Quote:
Originally posted by Nosheen
Hi Ali. Firstly, that really is a very comprehensive and useful 'How To' for the GRE.  Good work!
I just have a couple of questions about the quantitative section that I'd be obliged if u'd answer. (I did post these before but received no reply).
My maths is very weak and so I’m very worried about the GRE quantitative section. I read in a GRE prep book the test gives you questions mostly from grade 8 or 9 or so level. (I think it was the Princeton Review). Is that true?
Besides the GRE prep books, would O-Level and A-Level maths books be useful? If so, then for which sections? I know a lot of the A-Level maths is irrelevant for GRE such as calculas. But the the problem is which bits are relevant? So do they test O-Level type maths or A-Level maths on the more difficult questions? (hence making the questions 'difficult'?)
It'd really help me a lot if you shed light on the above! [8)]
|
Hi Nosheen,
Thank you for your kind regards. I'd be happy to guide you.
Yes, it is true that the GRE Quantitative only tests for high school level Maths. Since it is not my intention to make you complacent over this fact, allow to say that even though the GRE tests high school maths, it can make those trivial concepts seem difficult at times. The key is lots of practice and building up a good pace, because time can appear to fly really quickly during those 45 minutes in an actual test.
As far as prep books go, I am for Barrons. Its quantitative section is by the far the most difficult and comprehensive that I have come across in my prep. Kaplan is good for strategies etc. Princeton Review, in my opinion, is too much on the easier side. Power prep is overall the best indicator of the actual GRE. Make it a mandatory part of your prep (can be downloaded from
www.gre.org).
Yes you are right. Calculus is not tested on the GRE. The topics are mostly from coordinate geometry, statistics, probability, circles, squares, polygons, geometry, ratios and proportions, equalities and inequalities, polynomials, to name a few. You can download the ETS Math Review from
www.gre.org to get the full list of all that can be tested. And once again, I am emphasizing the importance of Power Prep. If its on the Power Prep, it stands a good chance to be tested. You can use your O Level and A Level books to brushen up some basic statistics, concepts of mean, mode, median, range etc, probability, combinations, permutations. Apart from that, I am not sure how much of a help can they be.
GRE quantitative is a world in itself I believe. It takes basic maths knowledge, molds its, twists it, distorts it, contorts it and comes up with a convoluted problem, which in its essence is based on simple ingredients, but appears complicated and overwhelming. The key is to do a wide array of problems and quite some of them to get familiar with what you can expect on the actual test.
Hope that helps.
Kind Regards,
Ali