Quantitative Ability (Quantitative Reasoning)

This type of reasoning assesses the abilities of basic mathematical skills, elementary mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning alongwith modeling and solving the problems with quantitative methods. These abilities, skills and concepts are assessed in the four content areas; arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis.

The best way to study Quantitative for the test is to make a list of rules and principles given in the review of quantitative section and explanation of the answers to the solved examples/practice tests. Keep a sheet of paper handy, as you are reviewing these tests; jot down any principles, rules, definitions or formulas that are unfamiliar to you. Then take time to memorize those rules. It is critical that you be able to recall automatically a formula, a shortcut tip or suggestion so you donot spend valuable time on the exam working out a lengthy problem or reinventing the wheel each time. Use the review section for added reinforcement.

Four Step Strategy

FIRST: Read the entire problem. Do not start doing calculations until you have read the problem from start to finish; you may find that you do not need to do all the work.
For example, if the problem states to find the value of the expression
(n-13)(n-52)(n-33)(n-4), for n = 4

You know automatically that answer is 0. This is because in the fourth parentheses the vale of n-4 for n = 4 is 0 and anything multiplied by 0 is 0. You saved all the calculations involved.

SECOND: Read the answer choices. Often you can narrow your answer down by estimating or by looking carefully at the units or values.
For example, you may be asked the number of soldiers in a platoon as a captain asks to stand all his soldiers in the form of a square. Looking at your answer choices, you see 108, 196, 224 and 87. Only the second answer choice could be correct, since it is a complete square.

THIRD: Make absolutely certain. That you know exactly what the question is calling for. Many careless errors are made when a person solves for x, not noting that the question asks for y, or for 2x.
You should take at least as much time reading and thinking about the problem as you actually do on calculations.
For example, a car starts from city M to city K 200 miles apart, with an average speed of 50miles per hour. How many miles the car will be from city K after 3 hours?

1. 100 miles
2. 20 miles
3. 50 miles
4. 150 miles

The car travels 150 miles in 3 hours (50 x 3). So it will be 150 miles from city M but the question asks the distance from city K. The right choice is 50 miles (C).

FOURTH: If none of known methods works, try grabbing an answer from the four options and plugging into the question.This will often lead you to the right answer quickly.
For example, during the first month after the opening of a new shopping home, sales were $72 million. Each subsequent month, sales declined by the same fraction. If the sales during the third month after the opening totaled $18 million, what is that fraction?

1. 1/4
2. 3/4
3. 1/2
4. 2/3

The fastest way to a solution is to plug in answer. Try choice (A). If sales in the second month after opening are declined by 1/4, it gives the sales of $18 million but this figure is for third month after the opening, so this is not the right choice. Drop it. Only the (C) choice gives the right sale figure during the third month. Therefore, the right choice is (C).

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