5 study tips for GMAT preparation

 

GMAT is one of the most revered standardized tests, dreaded by most, tamed by some, few have a clear understanding of how and how long to prepare for the test. Any gap in preparation and you are in for a shock; retake a costly mistake. Do it right the first time itself.

Use every weapon in your armory to improve your score even by 10 points. 

A verbal section has 36 questions on grammar, reading comprehension and critical reasoning. and a math section that comprises 31 questions based on fundamental math concepts and data sufficiency.

Here are 5 study tips which can help you prepare for the GMAT.

1. Be systematic in your preparation

Study daily. 

Devote 30 to 60 minutes.

A sample 60 min daily schedule

Day 1:

30 mins- reading comprehension practice

15 mins – Revise sentence correction rules. Apply SC rules in questions

15 mins- Revise number system concepts. Apply number system concepts on practice sums

Day 2:

30 mins- reading comprehension practice

15 mins – Revise critical reasoning rules. Apply CR rules in questions

15 mins- Revise geometry concepts. Apply geometry concepts on sums

repeat...

2. Focus on building accuracy first… speed later

You have 36 question in the verbal section. You need to complete the section in 65 mins. 

You got less than 2 minutes per question.

When you start your prep you might take 10 minutes to solve a math question or  

30 minutes to read and answer the questions in a reading comprehension passage.

Do not worry. Take you time. Focus on getting all the questions correct.

When you review the questions again, look for

• alternate approaches while solving a math question. These approaches can minimize problem solving time.

         Check this blog post.... I have solved this math sum in two ways. 

         One takes less time than the other. 

• clue words which can help you identify SC errors fast
• cue words, which can help you make inferences, while analyzing Reading comprehension passages ….

When you identify these clues, you will be able to arrive at an answer faster.

So be patient. 

Seek help if you need more speed-building techniques  ..

My contact info is here..

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

Facebook learning group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/semanticsGMAT/

3. Aim to finish you prep as soon as possible

The top scores in the GMAT spend 120+ hours, on average. 

The length of each study session can be 1 hr to 2 hrs, depending on your attention span.

Do not prolong your preparation, you might get demotivated. 

4. Use the right study material

Your study material should have

1.  in-depth concept discussion 

2.  practice questions

3.  test taking strategies

Some of you might require additional material, apart from the GMAT course material. For example

• basic math refresher course 
• basic verbal course 
• basic course on reasoning.

Do your research and choose the right material. 

We, at semantics, have designed course-ware for GMAT aspirants with no prior preparatory experience. Covering all areas of testing extensively, the course package provides all learning material required and experiences ideal for you to master the exam and score high.

Click here to find more info on our courses…  

5. Follow a study plan

Before you start your preparation, you need to make a study plan. 

This is not a test that you can cram for. To ace the GMAT you need to study daily. 

You need to gradually build your skills and stamina, so that you can hit peak performance on test day.

Remember GMAT tests more than the formulae in math and grammar rules in the verbal 

GMAT tests your ability to 

• Make decisions 
• Think critically
• Reason with numbers
• Identify patterns and so on

If you need help in making a study plan. Feel free to contact me..

Happy learning...

10 must NOT DOs for GMAT reading comprehension

 

10 must NOT DOs for GMAT reading comprehension

1.Reading only for the topic

Read for the author’s opinions running parallel to the topic as well

2.Concentrating on the specific details

Higher weight-age questions demand overall intent, flow and tone of the passage.

3.Choosing a stated idea for inference question

The answer to an inference question is never explicitly stated in the passage; it is implied

4.Taking the notes too far

One way to keep track of a long passage is by making thought flow chart; use symbols arrows to show relationships

5.Losing track of ‘who says what’

The passage may present multiple perspectives- of the author’s, someone else’s ( being quoted)..

6.Overlooking the question stem.

Some question stems are simple, yet others roundabout. ensure that you are clear what the question asks.

7.Undermining the need to build vocabulary

One third of the RC questions demand word knowledge…. Skepticism, laudatory, archaic, condescending…these all appear

8.Over reading

Skip, examples, specific details, long parenthetical statements….

9.‘ NOT SEEing crucial words- Only, except, not in the question stem

10. First reading- a slow ‘thorough’ reading

The first reading can be a faster skimming, for the main points of discussion.

