GMAT practice questions available. It contains two full-length simulated computerized adaptive tests . Everything is written by GMAC, so you know you’re getting the real thing. You can take the two practice tests as many times as you like, but you’ll likely repeat some of the same questions if you take each one more than once.

You can customize your sets of practice questions, choosing 1-15 questions of each type (critical reasoning, sentence correction, and reading comprehension, for verbal) and difficulty (easy, medium, or difficult). In addition to the questions on the two practice tests, there are 90 additional practice questions available on the software.

The software also includes a detailed breakdown of GMAT question types and strategies, as well as a review of skills you’ll need for the quant section.

  • It’s free for registered users of mba.com. Just create an account.
  • The practice questions are identical in length, format, style, content, and visuals to what you’ll see on the GMAT.
  • Answer explanations are step-by-step and in-depth, and you can go back and review or drill questions you previously got wrong as many times as you like.
  • Detailed performance reviews break down what you’re getting wrong so you can hone in on your weak spots, including specific question types and skill sets
  • Not much! The GMATPrep exams are great GMAT example tests. There aren’t many resources that can beat official questions under simulated testing conditions, and it’s free.
  • However, there are only two full-length practice tests, so you’ll likely need to supplement these practice questions with other resources.
  • Also, while the quant review is great, there isn’t a similar resource available on the software for the verbal section.

How to Use It:

  • It’s best to start off your GMAT prep by taking one of the two full-length simulated tests on the GMATPrep software. Since the practice questions and score report are so realistic, the results will serve as a good barometer of your starting point.
  • After you complete the rest of your prep with other practice questions, you should take the second GMATPrep practice test a few weeks before you take the GMAT. This will give you a good idea of where you stand before exam day.

#2: GMATPrep Question Pack 1

An official addition to the GMATPrep Software, the GMATPrep Question Pack contains 404 additional official questions.

You can create custom sets of practice questions of any length based on your needs. Each set of questions can be completed in either ‘exam mode’ (timed, under simulated test conditions) or ‘study mode’ (untimed). The Question Pack will cost you $29.99 to download.

  • This resource contains practice questions that aren’t available in any other official prep materials.
  • Your performance reviews for these practice questions will be integrated into your overall progress reports in the GMATPrep Software , allowing you to get an even more accurate picture of what your needs are in terms of prep.
  • There isn’t much of a downside to official questions as a supplement to your overall prep.
  • Once you’ve taken a few practice tests and figured out your weaknesses, create custom practice question sets that target your difficult spots (particular sections, question types, or question difficulty levels). These will serve as drills to beef up your skills in those areas.

GMAT customizable question banks allow you to work on your timing.

#3: The GMATPrep Exam Collection

These are official additions to the GMATPrep Software. You can only get them once you’ve downloaded the original free software.

Each Exam Pack contains 90 additional practice questions (30 quantitative, 45 verbal, and 15 integrated reasoning), as well as two full-length computerized adaptive GMATs. Each Exam Pack costs $49.99.

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  • In-depth diagnostics will let you know how you’re doing in comparison to your peers on every subsection of the test , as well as how your pacing could improve on each question type.
  • Answer explanations offer step-by-step, detailed analyses of all practice questions.
  • Not much (official GMAC questions are always helpful), except that they’re a bit pricey.
  • These practice questions are a great first step after you take an initial diagnostic practice test, particularly if you’re still unsure of what exactly your weak spots are.
  • You can use the two full-length CAT GMATs to gauge your progress throughout your prep. Alongside the official GMATPrep Software, you’ll have four full-length tests, so you can space them out to regularly check up on how your score is improving.

#4: GMAT Write

GMAT Write is a fairly new tool released by the makers of the GMAT, meant to help you with the analytical writing assessment. It includes two unique sample prompts for the analytical writing assessment section.

GMAT Write will time your essays (30 minutes each, just like on the real exam) and score them in real time according to the GMAC rubric. It costs $29.99 to download.

  • The visuals and experience of writing the essay are highly realistic.
  • The sample questions are written by GMAC, so you know they’re reliable.
  • GMAT Write scores your essays according to the same criteria used on the real GMAT— ‘analyzes the issue,’ ‘supports ideas,’ ‘organizes a coherent idea,’ and ‘language control’ — in real time. It’s the only official GMAC tool that will score your sample essays.
  • There are only two unique exam prompts included, which isn’t necessarily a lot of practice for $29.99.
  • You won’t get any detailed feedback , just scores in each of the four categories used to assess GMAT essays.
  • Use it alongside other practice tests. Many other resources only have integrated reasoning, verbal and quantitative practice questions, so adding a prompt from GMAT Write to your practice test will help you more closely simulated the experience of the actual GMAT.

GMAT Write will help you prep for the Analytical Writing Assessment.

#5: The  GMAT Official Guide 2018

The GMAT Official Guide 2018  is a comprehensive resource for GMAT prep. Included in your purchase ($19.95) is access (both online and in print) to over 900 official practice questions, access to an accompanying site where you can customize sets of practice questions, and online videos with plenty of GMAT tips and strategies.

  • The questions are written by GMAC, so they’re high quality.  The online practice questions mimic the visuals of the real GMAT.
  • The practice questions are organized in order of difficulty.
  • The answer explanations and introduction sections (where key GMAT concepts get broken down) are too complex for non-advanced students. This is especially true for the quant and sentence correction questions.
  • The online question bank only allows you to save ten practice sessions at a time, so if you plan on doing more, you’ll need to delete them before starting a new session.
  • The online question bank is great for regular practice sessions. The question sets are customizable, and you can review them at any time.
  • The book itself is a good resource to start your practice with after using the GMATPrep software as an initial diagnostic tool.

#6: IR Prep Tool

The Integrated Reasoning (IR) Prep Tool was introduced in 2014 to aid students specifically in the integrated reasoning section.

The tool includes 48 integrated reasoning questions total: 10 graphics interpretation questions, 15 multi-source reasoning questions, 15 two-part analysis questions, and eight table analysis questions.

You can create customized practice question sets, focusing on all question types or just one. You can also set the difficulty level for each practice question set. Once downloaded, you have unlimited use of the prep tool for six months. The IR Prep Tool can be downloaded for $19.99.

  • A detailed ‘help’ section breaks down each integrated reasoning question type for you and gives tips on how to approach it.
  • A time management tool tracks your average time on each question type and difficulty level, allowing you to work specifically on your pacing.
  • The IR Prep Tool doesn’t give you a specific score estimation. Your official IR score will be between 1 and 8, but the IR Prep Tool gives you a score between 0 and 100 based on your performance and time management.
  • There aren’t many resources out there specifically aimed at the integrated reasoning section, a frequent problem area for students, so this is a goldmine for students who have trouble with it.
  • Use it to target and break down the integrated reasoning section into manageable chunks, particularly if you get overwhelmed by the fact that each question has multiple components.

#7: GMAT Focus Quantitative Diagnostic Tool

The GMAT Focus Quantitative Diagnostic Tool consists of a 24-question quantitative test (12 data sufficiency questions and 12 problem-solving questions ) that uses real questions from retired exams. It’s computer adaptive and follows the style and format of the actual GMAT quant section.

You can start and stop the test manually, but you have 45 minutes total to complete the practice questions.

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When you complete the test, the Focus Tool provides detailed answer explanations and an assessment of your strengths and weaknesses in terms of quant concepts.

Four unique tests are available. One test costs $29.99, and a three-test package costs $79.99.

  • The GMAT Paper Tests are the only other GMAT practice resources that use real retired GMAT questions, making the Focus Tool the only computerized adaptive resource to do so. So you get the best of both worlds with this one: real practice questions from previous GMATs and simulated testing conditions.
  • The detailed assessment of your performance, including a possible score range (more accurate than an exact score, since no one practice test will give you a perfect prediction of your ultimate GMAT score) and a breakdown of your performance by question difficulty, will tell you exactly which quant skills you need to work on before the GMAT.
  • It’s a bit pricey for just 24 questions each.
  • It’s not tied into the other GMAT prep resources, so your results won’t be integrated into your GMATPrep performance reports.
  • After you complete one of the GMATPrep exams, this tool will help you hone in on the quant section . You’ll get an overall idea of your strengths and weaknesses in quant from the GMATPrep Software, but this tool will help you get much more specific about which skills to target in your quant prep.

The Quantitative Focus Diagnostic Tool will help you hone in on the intricacies of the GMAT quant section.

