Plan B Strategies

Question 1

Time suck

Answer 1

am I missing anything? (Break it out)

Question 2

Approximation - when to round?

Answer 2

If the problem contains difficult numbers, AND a phrase that means “approximately”

Question 3

Subtract common elements - (for quantitative comparison questions)

Answer 3

(These are not always obvious)

Question 4

Using the answers - backsolving

Answer 4

Plugging the answer choices back into the question in order to solve it (less han 10% of GRE math problems can be solved by backsolving)

Question 5

WOTF?

Answer 5

Try A, then E, then D, C, B

Question 6

Check the answers for clues!

Answer 6

While you’re solving…

Question 7

Picking numbers

Answer 7

When the problem contains NO CONCRETE values

But if picking numbers for problems involving MULTIPLES, FACTORS or REMAINDERS, pick several numbers

Question 8

Asswhole

Answer 8

“Ass”ign “whole” numbers to variables in the question:

1. Replace all variables in the problem by picking numbers, then solve the problem using those numbers
2. Plug the values you’ve picked for the variables into the answer choices to see which one matches your solution
   [avoid 0, 1, 100]

Question 9

Split the answers

Answer 9

“Split the answers”into a big group or a little group (works for problem solving questions - always in order!)

Question 10

Pick a test number

Answer 10

Should not be one of the answer choices - choose one that splits the answers into a group bigger than the number you choose and a group smaller

Question 11

Quantitative comparison guess trick

Answer 11

If one quantity of the comparison is mathematically complex, and the other is a simple number, the two quantities are often equal (USE SPARINGLY!)