If you need help in GMAT verbal preparation, Feel free to ping me..

My contact link is here:

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

Facebook learning group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/semanticsGMAT/

Happy learning

 

GMAT math thinking skills - 9

GMAT tests your logical skills as well as your knowledge of math concepts.  To score high, you need to remember various formulas, theorems. Also you need to master critical problem-solving skills.

Today I am going to  take you through one problem -solving skill –

Attention to detail

Take this problem .

I am going to show you, two ways to solve this sum

Method 1 :  The traditional approach

You need to choose the numbers which negate each other

For example Row 6 column 6 = 36.

Row 5 column 6 = -30 and  Row 1 column 6 is -6

So 36+ (-30-6) =0.

You need to choose the right numbers

 Add the remaining numbers you will get the answer

I have highlighted the different combinations with letters

1J	-2I	3H	-4J	5D	-6A
-2	4G	-6C	8G	-10I	12I
3J	-6B	9H	-12H	15E	-18B
-4F	8G	-12F	16F	-20E	24B
5E	-10	15	-20G	25D	-30D
-6	12	-18C	24C	-30A	36A

 

Numbers left =  12 15  -6 -10 -2

Sum = 9

This method takes a long time

Method 2: Pattern recognition

This approach is a lot faster.

If you look at the numbers column-wise can you see a pattern(ignore signs)

column 1: 1 2,3,4,5,6

column 2: 2x1,2x2,2x3,2x4,2x5,2x6 

.

.

column 6: 6x1,6x2,6x3………..6x6

When the signs are inserted, then a pattern emerges  i.e. = 1-2+3-4+5-6

lets calculate the sum of the repeating pattern 1-2+3-4+5-6 = -3

Hence column 1 adds upto -3

Next column will be -2+4-6+8-10+12 = -2 x(1-2+3-4+5-6)= -2x-3 = 6

Next column will be 3 x(1-2+3-4+5-6)= 3 x-3 = -9

Next column will be -4 x(1-2+3-4+5-6)= -4 x-3 = 12

Next column will be 5 x(1-2+3-4+5-6)= 5 x-3 = -15

Next column will be -6 x(1-2+3-4+5-6)= -6 x-3 = +18

Answer = -3+6-9 +12-15+18 = 9

If you want to maximize your math scores in the GMAT.. Lets have a chat...

My contact link is here:

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

Facebook learning group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/semanticsGMAT/

Lets try another sum

Solution is here

http://letsgmat.blogspot.com/2020/11/gmat-math-thinking-skills-7.html

 

3 essential skills to ace GMAT verbal

 

If you are starting your GMAT preparation  then you need to work on concepts and develop skills. 

So what are the skills?

Here are 3 essential skills which are required to ace the GMAT verbal

1. Writing a summary – rewording a paragraph in your own words

2. Observing the structure of the passage

3. Identifying clue words. 

These are 3 of the 10 major skills, you need to hone during GMAT preparation. 

If you need any help in GMAT preparation. Ping me.

My contact link is here:

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

Facebook learning group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/semanticsGMAT/

Now, let us understand each skill in detail.

Skill 1: Write a summary

This skill involves rewording the paragraph in your own words.

While reading a paragraph, you need to observe

• the main points of the paragraph.
• an “opinion” or a “feeling” statement (for example: Author's opinion)

A summary should be 1 or 2 lines long. 

Lets take an example

Example 1

There are times when the night sky glows with bands of color. The bands may begin as cloud shapes and then spread into a great arc across the entire sky. They may fall in folds like a curtain drawn across the heavens. The lights usually grow brighter, then suddenly dim. During this time the sky glows with pale yellow, pink, green, violet, blue, and red. These lights are called the Aurora Borealis. Some people call them the Northern Lights. Scientists have been watching them for hundreds of years. They are not quite sure what causes them. In ancient times people were afraid of the Lights. They imagined that they saw fiery dragons in the sky. Some even concluded that the heavens were on fire.

 

Summary:

The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, are bands of color in the night sky. Ancient people thought that these lights were dragon on fire, and even modern scientists are not sure what they are.