#8: GMAT Paper Tests

The GMAT Paper Tests are real retired GMAT tests , written by GMAC. Each set (I, II, and III) contains three official GMAT tests, answer sheets, and a guide for converting your raw score into a scaled score. They’re available in downloadable PDF form. Each set costs $29.99.

  • Most of the questions in these tests aren’t available in any of the other official GMAT practice tests or resources, so they’re especially good if you want some extra practice. This is a big plus: It’s somewhat difficult to find GMAC-authored questions that don’t overlap with other resources.
  • Official questions are always a big positive in terms of GMAT prep!
  • They’re on paper! You’ll have to score them yourself using the answer sheet, and it’s not computerized (obviously) or adaptive, so it doesn’t simulate any of the testing conditions.
  • No answer explanations are included, just the answers themselves.
  • You may want to order these if you’re a test-taker with a disability that may require an accommodation and using paper tests at home is easier for you during prep time.
  • The GMAT Paper Tests might also serve you well if you’ve used all the other official sample GMAT questions and you want some additional prep. However, don’t rely on them to give you much info on your likely final GMAT score, since they aren’t in the official GMAT format. Use them to work through practice questions in your prep sessions instead.

Best Unofficial GMAT Practice Questions

Official GMAT questions are great, but they aren’t the only GMAT prep materials out there. There are also a variety of free and paid resources that offer quality GMAT practice questions. Here, I’ve included practice tests, books, and online question banks. For each unofficial resource, I’ll address how you can access it, its pros and cons, and the best way to incorporate it into your GMAT prep.

#1: Veritas Prep

You’ll need to create an account to access Veritas Prep’s GMAT Question Bank, but once you do, it’s completely free.

The Question Bank offers hundreds of realistic sample GMAT questions: quant, verbal, and integrated reasoning. It includes example questions of every type within those categories. Before you start your practice session, you can choose which kinds of questions you want to see. With one account, you’ll only see each practice question once.

Veritas Prep doesn’t give you an official estimated score, but it does give you an overall percentile , which measures how you did on a particular question set compared to other students who answered the same practice questions.

The Veritas Prep Question Bank is ideal for regular practice throughout your prep, particularly if you have varying amounts of time (you can do a short or lengthy session) and want to drill certain skill sets or question types . The questions from the bank aren’t in CAT format, but you can access one free computerized adaptive test through Veritas and six paid ones. Veritas Prep questions are some of the closest you’ll find to official GMAC-authored GMAT example questions.

Kaplan has a wide variety of GMAT resources, including in-person and online prep courses, but its GMAT Premier 2018  is its flagship GMAT prep tool. Your purchase includes access to over 1,000 GMAT practice questions, six full-length practice tests (one is in the book, and five are computerized adaptive tests available online), video tutorials, an online question bank with 200 GMAT sample questions and customizable quizzes, and a mobile app that allows you to study on the go.

GMAT Premier also includes a special section of forty advanced quant practice questions and in-depth answer explanations, which can help if you’re looking for a challenge in the quant department. The Kaplan practice questions are a bit harder than the ones in Princeton Review, but the verbal questions in particular still leave something to be desired in terms of difficulty level. The sentence correction questions in particular are easier than real GMAT questions. The Kaplan quant questions fare a bit better in terms of GMAT comparability.

Like Princeton Review, Kaplan is a good resource if you’re looking for a fairly solid overview and breakdown of the exam to start your prep (after you take your first diagnostic GMATPrep test). It’s not going to be as helpful if you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to the GMAT or a massive boost in your score.

#3: Manhattan Prep

With an account, you can take one full-length computerized adaptive Manhattan Prep test for free. Six additional ones are available for $49.99, which gives you one year of unlimited access.

You can take the Manhattan Prep practice GMATs timed or untimed, and you can take complete or partial practice exams depending on your time limit during prep. After you take all six, you can reset the questions to take more. Each test includes an in-depth assessment of your performance that analyzes your strengths, weaknesses, timing, and the difficulty levels you’ve mastered.

Manhattan Prep questions are mostly quite realistic in content and difficulty level. Though the visuals aren’t perfect, they are not too far from what you’ll see on the real exam.

I’d also like to point out one of Manhattan Prep’s best resources for students looking to challenge themselves in the quant section: Their GMAT Advanced Quant book includes strategies for tackling the trickiest quant questions and over 150 realistic practice questions. This is a great resource if you’re already doing well in the quant section and looking to bump yourself up to the next level.

#4: PowerScore

PowerScore’s main claim to fame is its trilogy of GMAT Verbal Bibles: Critical Reasoning, Sentence Correction, and Reading Comprehension, along with the PowerScore Verbal Bible , which covers the entire section. The books are available for $24.99 each or $69.99 as a trilogy.

PowerScore does an excellent job of breaking down each question type within the verbal section (a great resource for non-native English speakers and anyone who struggles with verbal questions), and the sample GMAT questions included in each book are consistent with the length, difficulty, and content of those on the GMAT. Though of course the practice questions here aren’t computerized or adaptive, each book does include access to a companion website that includes extra drills and practice questions.

The main downside to PowerScore is that, while the books offer great strategies and explanations of various question types, there aren’t a substantial number of actual practice questions . The Verbal Bible , for example, contains 31 critical reasoning questions, 77 sentence correction questions, and only eight reading comprehension questions. So while these resources are great reads for test-takers who are looking for in-depth answer explanations, they’re not fantastic for substantial extra practice or regular prep sessions.

The PowerScore Verbal Bibles have excellent grammar guides to help you with sentence correction questions in particular.

#5: 800 Score Test

Providing a username and password will get you one full-length test on 800 Score Test for free. You can download five more for $39.95, which includes a comprehensive quant and verbal review, ten sample essay questions, access to online help, and in-depth video explanations of practice questions.

The visuals at 800 Score Test aren’t much like what you’ll see on the GMAT, but the practice questions themselves are high quality, particularly in the quant section. The verbal practice questions veer a little ‘off’ and aren’t as close to the real GMAT verbal section as the quant questions are, so if you’re especially looking to focus on verbal practice questions, this might not be your best bet.

The 800 Score tests are in CAT format, though, so even though the visuals are a bit lacking, they’re not the worst resource if you only want practice questions that simulate real testing conditions. Their Test Pacer tool lets you know what question you should be on to finish in time, which is very helpful for students who have trouble with consistent pacing.

#6: Princeton Review

Princeton Review’s Cracking the GMAT, available for $21.99 on Kindle, offers a breakdown of all GMAT sections (including integrated reasoning and the analytical writing assessment), along with six full-length computerized adaptive practice exams, over 180 practice questions organized by difficulty level, and drills for each test section. Cracking the GMAT Premier is $7 more and comes with more online resources, like extra practice tests, study strategies, and video tutorials.

Princeton Review offers a decent overview of each of the GMAT sections, though it only offers the grammar and math fundamentals, not anything in the way of more advanced concepts. Indeed, where it misses the mark is mainly in the difficulty of the practice questions: Nearly none of them are as difficult as actual GMAT questions. This is especially true in the critical reasoning and reading comprehension sections. So while Cracking the GMAT may help beginners who aren’t familiar with GMAT basics (especially to start off, since it’s not an intimidating text), it’s not enough for test-takers looking to break 700 or even 650.

#7: GMAT Club

Beyond its helpful GMAT forums, GMAT Club offers a variety of useful GMAT practice materials, including practice tests and question banks.

A few practice tests and question banks are free (no account required), but access to all of their customizable quizzes, bonus questions (over 1,572) and full-length tests will run you at least $79.99 for three months of use.

GMAT Club tests aren’t exactly in CAT format, as they don’t adapt to your performance as you go along, but they do follow CAT ‘logic’ and include a mixture of difficulty levels and question types that is consistent with what you’ll usually encounter in a computerized adaptive test. The quality of the visuals and practice question content is high, with practice questions closely resembling GMAC ones.

Difficult quant questions are one of GMAT Club’s specialties, which is important as many of the other top practice resources (Princeton Review and Kaplan, for example) trend a little easier: They claim that hundreds of their quant questions are at the 700+ scoring level. So if you’re looking to wow your prospective schools with your quant score, this might be a great resource.

#8: Manhattan Review

You have several options for free practice questions and other GMAT prep materials with Manhattan Review. With an account, you can access a fairly high-quality quantitative question bank in PDF ebook form, along with a vocabulary list (good for non-native English speakers) and another free ebook, GMAT in a Nutshell , that serves as an overall guide to the test and top strategies.

The Sentence Correction Guide, downloadable for free, boasts a solid grammar review of the concepts that are more often tested in sentence correction questions, but the sentence correction practice questions themselves aren’t all quite as difficult or complex as the real ones on the GMAT.

