How can you get better scores in Math?
Most test takers usually don’t have a problem with the Math section on the GAT. It is the Verbal section that keeps them wake at night. But this is because a significant percentage of GAT test takers are of math background, who have a really solid math grip. But then, there are some test-takers who are really good at Verbal, but find math tough.
Having said that, compared to any other competitive exam in the word, the GAT math is somewhat easier. If you compare the difficulty levels of math sections on other popular tests like GMAT and SAT, the GAT Math would seem like a breeze. But even then, some students who do not have a strong background in Math might find it difficult to get started with the quant section on the GAT. So, here are a bunch of strategies that might come to your rescue.
Easy questions first
If there is one thing you should remember throughout your GAT test, this is it: Every single question in a section carries the same weight. So, you should prepare a strategy to answer the easy questions first. Skip off all those questions that you find hard to solve, mark them for review, and move on to easy questions to which you can get the answers right. This will help you save a lot of time, and you will be left with hard questions and a lot of time to cater to. Also, this will help avoid wasting too much time on one question.
remember this: every single question in a section carries the same weightage
Change your mindset
Often times, it all boils down to the attitude of the test taker. Many students ‘feel’ Math difficult, without even trying hard, because their fright of math prohibits from being open-minded about problems. Discard our fear, and be open to all questions. Do a lot of practice at home, and try solving those questions that give you nightmares. It is easy to master any math concept if you are ready to put in the effort and time. And it is definitely worth it in the end, because just a couple of weeks or so of practice can boost your Quant score by leaps and bounds. So, you should start being more accepting, and more open-minded about math.
Learn multiplication tables
As silly as this may sound, many test takers don’t know the multiplication tables beyond 10. In order to score higher on the GAT, you would need to know multiplication tables up to 20 x 20. So, start learning right from today, and it won’t even take long. Just a few hours, or maybe a couple of days at worst, can help you learn all the basic multiplication tables, which will come in handy for you while solving tough questions. You’ll save ton of time if you are good at numbers since you will not have to use the calculator every single time you see a number on the screen.
Answer Smartly
you don’t have to solve every single problem on the GAT in order to arrive at an answer
There are several advanced but simple answering strategies that will help you get the answer faster and simpler. For example, you can approximate some numbers, plug in values in place of x in the given question, rearrange the question in your mind to make it easy to understand, and lastly, make an educated guess. Employing these subtle but important strategies will be crucial to boosting your quant score on the test day.
Pacing Strategies
In order to establish an effective pacing strategy, you should employ these three strategies:
- Learn how long you should be spending on each question type
- Build your sense of timing by tracking your pace on practice questions
- Use benchmarks to check your pacing on practice tests and the actual exam
These strategies take a little practice. We’ve broken down each and provided timing tables for you to consult below.
How long should you spend on each question?
Each question type has an ideal time range in which to answer it. Stay within this time range and you’ll have enough time to work on every question in the section. If you take longer than this time range, you’ll fall behind in your pacing and risk being in a pinch at the end of the section.
However, going faster than this range is also dangerous. Answering questions quickly (generally faster than 30 seconds), you’re more likely to make a careless error.
faster is not always better on the GAT
Scratch Paper Strategies
Most students underestimate the importance of the scratch paper on the GAT exam. It might seem unnecessary to worry about something as trivial as the scratch paper, especially when there are other important things to take care of during the test. But it turns out that, the scratch paper can be vital for you to score higher on the GAT, as it helps you calculate better, avoid or reduce mistakes, save precious time, and at the end of the day, do well on the test.