 

Notice:

There are times when the night sky glows with bands of color. The bands may begin as cloud shapes and then spread into a great arc across the entire sky. They may fall in folds like a curtain drawn across the heavens. The lights usually grow brighter, then suddenly dim. During this time the sky glows with pale yellow, pink, green, violet, blue, and red. These lights are called the Aurora Borealis. Some people call them the Northern Lights.Scientists have been watching them for hundreds of years. They are not quite sure what causes them. In ancient times people were afraid of the Lights. They imagined that they saw fiery dragons in the sky. Some even concluded that the heavens were on fire.

 

1. The lines in blue is factual information. 

In GMAT they rarely ask you questions based on  factual information. So this part can be ignored.

2. The line in red is the main idea. 

The whole paragraph talks about Aurora Borealis. So main idea can be “description of Auora Borealis”

Further 

3. You can notice two opinion statements. These lines are underlined.

Opinion 1: Scientists are not sure, what causes them

Opinion 2: Ancient people are afraid.

So the summary of this paragraph has two components:  main idea+ opinions.

Some paragraphs may not have opinions. 

Note*

In your preparatory phase, take notes. Write down the summary of each paragraph. When you start taking computer adaptive tests, you wont have time to jot down the summaries on paper. Instead, you will be able to frame the summaries in your mind.(To reach this stage, you need to do extensive practice though.)

What next?

Do a Reading comprehension skill building exercise.... Click here.....

Skill 2: Observe the structure of the passage

It is imperative you observe the structure/layout of the passage. 

You need to identify the link/relationships that connect the lines in the paragraph.

For example a paragraph may follow this structure

• Line 1: Conclusion (main point, author is trying to prove)
• Line 2: Reason 1
• Line 3: Reason 2
• Line 4: Example

Or

• Line 1: Claim ( a view without evidence)
• Line 2: Counter conclusion (main point, author is trying to prove)
• Line 3: Reason 1 for the counter conclusion
• Line 4: Example for the counter conclusion

So on and so forth

This skill(identifying the layout) is essential to ace the critical reasoning and the reading comprehension section of the exam

Let us take an example and observe the layout

Read the passage and write the layout

Purebred cows native to Mongolia produce, on average, 400 liters of milk per year; if Mongolian cattle are crossbred with European breeds, the crossbred cows can produce, on average, 2,700 liters per year. An international agency plans to increase the profitability of Mongolia’s dairy sector by encouraging widespread crossbreeding of native Mongolian cattle with European breeds.

The layout of the passage is as follows:

Purebred cows native to Mongolia produce, on average, 400 liters of milk per year; if Mongolian cattle are crossbred with European breeds, the crossbred cows can produce, on average, 2,700 liters per year. An international agency plans to increase the profitability of Mongolia’s dairy sector by encouraging widespread crossbreeding of native Mongolian cattle with European breeds.

 

1. Underlined line in brown is the objective /conclusion

2. Line in red is the plan/ reason which leads to the conclusion

3. Line is green is a hypothetical opinion

Note*

To tackle a critical reasoning question, you need to identify the conclusion first.

So layout here is

• Line 1: claim
• Line 2: conclusion
• Line 3: plan

Lets take a complex passage

Rain-soaked soil contains less oxygen than does drier soil. The roots of melon plants perform less efficiently under the low-oxygen conditions present in rain-soaked soil. When the efficiency of melon roots is impaired, the roots do not supply sufficient amounts of the proper nutrients for the plants to perform photosynthesis at their usual levels. It follows that melon plants have a lower-than-usual rate of photosynthesis when their roots are in rain-soaked soil. When the photosynthesis of the plants slows, sugar stored in the fruits is drawn off to supply the plants with energy. Therefore, ripe melons harvested after a prolonged period of heavy rain should be less sweet than other ripe melons.

 

Now draw a layout

 Check your answer here

Can you see how the lines are inter-connected?

Line 1 leads to line 2… which leads to line 3…and so on.

The last line is the conclusion.

So focus on the layout of the paragraph

Skill 3: Identify clue words

 

There are clue words which are strategically placed in the given paragraph.  These words can help you identify the relationships between lines.

Some of the clue words are

 And,because,hence,thus,therefore, yet….

 Lets take an example

 I got fever because I ate ice cream.

Here “because” indicates a cause and an effect. 