Manhattan Review also offers a full-length free practice test, which you can access with an account. It’s a computerized adaptive test. The questions here are good for extra practice, but the difficulty levels and visuals aren’t always consistent with the actual GMAT.

Vocabulary practice is an integral part of GMAT prep for non-native English speakers.

3 Top Tips for Creating a GMAT Study Plan

Once you’ve selected some practice GMAT questions, it’s time to set up a study plan. It’s important not just to find the best prep materials for you, but to use them to your advantage. Here are a few tips for using your prep materials as effectively as possible:

#1: Use the Two Official GMAC Tests on the GMATPrep Software First and Last

You should start your prep with one of the two full-length GMATPrep Software tests. Since they’re computerized adaptive tests with accurate visuals and questions written by GMAC, they’re the best possible indicator of your ultimate GMAT score. The first practice test will give you a good idea of where you stand and how to begin your prep. Unless you purchase more official GMAC practice tests, take the second free test from the software a few weeks before your exam date. This will give you a good idea of your score at the end of it all, and will let you know what to brush up on last-minute before the big day.

#2: Use Different Materials to Build Different Skills

Tailor the practice GMAT materials you select to your particular needs. For example, if you’re strong in quant but weaker in verbal (or a non-native English speaker), you might use Manhattan Prep, the GMAT Focus Quantitative Diagnostic Tool, or GMAT Club practice questions for your quant prep, since they all feature more advanced quant questions. You might start out more slowly in verbal, completing grammar reviews and drills from one of the PowerScore Bibles before delving more into practice questions. Mix and match resources according to your personal GMAT goals.

#3: Note Differences Between the Conditions of Your Practice and the Conditions of the Real GMAT

Not all of your GMAT practice questions need to be (or should be) in computerized adaptive form. Sometimes you’ll need to take your time to work through a particular question, complete a drill, or review concepts. But when you do take a full-length GMAT practice test, stick to the real testing conditions as much as you can: Use double-sided scratch paper, don’t use a calculator on the quant section, take the right amount of time for each section, and take eight-minute breaks between the integrated reasoning and quant sections and before the verbal section.

Some GMAT practice materials allow you to manually time yourself, take longer or unlimited breaks, or stop and start the test. Be mindful of these differences so you don’t learn to rely on conditions (such as a longer break) that won’t exist on the day of your exam.

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What’s Next?

Looking for free full-length practice tests in addition to the best practice questions? You can find a list in our guide to the best free GMAT practice tests .

Our complete collection of GMAT practice tests provides a more comprehensive overview, in addition to reviews, of all available GMAT practice tests.

Finally our guide to how long to study for the GMAT will help you set up a time-effective study plan.

Was this helpful? Sign up for FREE GMAT and MBA guides!

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problem solving questions in gmat

Author: Laura Dorwart

Laura Dorwart is a Ph.D. student at UC San Diego. She has taught and tutored hundreds of students in standardized testing, literature, and writing. View all posts by Laura Dorwart

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problem solving questions in gmat

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GMAT Math : Problem-Solving Questions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for gmat math, all gmat math resources, example questions, example question #1 : gmat quantitative reasoning.

A fair coin is flipped successively until heads are observed on 2 successive flips. Let x denote the number of coin flips required. What is the sample space of x ?

{ x  : x = 2, 3, 4 . . .}

{ x  : x = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}

{ x : x is a real number}

not enough information

{ x  : x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 . . .}

We need to flip a coin until we get two heads in a row. The smallest number of possible flips is 2, which would occur if our first two flips are both heads. This eliminates three of our answer choices, because we know the sample space must start at 2. 

This leaves us with { x  : x = 2, 3, 4 . . .} and { x : x = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}. Let's think about { x  : x = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}. What if I flip a coin 6 times and get 6 tails? Then I have to keep flipping beyond 6 flips until I get two heads in a row; therefore the answer must be { x : x = 2, 3, 4 . . .}, because we don't have an upper limit on the number of flips it will take to produce two successive heads.

Example Question #2 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

problem solving questions in gmat

Example Question #1 : Problem Solving Questions

problem solving questions in gmat

525 is a multiple of all three of the integers 3, 5, and 7:

problem solving questions in gmat

Mark will hire 5 of the 8 job applicants he interviews. In how many different ways can he do this?

problem solving questions in gmat

Since order doesn't matter here, set this up as a combination:

problem solving questions in gmat

Example Question #5 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

problem solving questions in gmat

Example Question #1 : Understanding Sets

What is the median of the following number set?

problem solving questions in gmat

In order to find the median, the set needs to be written in numerical order:

problem solving questions in gmat

Example Question #7 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

In a group of 30 freshman students, 10 are taking Pre-calculus, 15 are taking Biology, and 10 students are taking Algebra. 5 Students are taking both Algebra and Biology, and 7 students are taking both Biology and Pre-calculus. There is no student taking both Algebra and Pre-Calculus. If none of the students take the three classes together, how many of the students don't take any of the three classes?

problem solving questions in gmat

Set B contains all prime numbers. Set C contains all even numbers. How many numbers are common to both sets? 

problem solving questions in gmat

Impossible to determine from the information provided

problem solving questions in gmat

All real numbers

Prime numbers are numbers with no other factors than themselves and one. Two is the first prime number and the only even prime number. Other examples are 5, 7, 11, etc.

Even numbers are numbers divisible by 2. Set C includes all numbers ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8.

Thus, there is one number common to both sets: 2.

Example Question #9 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

Venn_1

Every senior not enrolled in physics is also not enrolled in calculus.

Every senior enrolled in calculus is also enrolled in physics.

No senior is enrolled in both French IV and calculus.

No senior is enrolled in both French IV and physics.

Every senior enrolled in physics is also enrolled in calculus.

problem solving questions in gmat

Example Question #10 : Gmat Quantitative Reasoning

Choose the statement that is the logical opposite of:

"John is a Toastmaster but not an Elk."

If John is not an Elk, then he is not a Toastmaster.

John is neither a Toastmaster nor an Elk.

John is an Elk but not a Toastmaster.

John is a Toastmaster and an Elk.

If John is not a Toastmaster, then he is an Elk.

problem solving questions in gmat

the logical opposite of this is that John belongs to the shaded set in the diagram:

Venn_1

In plain English, if John is not an Elk, then John is not a Toastmaster.

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Sample Questions

Quick links.

Before you register  for the GMAT Focus Edition, get a preview of the types of questions you’ll encounter on the exam. 

Remember: You can learn more about section and question type at Exam Content .

Sample Questions by Section

Quantitative reasoning.

Problem Solving Question Directions: Solve the problem and indicate the best of the answer choices given. Question: If a certain wheel turns at a constant rate of x revolutions per minute, how many revolutions will the wheel make in k seconds? (A) 60 kx (B)  kx (C) x ÷ k (D) x ÷(60 k ) (E) kx ÷60 Answer:  (E)

Verbal Reasoning

Reading Comprehension Question Directions: The questions in this group are based on the content of a passage. After reading the passage, choose the best answer to each question. Answer all questions following the passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage. Question: Schools expect textbooks to be a valuable source of information for students. My research suggests, however, that textbooks that address the place of Native Americans within the history of the United States distort history to suit a particular cultural value system. In some textbooks, for example, settlers are pictured as more humane, complex, skillful, and wise than Native Americans. In essence, textbooks stereotype and depreciate the numerous Native American cultures while reinforcing the attitude that the European conquest of the New World denotes the superiority of European cultures. Although textbooks evaluate Native American architecture, political systems, and homemaking, I contend that they do it from an ethnocentric, European perspective without recognizing that other perspectives are possible. One argument against my contention asserts that, by nature, textbooks are culturally biased and that I am simply underestimating children's ability to see through these biases. Some researchers even claim that by the time students are in high school, they know they cannot take textbooks literally. Yet substantial evidence exists to the contrary. Two researchers, for example, have conducted studies that suggest that children's attitudes about particular cultures are strongly influenced by the textbooks used in schools. Given this, an ongoing, careful review of how school textbooks depict Native Americans is certainly warranted. Which of the following would most logically be the topic of the paragraph immediately following the passage? (A) Specific ways to evaluate the biases of United States history textbooks (B) The centrality of the teacher's role in United States history courses (C) Nontraditional methods of teaching United States history (D) The contributions of European immigrants to the development of the United States (E) Ways in which parents influence children's political attitudes Answer:  (A)

Critical Reasoning Question Directions: For this question, select the best of the answer choices given. Question: Mall Owner: Our mall’s occupancy rate is so low that we are barely making a profit. We cannot raise rents because of an unacceptably high risk of losing established tenants. On the other hand, a mall that is fully occupied costs about as much to run as one in which a rental space here and a rental space there stands empty. Clearly, therefore, to increase profits we must sign up new tenants. Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? (A) The mall’s operating costs could be cut by consolidating currently rented spaces in such a way that an entire wing of the mall could be closed up. (B) The mall is located in a geographic area in which costs incurred for air-conditioning in the hot summers exceed those incurred for heating in the mild winters by a wider margin. (C) The mall’s occupancy rate, though relatively low, has been relatively stable for several years. (D) The mall lost tenants as a result of each of the two major rent increases that have occurred there. (E) None of the mall’s established tenants is likely to need additional floor space there in the foreseeable future. Answer:  (A)

Data Insights

Data Sufficiency Question Directions: This data sufficiency problem consists of a question and two statements, labeled (1) and (2), in which certain data are given. You have to decide whether the data given in the statements are sufficient for answering the question. Using the data given in the statements, plus your knowledge of mathematics and everyday facts (such as the number of days in July or the meaning of the word counterclockwise), you must indicate whether:

  • Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • BOTH statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked.
  • Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are needed.

Question: What is the monthly rent for a certain apartment? (1) The monthly rent per person for 4 people to share the rent for the apartment is $375. (2) The monthly rent per person for 4 people to share the rent of the apartment is $125 less than the monthly rent per person for 3 people to share the rent. (A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. (B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. (C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. (D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. (E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient. Answer: (D) For the other four question types, click for samples of each question type to open up in an interactive pop-up window. Please note: these sample questions are built to simulate the actual test interface, and therefore, are not optimized for mobile devices.

  • Multi-Source Reasoning
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GMAT Sample Questions

Hidden laptop with hands typing, displaying a test diagram above the keyboard

Want a preview of the question types you'll face on the GMAT? Try your hand at the GMAT practice questions below. Then, check your answers against our in-depth explanations to see how you did.

We pulled these GMAT sample questions from our book Cracking the GMAT and from our test prep course materials. For more GMAT practice, take a full-length practice test with us held under the same testing conditions as the real thing. Find out how you'd score, and get  a personalized score report from us that shows your strengths and weaknesses.

  • GMAT Verbal Questions 
  • GMAT Math Questions
  • GMAT Integrated Reasoning Questions 
  • Essay Prompt 

Below you'll find sample GMAT questions covering the three question types you'll encounter on the Verbal section: Sentence Correction , Critical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension.

GMAT Sentence Correction Questions

1. In order to better differentiate its product from generic brands, the cereal company first hired a marketing firm that specializes in creating campaigns to build brand awareness and then retools its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal. (A) then retools its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal (B) retools its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal (C) then retooled its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal (D) then will retool its factory to produce a variety of different shapes of cereal (E) then produces a variety of different shapes of cereal through retooling its factory

Answer: (C) The actions of the cereal company are not in parallel form. First the company hired then it retools . Eliminate choice (A). Choice (B) still has the same error. Choice (D) changes the verb form incorrectly to the future tense. Choice (E) rewrites the sentence but retains the error.

[+] See the Answer

2. Believed to be one of the first widely read female authors of the Western world, Christine de Pizan's masterwork The Book of the City of the Ladies , was written in 1405 and is a history of the Western world from the woman's point-of-view. (A) Believed to be one of the first widely read female authors of the Western world (B) Written by one of the first widely read female authors of the Western world (C) One of the first widely read female authors of the Western world, as some believe (D) Written by what some believe as one of the first widely read female authors of the Western world (E) Believed by some as one of the first works by a widely read female author in the Western world

Answer: (B) As written, this sentence has a misplaced modifier error: the book, The Book of the City of the Ladies isn't believed by anyone to be an author— Christine de Pizan is. Choices (A) and (C) repeat that error and can be eliminated. Choices (B) and (D) both change the introductory phrase to clearly refer to a written work, but choice (D) uses the incorrect idiom believe as instead of the correct form, believe to be . Choice (E) repeats that idiom error.

GMAT Critical Reasoning Questions

1. One food writer wrote that reducing the amount of animal products in one's diet can contribute to better health and well-being. Based on this claim, some people are completely eliminating meat from their diets in order to be healthier. The argument above relies on which of the following assumptions?

Answer: (B) The argument states that some people are eliminating meat from their diets because reducing the amount of animal products in one's diet can lead to better health. Meat is only one type of animal product, however. The argument assumes that by eliminating meat, the people are reducing the total amount of animal products in their diets. Choice (A) addresses increasing the amount of vegetables and grains, but the argument just deals with animal products. Choice (B) correctly addresses the people who are eliminating meat and states that those people are not increasing their consumption of dairy, which is another instance of using animal products. Thus, these people are actually reducing the amount of animal products in their diets. Choice (C) addresses most food writers, who are irrelevant to this argument. Choice (D) addresses health lifestyles, which are irrelevant to this particular argument. Choice (E) addresses the reasons behind not eating animal products, which is irrelevant to the argument.

2. Studies reveal that a daily exercise regimen helps stroke survivors regain dexterity in their extremities. Being given an exercise routine and having a consultation with a doctor about the exercise routine have been shown to be effective mechanisms to get patients to exercise daily. From the above information, which of the following statements can be reasonably inferred? (A) A stroke survivor that is given a detailed exercise plan and consults her physician about the plan will regain full dexterity in her extremities. (B) If a stroke survivor is not given an exercise plan and does not consult with a doctor, she will not regain dexterity in her extremities. (C) Stroke survivors who are given an exercise routine and consult with a doctor about that routine will sometimes regain dexterity in their extremities. (D) Being given an exercise routine and having a consultation with a doctor about the routine is the best way to help a stroke survivor regain dexterity in their extremities. (E) Only being given an exercise routine is necessary to regenerate dexterity in the extremities of seniors who have suffered a stroke.

Answer: (C) This is an inference question, so evaluate the passage and then look for an answer choice that can be reasonably inferred from the information. The passage states that a daily exercise regimen helps stroke survivors regain dexterity in their extremities and that survivors who are given an exercise routine and who have a consultation with a doctor about the routine have been shown to be effective at getting patients to exercise daily . So it can be inferred that if a survivor is given a routine and consults with a doctor, they are more likely to exercise daily, which will help them regain dexterity. Choice (A) is an example of extreme language. The phrasing will regain full dexterity is not promised in the information in the passage, as the passage only states that a routine and consultations may help a survivor exercise more. Eliminate (A). Choice (B) is also an example of extreme language. There is no way to discern from the information provided that a strong survivor would not regain dexterity without an exercise routine and a consultation, so eliminate (B). Choice (C) is a reasonable inference to make from the information in the passage so keep (C). Choice (D) also contains the extreme language best way . The information does not compare this method with any other method so eliminate (D). Choice (E) is recycled language and does not address consulting with a doctor so eliminate (E). The correct answer is (C).

GMAT Reading Comprehension Questions

Although oft-maligned in modern culture, the pigeon once stood not only for speed and reliability but also for grace and beauty. Darwin himself became a pigeon fancier after beginning to work with the humble Columbia livia , discovering them to be more fascinating than he had formerly believed. During the Victorian age, in fact, raising show pigeons was a popular hobby, with new breeds continuously arising as amateur (and not-so-amateur) ornithologists crossed animals in the hopes of creating ever more fantastic creatures. One of the most sought-after varieties was known as the Almond Tumbler, a name presumably derived from the color of the birds combined with the distinctive flight style. Over the course of many generations, this bird was so manipulated as to have a beak so small as to prevent the adult birds from feeding their offspring. And yet, it was wildly popular, drawing high prices at auctions and high prizes at competitions. How then did an animal once so well-loved come to be so loathed? As recently as World War II, the military used pigeons to carry messages but today, many people would kick a pigeon before they would feed one. Perhaps it is just a problem of population density - a lack of esteem for that which is ubiquitous. Pigeons have become our constant urban companions and, as such, have been transformed from symbols of peace, plenty, and prosperity, to representatives of disease and decay.