 

I ate ice cream is the reason ..I got fever is the effect

Now lets take a sentence correction question

 

A peculiar feature of the embryonic mammalian circulatory system is that in the area of the heart the cells adhere to one another, beating in unison yet adopting specialized orientations exclusive of one another.

 Here the clue word is “yet”

“beating in unison” yet “ adopting specialized”

 Here “yet” is used as a conjunction . It means but or nevertheless. 

In-spite of beating together the heart cells adopt different orientations which are not related

 

What next?

Do a sentence correction skill building exercise Click here.....

These are 3 of the 10 major skills you need to hone while preparing.

If you need any help in GMAT preparation. Ping me.

 

Happy learning!. 

How to develop our logic thinking to ace the GMAT

I have taken this article from "speaking tree" blog.

According to Aristotelian theory, humans are the most evolved form of thinking and feeling beings so far. What is more, we alone have the potential to grow and evolve into the spiritual dimension. But what precisely, if anything, sets us apart from other living creatures? Is it the faculty of reasoning? But reasoning does not, and cannot, teach us anything new. Socrates was a man, a mortal being. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

You can see here that there is no new truth that the third and concluding statement expresses that is not clearly implied in the first two sentences.

The conclusion of any piece of syllogistic reasoning does not enable us to learn anything new other than what is contained in its premise. You have the same limitation with inductive logic where you arrive at general truths from particular examples.

The mind grasps reality by establishing relationships between entities that it perceives new and perceptions that it carries from the past. The distinguishing feature of humans lies in our capacity for self-awareness.

Self-awareness is the key to develop logical thinking

Other living creatures may have the ability to perform a greater variety of tasks or may have developed superior sensibilities in certain areas, but we have the capacity to look at ourselves and be aware of ourselves.

We can attain knowledge, but what is unique about us is that we can also get to know how we can attain that knowledge. A human being is like a computer that can see how it has been programmed and, thereby, transcend its programming.

credit - speaking tree.

https://www.speakingtree.in/article/ability-to-be-self-aware

How to overcome GMAT math anxiety?

Do you have a non-math background?

Has it been a long time since you touched your math books?

Feeling anxious?

Many students ask me this question.

"Can I ace the GMAT math, if I have a non-math background?"   Yes, you can.

Remember GMAT tests you on math reasoning primarily. 

To overcome anxiety, You need to learn math concepts.+ You need to develop math skill-sets too.

Formula/theorems (Area of the circle, HCF and LCM of numbers...)  are the math concepts.

So what are the math skill-sets?

Definition of a skill-set: A skill-set is the combination of knowledge and abilities that you've developed through your life and work. You use these skills-sets to tackle problems.

We, at semantics, have developed modules, which can hone a students math and verbal skill sets.

Let me take you through one math skill-set. 

Problem Decomposition  

Definition: Decomposition is  the process of breaking a problem down into smaller parts to make it easier to tackle.

If you have a non- math background, you might find it difficult to comprehend word problems.

One way to analyze word problems is - break problems into meaning-full chunks.  

You need to

1. break the problem into  2 or more segments.

2. Analyse each segment.

3. Infer data (if necessary)

4. Diagram information…

Only after all this, you write equations and solve..

Let me demonstrate the above process via a math question

Lets take this problem and break it into segments.

Segment 1: "Each machine produces 1 toy every 3 minutes"

Segment 2: "After replacement : 40% of machines  produce 1 toy every 2 minutes"

When you process segment 2, you should also infer additional information.

This information is not explicitly mentioned.

Inference:  If 40% of the machines produce 1 toy every 2 minutes, then 60% of the machines produce 1 toy every 3 minutes

 

Segment 3: "Percentage increase in the number of toys produced in 60 minutes."

 

After breaking the problems into segments, you should use one of the many problem solving approaches.

Lets use this approach:  substitution of numbers.

Assume 100 machines are there initially

 

Segment 1:

Total time is 60 mins.

1 machine produces a toy every 3 minutes . Hence 20 toys are produced by 1 machine in 60 mins.

There are totally 100 machines.. Hence number of toys produced = 100 x 20=  2000 toys

 

Segment 2:

Total number of machines = 100

 type 1: 40% of the machines (i.e. 40 machines) produce 1 toy every 2 minutes,

type 2: 60% of the machines (i.e. 60 machines)  produce 1 toy every 3 minutes

Lets calculate number of machines produced by  type 2 first.. 