1. The primary purpose of this passage is to (A) convince the reader of the nobility of the pigeon, based on its history as a symbol of virtue (B) dissuade the reader from mistreating a once-majestic animal that has fallen from favor (C) rebut claims that the pigeon carries disease any more frequently than do other domestic animals (D) promote a renewal of pigeon fancying and a resurgence of breeds such as the Almond Tumbler (E) suggest that there might be more to the story of some urban wildlife than is commonly known

Answer: (E) The passage gives a brief description of the pigeon's place in recent human history and then goes on to contrast that with modern perspectives of the birds. Choice (A) goes too far—the author doesn't give any indication of believing the pigeon to be noble. Choice (B) focuses too specifically on a side comment in the second paragraph. Choice (C) also focuses too specifically on a side comments—the passage is not primarily about disease. Choice (D) is too strong—the passage isn't really promoting any specific action. Choice (E) remains neutral and informational, as does the passage.

2. The case of the Almond Tumbler is most analogous to which of the following? (A) a strain of wheat that can be grown in plentiful quantities but loses much of its nutritional value in the process (B) Arabian horses that are able to run at phenomenal speeds due to centuries of careful breeding designed to enhance those physical attributes (C) vitamins that were purported to provide all of the necessary nutrients but have since been found not to be very effective (D) the dachshund, a popular breed of dog that is nonetheless prone to severe back problems, due to weaknesses exacerbated by targeted breeding (E) the wild rock doves that are most commonly found nesting in the faces of cliffs far from human habitation

Answer: (D) The Almond Tumbler is described as a breed of pigeon that was very popular during the Victorian era. The passage also mentions that the selective breeding used to create that particular kind of bird also led to tiny beaks that kept parent birds from feeding their babies. Therefore, the best analogy would be another animal that is popular even though it has problems due to its design. Choice (A) is incorrect because it leaves out the aspect of popularity. Choice (B) is only positive and you need something that's also negative. Choice (C) is not about something that has been bred for a specific purpose, nor does it deal with popularity. Choice (D) correctly refers to a popular animal with a common health problem. Choice (E) does not refer to pigeons that have been bred by humans.

3. The passage suggests that (A) pigeons were once known for flying with celerity (B) the Almond Tumbler was the most beautiful breed of pigeon (C) Darwin was infatuated with his fancy pigeons (D) modern pigeons are dirtier than the fancy pigeons of yore (E) only scientists should breed new kinds of animals

Answer: (A) For a question this open-ended, it's usually best to check each of the answers against the passage. Choice (A) appears to match the opening line of the passage, which states that the pigeon once stood not only for speed and reliability. Choice (B) goes too far—although many Victorians seems to have loved the Tumbler, there's no evidence that it was definitively the most beautiful. Choice (C) also goes too far—the passage mentions that Darwin was fascinated by his pigeons, not that he was infatuated. Choice (D) draws an incorrect assumption—the passage comments that the common opinion has changed, not the pigeon itself. Choice (E) is not supported by the passage, which states that amateurs, as well as trained individuals, bred pigeons.

Below you'll find GMAT sample questions covering the two question types you'll encounter on the Quantitative section: Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency.

Problem Solving Questions

1. A certain company sells tea in loose leaf and bagged form, and in five flavors: Darjeeling, earl grey, chamomile, peppermint, and orange pekoe. The company packages the tea in boxes that contain either 8 ounces of tea of the same flavor and the same form, or 8 ounces of tea of 4 different flavors and the same form. If the order in which the flavors are packed does not matter, how many different types of packages are possible? (A) 12 (B) 15 (C) 20 (D) 25 (E) 30

Answer: (C) Begin by figuring out how many different ways you can package the tea in boxes that contains 8 ounces of tea, all of the same flavor. There are five flavors, each flavor can come in either loose leaf or bagged form, so 5 flavors x 2 forms = 10 different ways to package the tea in boxes that contain only one flavor each. Now find the number of different ways to package 4 different flavors of the same form per box. In this case, you must choose 4 of 5 possible flavors, and order does not matter, so the formula is 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 ⁄ 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 5 different ways to combine the 4 flavors. Each combination can come in either loose leaf for bagged form, so you have 2 different forms x 5 different combinations = 10 total possible ways to combine the 4 flavors in either bagged or loose-leaf form. Thus, the total number of combinations is 10 + 10 = 20 total combinations. The answer is choice (C).

2. Karen sold her house at a loss of 25 percent of the price that she originally paid for the house, and then bought another house at a price of 30 percent less than the price she originally paid for her first house. If she sold the first house for $225,000, what was her net gain, in dollars, for the two transactions? (A) $15,000 (B) $25,000 (C) $60,000 (D) $75,000 (E) $90,000

Answer: (A) If Karen sold her first house for $225,000 and at a loss of 25 percent, then 25 percent of the original price equals $225,000. 75 ⁄ 100 x = 225,000, so x, or the price she originally paid, equals $300,000. Thus, Karen lost $75,000 on the sale of her first house. If she bought a second house for a price of 30 percent less than $300,000, then the second house cost $210,000, so she gained $90,0000. $90,000 - $75,000 = $15,000, so the answer is choice (A).

Sample Data Sufficiency Questions

1. In a certain company, at least 200 people own manual transmission vehicles. If 12 percent of the people who own manual transmission vehicles also own automatic transmission vehicles, do more people own automatic transmission vehicles than own manual transmission vehicles? (1) 5 percent of the people who own an automatic transmissions vehicle also own a manual transmission vehicle. (2) 15 people own both an automatic transmission vehicle and a manual transmission vehicle. (A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. (B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. (C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. (D) EACH Statement ALONE is sufficient. (E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed.

Answer: (A) According to statement (1), 5 percent of the people who own an automatic transmission vehicle also own a manual transmission vehicle. The question also indicates that 12 percent of the people who own a manual transmission vehicle also own an automatic transmission vehicle. Both figures relate to the total number who own both, so that means that 5 percent of the automatic transmission owners = 12 percent of the manual transmission owners. The overlap in ownership makes up a smaller percent of those who own automatic transmission vehicles, so there must be more people who own automatic transmission vehicles. Statement (1) is sufficient, so you can eliminate choices (B), (C), and (E). Statement (2) indicates that 15 people own both an automatic transmission vehicle and a manual transmission vehicle, so you know that 12 percent of the people who own a manual transmission is equal to 15 people. 12 ⁄ 100 = 15, so x = 125. Thus, there are 125 people who own a manual transmission vehicle. However, you have no further information to allow you to calculate the number of people who own automatic transmission vehicles, so statement (2) is insufficient. The answer is choice (A).

2. What is the value of x ⁄ 2 ? (1) x is 1 ⁄ 5 less than 9 ⁄ 10 (2) x is between 2 ⁄ 5 and 4 ⁄ 5 (A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. (B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. (C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. (D) EACH Statement ALONE is sufficient. (E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data are needed.

Answer: (A) Statement (1) allows you to find the value of x, so you can answer the question. (If x is 1 ⁄ 5 less than 9 ⁄ 10 , then 9 ⁄ 10 - 1 ⁄ 5 = x. 1 ⁄ 5 = 2 ⁄ 10 , so x equals 9 ⁄ 10 - 2 ⁄ 10 = 7 ⁄ 10 . If x equals 7 ⁄ 10 , then x ⁄ 2 = 7 ⁄ 10 divided by 2, or 7 ⁄ 20 .) Statement (1) is sufficient, so eliminate choices (B), (C), and (E). According to statement (2), x is between 2 ⁄ 5 and 4 ⁄ 5 . That means that one possible value for x is 3 ⁄ 5 , but another possible value is 7 ⁄ 10 . Statement (2) is insufficient, so the answer is choice (A).

Below you'll find examples of how you'll be asked to use a chart, graph, or table to answer questions on the Integrated Reasoning section.

Sample Integrated Reasoning Questions

Item 1: Andre is buying gifts for his office staff. He wants to spend exactly $280 and he can buy either sweatshirts, which cost $22, or baseball caps, which cost $26. In the table below, choose the number of sweatshirts and the number of baseball caps that Andre should buy.

Answer: Sweatshirts, 8; Baseball caps 4 To solve this question, systematically test out the answer choices. The equation you need to solve is 22s + 26h = 280, in which both s and h are integers and s represents the number of sweatshirts and h represents the number of baseball caps. So, start with plugging in 4 for sweatshirts and see if the number of baseball caps is an integer. 22(4) +26h = 280 h = 7.38 Since the number of baseball caps is not an integer, Andre could not have bought 4 sweatshirts. Keep trying more sweatshirts one by one until you find an answer that will you an integer value for baseball caps. 8 sweatshirts will give you 4 baseball caps.

GMAT sample question

Question 2-1 The ratio of the U.S. population in 2000 to the U.S. population in 1900 is closest to __. (A) 1 to 4 (B) 2 to 7 (C) 2 to 1 (D) 3 to 1 (E) 11 to 3

Answer: (E, 11 to 3) According to the graph, the U.S. population in 2000 was a little bit more than 275 million, and the U.S. population in 1900 was a little over 75 million. Since the question asks what the ratio is "closest to," these numbers are good enough to approximate. 275 to 75 can be reduced by 5 to get 55 to 15, which can be reduced by 5 again to get 11 to 3. Alternatively, you could reduce 275 to 75 by 25 to get this same ratio.

Question 2-2 The U.S. population in 1950 was approximately __ of the U.S. population in 1850. (A) 800% (B) 600% (C) 200% (D) 85% (E) 15%

Answer: (B, 600%) The question asks what percent the U.S. population in 1950 is of the U.S. population in 1850. To get this you need to calculate population 1950 ⁄ population 1850 x 100. Since the U.S. population in 1950 is higher, you want something that is greater than 100%. Eliminate 85% and 15%. Since the sentence says "approximate" and also since the remaining answer choices are not close to each other, you can estimate the values. According to the chart, the population in 1950 was about 150 million and the population in 1850 was about 25 million. Therefore, you need to calculate 150 ⁄ 25 x 100 = 6 x 100 = 600%.

Question 2-3 The U.S. population increased by approximately __ from 1900 to 1950. (A) 25% (B) 33% (C) 50% (D) 100% (E) 200%

Answer: (D, 100%) To get percent increase, you need to use the formula difference ⁄ original x 100. The population in 1900 was about 75 million, and the population in 1950 was about 150 million. The difference between the two figures is 75 million. Therefore, the percent increase is 75 ⁄ 75 x 100 = 100%.

Below you'll find a sample Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) question. On the GMAT you'll have 30 minutes to write a critique of the argument.

Analysis of an Argument

The following appeared as part of a medical advertisement in a magazine.

A new medical test that allows the early detection of a particular disease will prevent the deaths of people all over the world who would otherwise die from the disease. The test has been extremely effective in allowing doctors to diagnose the disease six months to a year before it would have been spotted by conventional means.

Discuss how logically convincing you find this argument. In explaining your point of view, be sure to evaluate the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, it may be necessary to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what other explanations or counterexamples might weaken the arguments conclusion. You can also discuss what kind of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically persuasive, and what, if anything, would enable you to better evaluate its conclusion.

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GMAT Problem Solving Questions

Last Updated on November 27, 2023

Whether you are taking the current version of the GMAT or the new GMAT Focus, GMAT Problem Solving questions are the majority of the GMAT quant questions you will see. Thus, to get a great score on the GMAT, you must be able to crush this question type. In this blog, we will discuss the essence of GMAT Problem Solving questions and look at some GMAT Problem Solving sample questions and their solutions. (If you need data sufficiency help, we’ve covered that in a separate article .) If you need more practice after completing what we offer in this article, please check out the Target Test Prep online GMAT course .

Here are the topics we’ll cover:

What is a gmat problem solving question, the gmat quant topics.

  • GMAT Problem Solving Example 1
  • GMAT Problem Solving Example 2
  • GMAT Problem Solving Example 3
  • GMAT Problem Solving Example 4

GMAT Problem Solving Example 5

What’s next.

Let’s begin with a discussion of what a GMAT Problem Solving question is.

The good news is that GMAT Problem Solving questions are identical to the multiple-choice questions you’ve seen since your days of doing basic math questions. As such, a Problem Solving (PS) question presents the answer choices A, B, C, D, E and has just one correct answer. On the current version of the exam, PS questions make up about two-thirds of the questions in the GMAT quantitative section. So, you’ll see about 21 PS questions.

On the GMAT Focus, PS questions are actually their own section, which consists of 21 GMAT math questions. So, whether you are taking the traditional GMAT or GMAT Focus, you need to know GMAT Problem Solving questions!

There are 21 Problem Solving questions on GMAT Focus and around 21 Problem Solving questions on the standard GMAT.

Now, let’s discuss the quant topics you may see covered in GMAT Problem Solving questions.

If you are somewhat new to the exam, you may wonder, what the heck is tested in the GMAT quant section? Most of what is tested on the GMAT is math that you likely saw at one time in your life. So, rather than learning things from scratch, you can build back up the quant muscles you previously had. Sure, those concepts are tested slightly differently on the GMAT, but in general, there should not be many math topics that are completely new to you.

There is a high likelihood that you are familiar with most of the math topics tested on the GMAT.

Let’s list the topics tested:

  • GMAT Arithmetic Questions
  • Fractions and Decimals
  • Number Properties
  • GMAT Algebra Problems
  • Quadratic Equations
  • GMAT Number Properties
  • Exponents and Roots
  • Inequalities
  • Absolute Values
  • Word Problems
  • Rate Problems
  • Work Problems
  • Unit Conversions
  • Ratios and Proportions
  • Overlapping Sets
  • Permutations and Combinations
  • Probability
  • GMAT Geometry Questions
  • Coordinate Geometry

Note that Geometry is not included in the GMAT Focus.

Now that we are familiar with the basics of a GMAT Problem Solving question and the topics those questions may involve, let’s get into our GMAT problem-solving practice.

In the sections that follow, we will first present a topic, and then show how it can be presented in a GMAT PS question.

GMAT Problem Solving Topic 1: Number Properties – Factorial Divisibility

The first example is based on the topic of factorial divisibility, which is one of many integer properties. The nice thing about factorial divisibility is that, although it appears to be a difficult topic, it’s actually quite simple once we learn to use a very cool strategy for this type of question.

For example, let’s say you need to determine the maximum value of n for the expression (14!) / (2^n) such that the result is an integer. To determine the max value of n, we do the following:

First, divide 14 by 2, and note the quotient while ignoring any remainder:

14/2 has a quotient of 7.

Next, divide 14 by 2^2 = 4, and note the quotient while ignoring any remainder:

14/4 has a quotient of 3.

Next, divide 14 by 2^3 = 8, and note the quotient while ignoring any remainder:

14/8 has a quotient of 1.

Next, divide 14 by 2^4 = 16, and note the quotient while ignoring any remainder:

14/16 has a quotient of 0.

Since we have found a quotient of zero, we can stop. The final step is to add up all the quotients; that sum is the maximum value of n. So, the maximum value of n is 7 + 3 + 1 = 11.

Use the strategy provided above to solve factorial divisibility problems.

Let’s practice with an example.

GMAT Problem Solving Example 1:

What is the greatest integer j, such that 240! / 4^j is an integer?

First, we divide 240 by 4^1, noting the quotient and ignoring the remainder:

240 / 4 = 60

Now we divide the quotient 60 by 4^2, noting the quotient and ignoring the remainder:

60 / 4^2 = 60 / 16 = 3

Now we divide the quotient 3 by 4^3, noting the quotient and ignoring the remainder:

3 / 4^3 = 3 / 64 = 0

Because the quotient is 0, we stop.

The value of j is the sum of all the quotients, so we have:

60 + 3 + 0 = 63

This tells us that there are 63 fours in 240!

Thus, we know that the largest value of j that allows 240! / 4^j to be an integer is j = 63.

Next, let’s discuss a topic from inequalities.

GMAT Problem Solving Topic 2: Inequalities – Combining Equations and Inequalities

One of the first things you will learn on the GMAT is solving for the value of the two variables contained in two equations, you often use the substitution method, which functions just as it sounds like it would. We also use this process when we have one equation and one inequality containing two variables.

For example, let’s say we have the following:

Equation: y = 2x – 1

Inequality: 3x + 4y > 25

If we want to know what is true about x, we do the following:

Since y = 2x – 1, we can substitute 2x – 1 for y in the inequality 2x + 4y > 25. Doing so gives us:

2x + 4(2x – 1) > 25

2x + 8x – 4 > 25

10x > 29

x > 29/10

Thus, we know that x is greater than 2.9.

When working with inequalities and equations, we can substitute the equation into the inequality.

Let’s practice with one more example.

GMAT Problem Solving Example 2:

If 2x – 4y = -10 and 5x – 3y < 3, then which of the following must be true?

  • y < 28 / 13
  • y < 53 / 17
  • y > -28 / 13

The answer choices indicate that we need to get an answer for y, so we will first solve the equality to get x in terms of y.

2x – 4y = -10

2x = 4y – 10

x = 2y – 5

We now substitute 2y – 5 for x into the inequality and solve for y:

5(2y – 5) – 3y < 3

10y – 25 – 3y < 3

GMAT Problem Solving Topic 3: Rates – Converging Rate Questions

As you study rates on the GMAT, you will discover that there are many ways in which rate questions may be presented. Thus, you’ll want to become familiar with each type and know the associated formula for each one. If you can apply the appropriate GMAT math strategies to rate questions, you’ll be in a great place come test day.