1 machine produces a toy every 3 minutes . Hence 20 toys are produced by 1 machine in 60 mins. Totally 60 machines.. Hence 60x20= 1200 toys  

 

Let us calculate number of machines produced by type 1.

1 machine produces a toy every 2 minutes . Hence 30 toys are produced by 1 machine in 60 mins. Totally 40 machines.. Hence 40x30= 1200 toys

so totally 1200+1200 = 2400 toys are produced.

Segment 3:

Percentage change =  (2400-2000)/2000 x 100 = 20% 

Hope you have understood this problem solving process.

Even if you have a non-math background, you can learn these processes and apply them on a wide genre of questions.

If you need help in GMAT math or verbal..

Feel free to reach out:

My contact link is here:

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

Facebook learning group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/semanticsGMAT

Happy learning. 

 

GMAT math thinking skills - 8

GMAT tests your logical skills as well as your knowledge of math concepts.  To score high, you need to remember various formulas, theorems. Also you need to master critical problem-solving skills.

Today I am going to  take you through one problem -solving skill –

Problem analysis with a diagram

Take this problem .

If you follow approach 1. 

You will use many formulas and theorems. You will get an answer, but it will take more time.

If you follow approach 2.

 You will minimize the number of formulas used. You will use your logical skills and reduce complex computation. You will solve questions faster.

In GMAT time-taken per question is the key. If you solve questions in less than 30 seconds, then you will have more time in the bank to solve harder questions. You will also be able to complete the section in the allotted time.

Penalty marks for un-attempted questions are huge.

Can logic be taught?

Yes!  Logic can be taught. If the tutor teaches you reasoning skills and demonstrates those skills on a wide range of problems, your thinking will get re-oriented. You will be able to solve questions using more than one approach.

I feel Logic is best taught in a tutor driven class, not through generic videos

If you need help in GMAT, here are my details

My contact link is here:

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

Facebook learning group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/semanticsGMAT/

Now let us understand both the approaches.

Approach 1

This approach involves formulae/theorem...

Area of square ABCD = side²

Side = 8. Hence area =64

F and E are midpoints of the respective sides. AB=AD=8

Hence AF=FB=4 and AE=ED=4

Triangle AEF, Triangle BFC and Triangle EDC are right angled triangles. Hence we can use Pythagoras theorem

This approach was time consuming. Also, This approach involves lots of calculation.

Approach 2 - faster approach

When you encounter geometry problems, look at the picture for few seconds.

Can you observe a square and 4 triangles?

Spend time observing the pictures and look for clues.

The area of shaded portion is equal to the area of the square – (sum of the area of the 3 triangles).

This approach requires you to know the area of the triangle = 0.5 x base x height.

Now let’s analyze the figure. F and E are the midpoints

The sides of the square are 8

Area of triangle AEF = 0.5x4x4 = 8

Area of triangle EDC = 0.5x4x8 = 16

Area of triangle FBC = 0.5x8x4 = 16

Area of square =64

Area of shaded region = 64- 16-16-8 =24

This approach is far easier and involves less calculation.

So always use logic to arrive at answers faster

 

 

GMAT math thinking skills 7

You will encounter word problems like this in the GMAT.

Most of you will write equations and solve this sum. 

That approach takes a lot of time.   

I am now going to show you, two ways to solve this sum

Method 1 :  The traditional approach

This approach takes time, for those, who are not comfortable with math.

You are also prone to calculation errors.

Method 2: Substitution of numbers

This approach is a lot faster.

You can save lots of time, If you use numbers instead of variables like X and Y. You can use this approach to solve various types of sums, from different areas.

 

Let’s choose numbers such that k is greater than m.

 Lets put P =100 and E = 10 . You can choose any number…

Hence option D is correct.

If there are many variables, use method 2 to arrive at the answer faster. 

Do you want to try another question in this series.

Give it a shot

 

Solution is here : http://letsgmat.blogspot.com/2020/09/gmat-math-thinking-skills-6.html

If you want to maximize your math scores in the GMAT.. Lets have a chat...

 

My contact link is here:

LinkedIn profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgeanand/

Facebook learning group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/semanticsGMAT/