We do not have the time to cover each type of rate question in this article, but we will focus on a common type, the converging rate question.

A converging rate is when two people or things head toward each other on a parallel path. An important characteristic of converging rates is that when two objects converge (or meet), the total distance that originated between them is equal to the sum of the individual distances of the two objects. Thus, we use the following formula:

Distance of Object 1 + Distance of Object 2 = Total Distance Traveled

When two objects meet, the sum of their individual distances is equal to the total distance they traveled from their respective starting points.

Let’s practice how we would use this formula with an example.

GMAT Problem Solving Example 3:

The distance between Philadelphia and Boston by train is 311 miles. Train A departs Philadelphia at 12:00 PM, traveling to Boston at a constant speed of 50 miles per hour. Train B departs Boston at 12:30 PM and heads toward Philadelphia on a parallel track at a constant speed of 60 miles per hour. How far has Train A traveled at the moment the trains meet?

We see that this is a converging rate question, as two trains are traveling toward each other (on parallel tracks!).

Let’s let r1 = Train A’s rate, t1 = Train A’s time, and d1 = Train A’s distance traveled.

Similarly, we will let r2 = Train B’s rate, t2 = Train B’s time, and d2 = Train B’s distance traveled.

The individual distance traveled by Train A will be:

r1 x t1 = d1 (Equation 1)

The individual distance traveled by Train B will be:

r2 x t2 = d2 (Equation 2)

Because the distance between the two cities is 311 miles, we can say that: the sum of the individual distances is equal to the total distance:

d1 + d2 = 311

We can substitute Equation 1 and Equation 2 into Equation 3, as follows:

r1 x t1 + r2 x t2 = 311

Substituting the known information for the rates of the two trains, we have:

50 x t1 + 60 x t2 = 311 (Equation 4)

We have two variables and only one equation, so we need additional information about the relationship between the two times. Because Train B left half an hour after Train A, its travel time is half an hour less than Train A’s. Thus, we see that t2 = t1 – 0.5, and we substitute this into Equation 4 and solve:

50 x t1 + 60 x (t1 – 0.5) = 311

50 x t1 + 60 x t1 – 30 = 311

110 x t1 = 341

Since Train A traveled for 3.1 hours, we substitute this value into Equation 1:

50 x 3.1 = d1

Train A traveled 155 miles.

Next, let’s discuss how to find the median of a large set of data.

GMAT Problem Solving Topic 4: Statistics – Finding the Median of a Large Set of Data

If you have ever studied how to determine the median of a set of data, you may recall that it’s a pretty simple process when you have a small set of data, as you can manually calculate it pretty easily. However, what do you do when you have a large set of data? Don’t worry; there’s an excellent way to determine the median, even in a large set!

To determine the place where the median falls in a set of data in ascending or descending order, we use the following formula, where n represents the total number of values in the set:

position of the median = (n + 1) / 2

Keep in mind that this formula works when the number of data points is odd and when it’s even, but in slightly different ways. Let’s do two quick examples that illustrate the difference.

Median Example With an Odd Number of Numbers

What is the median of -4, -3, 0, 1, 4, 6, 10, 11, 15?

Since there are nine numbers in the ordered set, we can determine the position of the median as follows:

position of the median = (9 + 1) / 2 = 5

So, the median is the 5th number in the set when counting from lowest to highest. Thus, the median is 4. Now let’s look at a set with an even number of numbers.

Median Example With an Even Number of Numbers

What is the median of -4, -3, 0, 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 15, 19?

Since there are ten numbers in the set, we can determine the position of the median as follows:

position of the median = (10 + 1) / 2 = 5.5

Since the median cannot be in the “5.5 position” of the set, we calculate the average of the number in the fifth and sixth positions. The number in the fifth position is 2, and the number in the sixth position is 6. The average of those two numbers is 8/2 = 4. So, the median is 4.

The position of the median of an ordered data set is found by using the formula: position of median = (n + 1) / 2, where n is the number of values in the set.

GMAT Problem Solving Example 4:

At a candy shop, there are sixteen candies costing $1 each, twenty candies costing $2 each, and forty candies costing $3 each. What is the median cost of the candies?

Let’s calculate the position of the median for the 76 candies:

Position of median = (n + 1) / 2 = (76 + 1) / 2 = 77 / 2 = 38.5

We know that the median is the average of the 38th and 39th data values.

We don’t have the 77 data values listed individually, but we know that we are looking for the 38th and 39th data values. We see that the first 16 values are all $1, and the next 20 values (the 17th through 36th values) are all $2. The next 20 values (the 37th through the 66th values) are all $3.

Thus, we see that both the 38th and the 39th data values are each $3. Thus, the median is $3.

Next, let’s discuss one final GMAT Problem Solving topic: three-part ratios.

GMAT Problem Solving Topic 5: Ratios – Three-Part Ratios

Three-part ratios are one of the more challenging topics tested in ratios. Three-part ratio problems generally present two two-part ratios with a shared term represented by different numbers in each ratio.

For example, we may be given the following two ratios concerning the number of cartons of white milk, chocolate milk, and strawberry milk in a New York deli.

White to Chocolate = 3 to 2

White to Strawberry = 5 to 4

In the first ratio, the number of cartons of white milk is represented by 3. In the second ratio, the number of cartons of white milk is represented by 5. However, we need the number of cartons of white milk to be represented by the same number in both ratios before we can combine the two ratios into a single three-part ratio.

The LCM of 3 and 5 is 15. Thus, we’ll be able to combine the ratios if we create two equivalent ratios such that both have the number of cartons of white milk represented by 15:

White to Chocolate = 3 to 2 = 3 × 5 to 2 × 5 = 15 to 10

White to Strawberry = 5 to 4 = 5 × 3 to 4 × 3 = 15 to 12

Now that both equivalent ratios have the same number, 15, representing the number of cartons of white milk, we can create the following three-part ratio:

White : Chocolate : Strawberry = 15 : 10 : 12

To convert two two-part ratios to one three-part ratio, use the LCM of the common item shared by both ratios.

Let’s now try a Problem Solving example dealing with this concept.

At a farm, the ratio of horses to ponies is 10 : 7, and the ratio of goats to ponies is 3 : 2. If there are 60 horses at the farm, how many goats are there?

The common connection in the two ratios is ponies, so we need to find the LCM of the two “ponies” numbers, which are 7 and 2. Thus, the LCM is 7 x 2 = 14.

We can now convert the first ratio of horses to ponies, 10 : 7, to one in which the number of ponies in the ratio is 14, by multiplying by 2:

Horses to ponies = 10 to 7 = (10 x 2) to (7 x 2) = 20 to 14

Similarly, to convert the goats : ponies ratio, currently 3 : 2, such that the number of ponies in the ratio is 14, we multiply the ratio by 7.

Goats to ponies = 3 : 2 = (3 x 7) to (2 x 7) = 21 to 14

The three-part ratio can now be stated as horses : ponies : goats = 20 : 14 : 21.

There are 60 horses at the farm. If we multiply the three-part ratio by 3, we obtain the equivalent ratio of horses : ponies : goats as 60 : 42 : 63. Thus, there are 63 goats at the farm.

Whether you are registered for the GMAT or the GMAT Focus Edition, Problem Solving questions will constitute a large part of the quantitative portion of your exam. The more exposure you have to the various topics tested by PS questions, the better prepared you’ll be on test day.

In this article, we have focused on 5 examples of PS questions you might encounter on the GMAT or the GMAT Focus. They have come from the major topics of Number Properties, Inequalities, Rates, Statistics, and Ratios. They represent only a small proportion of the topics and subtopics that you need to master in order to get a great score on the GMAT.

The PS questions we covered in this article represent only a small proportion of the topics and subtopics that you need to master in order to get a great score on the GMAT. Check out our article that introduces additional GMAT PS math questions for more practice and expert tips!

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Jeffrey Miller is the head GMAT instructor for Target Test Prep. Jeff has more than fourteen years of experience in the business of helping students with low GMAT scores hurdle the seemingly impossible and achieve the scores they need to get into the top 20 business school programs in the world, including HBS, Stanford, Wharton, and Columbia. Jeff has cultivated many successful business school graduates through his GMAT instruction, and will be a pivotal resource for many more to follow.

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Master GMAT Problem Solving: Sample Questions with Answers

Updated on 16 october, 2023.

Pragya Sharma

Pragya Sharma

Sr. content editor.

Pragya Sharma

Do you know GMAT TM problem solving questions encompasses more than half of the questions asked in the Quantitative section which means mastering this section can go a long way in improving your percentile and land you to your dream B-school. In order to excel in this section, you need strong analytical abilities and out of the box thinking. Even top business schools desire flexible and creative problem solvers and not just mathematical wizards. Hence, the core foundation of GMAT problem solving is adopting a unique and logical approach toward seemingly complex mathematical questions. In this article, we have covered the tips and tricks to master the problem solving questions along with samples for you to take reference from and start your practice.

Table of Contents

Gmat problem solving questions.

  • How to Master GMAT Problem Solving
  • Sample GMAT Problem Solving Questions With Answers

The problem solving questions are included in the Quantitative Reasoning section, which has 31 questions. The total time limit for this GMAT section is 62 minutes. It has two question types, namely Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. 

Both question types require advanced knowledge of algebra, arithmetic, and geometrical concepts. However, they prioritize logical and analytical abilities, not only mathematical brilliance. Problem solving questions measure your ability to leverage analytical and logical reasoning to solve quantitative problems by choosing the right one from five answer options. 

How to Master GMAT Problem Solving  

During GMAT problem solving practice, you should understand that these math questions do not aim solely to test your mathematical capabilities. Instead, GMAT problem solving is all about finding those who can creatively and logically solve problems while paying attention to the finer details. 

Here are some tips that will give you a better idea: 

  • Read between the lines- GMAT problem solving questions involve substantial trickery through the wording and other details. Paying attention to the finer nuances of the question is what you should practice. These are essentially multiple-choice mathematical questions that may deceive you into making mistakes. Focusing on this aspect is important to avoid errors in the Quantitative Reasoning section. The tiny details in a question can make all the difference, and you must practice identifying the primary solution required. 
  • Flexibility matters immensely- Personal flexibility will help you crack these questions better. You may leverage mathematical perspectives to problems, although conceptual or critical reasoning is also essential. Harnessing this flexibility requires practicing multiple ways of solving problems, including back-solving or choosing a number to solve the question and then working out whether it is correct. 
  • Thorough understanding of basic mathematical concepts- In the Quantitative section, you can never get the mathematical concepts out of the way.  You should understand core concepts well before appearing for the examination. Completing official GMAT problems will help you better understand the concepts you need to master. 
  • Do not neglect the answer choices-  Once you analyze the question, carefully examine the answer choices. They will influence your perspective on the question and your strategy for choosing one option. Are there any hints in the answers? Weigh them carefully before proceeding. 
  • Speed is essential- If one approach to solving a problem does not work, quickly shift to another strategy without wasting time. In many cases, the right approach only becomes visible once you get deeper into the problem. 
  • Pre-submission strategies-   Before you select the answer and choose  Next , re-read the question, ensuring that you are answering the right question. Also, check whether the answer has a reward in it. This strategy will help you bypass false negatives or trick answers. 

Sample GMAT Problem Solving Questions With Answers 

You can look up sample questions across multiple sources for GMAT problem solving practice. A couple of examples are listed below for a better understanding:

The answer choices are the following: 

  • E. $1.00 

Solution. The cumulative nature of the fine should not miss your eye. Hence, the fines for each day (till day four) will be the following- 

Day 1- $0.10 

Day 2- $0.10x2 (since doubling is the lower value) - $0.20

Day 3- $0.20x2 (since doubling is the lower value) - $0.40

Day 4- $0.4 + $0.30 (since doubling ensures a higher value) = $0.70

The correct answer is thus B. 

The answer choices are the following:

Solution. The worker carried 68 jugs (four per trip) after 17 trips. Every carton has seven jugs. Hence, 9 of them have been filled (9*7 = 63). There are now five jugs remaining and two more jugs will be needed to fill up another carton. Hence, the answer will be B. 

Conclusion 

The famous saying-  Practice makes perfect  is what you should remember, while taking up GMAT problem solving questions. The more you practice solving these questions, the better your confidence levels are ahead of the examination. Watch out for minute details and what the question is looking for instead of going for the obvious mathematical calculation that is possible. With patience and dedication, you will start getting it right consistently! 

Related Articles:

  • GMAT Exam Preparation
  • How to Prepare for GMAT Exam
  • How to prepare for GMAT at home

What does a GMAT score of 750 mean?

A 750 score on GMAT equates to approximately the 98th percentile. Hence, scoring 750 on the examination means that a candidate has scored higher than 98% of aspirants. 

What is the hardest part of GMAT?

Most candidates find the Quantitative Reasoning section to be the toughest of all sections in the GMAT. It requires not only mathematical abilities, but also logical and analytical reasoning skills to solve diverse types of problems. 

Pragya Sharma is a content developer and marketer with 6.5+ years of experience in the education industry. She started her career as a social media copywriter for NIELIT, Ministry of Electronics & IT, and has now scaled up as a 360-degree content professional well-versed with the intricacies of digital marketing and different forms of content used to drive and hook the target audience. She is also a co-author of 2 stories in an anthology based on the theme- women empowerment.

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Homepage > GMAT Preparation > GMAT Focus Official Questions with Solution

GMAT Focus Official Questions with Solution

Posted by e-GMAT | Mar 8, 2024 | GMAT OG Solutions , GMAT Preparation

GMAT Focus Official Questions with Solution

  • Introduction

The new version of the GMAT, called GMAT Focus Edition, has started from November 7, 2023. And from Feb 1, 2024 it is the only available version of the exam. Navigating through the exam can be challenging without a thorough understanding of GMAT Focus Edition Syllabus & its questions.

The syllabus for the GMAT Focus Edition encompasses three main sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Data Insights, each with a duration of 45 minutes. These sections include 23, 21, and 20 questions, respectively.

Understanding the GMAT Focus Edition syllabus and its questions is essential for effective preparation. This article aims to provide you with official GMAT Focus questions, along with solutions for each section.

The best way to understand the GMAT Focus Syllabus & question type is by trying the test out for yourself. Try Free GFE Mock now.

GMAT Data Insights Official Practice Questions with Solution

Gmat verbal official practice questions with solution, gmat quant official practice questions with solution, gmat official questions with solutions.

Embarking on your GMAT preparation journey can be daunting. However, utilizing the right resources can significantly impact your study effectiveness and ultimately, your scores. Official GMAT questions are instrumental in familiarizing yourself with the question types presented in the actual exam, enabling you to tailor your preparation strategy accordingly.

Click here to read about GMAT official Prep Content – What is it & how to use it.

Now let’s talk about each section of the GMAT & provide you the official questions with solutions.

Data Insights Section

The New Data Insights section of the GMAT exam focuses on evaluating a test taker’s ability to analyze complex data and draw meaningful insights. This section assesses skills in data analysis, verbal reasoning, and math, which are essential for making informed decisions in a business management context.

In the Data Insights section, test takers have 45 minutes to answer 20 questions. An on-screen calculator is available for this section.

GMAT Focus Official Questions

To support your preparation for the Data Insights section, here are links to official questions with solutions:

Data Insights OG Questions with Solution

Verbal Section :

The Verbal Reasoning section assesses the test taker’s ability to read, comprehend written passages, and evaluate arguments.

In the Verbal Reasoning section, test takers have 45 minutes to answer 23 question. The questions within this section are primarily of two types: Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension.

To aid your preparation, here are links to official GMAT Verbal questions with solutions::

 Verbal OG Questions with Solution

Quant Section:

The Quant section of the GMAT Focus Edition evaluates your understanding of algebra and arithmetic fundamentals and your ability to apply this knowledge in problem-solving scenarios. In the Quantitative Reasoning section, test takers have 45 minutes to answer 21 Problem-solving questions.

For those preparing for the Quant section, below are links to official GMAT Quant questions with solutions:

Quant OG Questions with Solution

Embracing the GMAT Focus Edition requires a strategic approach to preparation, with an understanding of its unique structure across the Verbal, Quantitative, and Data Insights sections. This article aimed to equip you with official practice questions and solutions, serving as a vital tool in your study regimen.

Leverage these resources to familiarize yourself with the exam’s demands, focusing on consistent practice and targeted improvement. The path to success on the GMAT Focus Edition is paved with dedication and smart preparation. With these resources at your disposal, you are well on your way to achieving your desired outcome.

Ready to tackle the GMAT Focus Edition? e-GMAT offers a Personalized Study Planner and top-notch Free GFE mock exam to help you prepare effectively. As the most reviewed GMAT prep company on GMAT Club with 2600+ reviews we’re here to support your GFE journey. Take advantage of our free trial with the best quality content. Start your path to success today !

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