GRE

Analogy Strategy: Part 2

jordan schonig March 19, 2010

This is the second installment of the analogy strategy tips. In the first installment, we learned the fundamental approach to analogies–define the relationship before you look at the answer choices–and we learned two tips: “refine the relationship” and “secondary meanings.” Here are a few more tips to beat the analogy portion:

3. Beware of Distracters: Distracters are employed by test-makers for nearly all multiple choice standardized tests, and they are especially effective–not to mention easy to create–on analogies. Distracters prey on our inevitably wavering attention. For this reason, it is crucial that you strictly maintain a methodical approach. Define the relationship; apply the relationship to answer choices. Period. Once you begin to lose sight of the method, you may fall prey to distracters. Let’s see an example:

ASHES: FIRE

Singe:flames

Driveway:gravel

Leaves: autumn

Hurricane: storm

Mud: rain

Obviously, there is a certain answer choice that just leaps off the page. When we read ASHES:FIRE, our eyes are drawn to the choice “singe:flames.” Our brains instinctively recognize semantic similarities before they recognize logical relationships; the connection between fire and flames is automatic while the relationship “ashes are a byproduct of fire” takes some thought. When you see choices that are semantically similar to the original pair, be careful, but do not rule them out. This is why we stick to the method. If you define the relationship before you look at the choices, you will bypass distracters, and notice that “mud is a byproduct of rain.”

4. Part of Speech: Just as many familiar words have unfamiliar definitions, certain words have unfamiliar parts of speech. The familiar words ‘right’ and ‘list’ are most familiar in their noun forms, but both words have unfamiliar definitions as verbs. To ‘right’ oneself is to restore oneself to an upright position. To ‘list’ can mean to lean to one side. These may be words you hear every day, but these definitions are far from ordinary. The good news is, on the GRE, all the parts of speech in the answer choices will parallel the parts of speech of your capitalized words. Use this to your advantage. If you are unsure which part of speech a capitalized word should be, just look at your answer choices to guide you:

FLAG: STRENGTHEN

Enervate: invigorate

Create: fabricate

Mangle: abuse

Whisper: announce

Hallow: consecrate

In this example, I see the word “flag” and, immediately, I imagine Old Glory flapping in the wind. As a result, I tenuously attempt to relate a flag to “strengthen.” Ideas of strength abound in the United States’ national anthem, as do references to the flag, but I’m still struggling to make a concrete relationship. How could I avoid this problem? Simple. Look down! Notice that all the words in the answer choices are verbs. Thus, flag is not used as a noun but a verb. Because the use of ‘flag’ as a verb is a little rare, I’m not completely sure of its definition, but I have a feeling it’s negative. When presented next to ‘strengthen,’ my guess is ‘to flag’ means ‘to weaken.’ My relationship is simple: look for a pair of verbs that are antonyms. The only antonym pair in the bunch is ‘enervate: invigorate,” and I’m correct. By the way, “to flag” in this context means “to become feeble or less intense.”

5. Common Relationships: After you do a few analogy problems, you’ll probably realize that, even if the words are new, the relationships tend to repeat themselves. The more familiar you become with these stock relationships, the better. Here are a few common relationships. There are certainly more than what is listed below, but some of these are sure to show up on the test:

Definition

SQUANDERER: WASTES

By definition, a squanderer spends too much money–or wastes.

Group and Member

BOOK: NOVEL

A novel is a type of book; it is a member of the group “books.”

Antonyms

GENEROUS: RAPACIOUS

Generous is the opposite of rapacious, or greedy.

Antonyms w/ differing parts of speech

EQUANIMITY: AGITATED

A person demonstrating equanimity is not–or is the opposite of–agitated.

Synonyms

REFLECT: RUMINATE

Reflect and ruminate can both mean to think deeply about a subject.

Synonyms with differing parts of speech

LOQUACITY: TALKATIVE

A talkative person exhibits loquacity, the quality of being loquacious.

Part to Whole

BRANCH: TREE

A branch is part of a tree. If you need to narrow, a branch is an appendage of a tree.

Degree

INDULGENCE: DEBAUCHERY

Debauchery is an extreme form of indulgence, involving excessive drinking and promiscuity

Function

PACIFIER: SOOTHE

The function of a pacifier is to soothe.

Creator and Creation

CHEF: SOUFFLE

A chef creates a soufflé.

Manner

WHISPER: TALK

To whisper is to talk quietly.

For more GRE Analogy practice check out Grockit!

Circles – Problem Solving

amanda chen March 15, 2010

To figure out most circle questions, you need to be able to relate radius, diameter, circumference and area to each other easily.

Here’s a table summarizing how they are related:

	Radius	Diameter	Circumference	Area
Radius		Radius is half of diameter.	Circumference = 2radiusp	Area = p*(radius)²
Diameter	Diameter is half of radius.		Circumference = diameter*p	Area = p*(diameter/2)²

Given this table, let’s try to solve this problem:

If the area of a circle, A, is expressed in terms of is diameter A = (πd2)/c then what is c?

Looking at the table relating diameter and area, A = π(d/2)² = πd²/4

Comparing that to the given equation, you can see that c = 4.

Relating circumference to area takes a few more steps, but as long as you know how to find radius or diameter, you can work it out.

If the circumference, C of a circle is < 16π then what could be the area, A, of the circle?

If C < 16π, then 2πr < 16π where r is the radius of the circle

Dividing by 2π on both sides, this simplifies to r < 8

Since you know how to relate radius to area, this means that A = πr² < π8² = 64π

So the area A must be any value < 64π.

The question could also incorporate algebra and Pythagoras’ theorem to make finding the diameter or radius more complicated.

Let’s take a look at the question below.

In the circle above, if the area of the rectangle set inside the circle is 200 and b = 8a, what is the circumference of the circle?

You’re given the area of the rectangle and an equation relating the length and width. This means that you can solve for a and b.

Area of a rectangle = ab = a(8a) = 200

Thus, a= 5.

Since b=8a, b=40.

You can now apply the Pythagoras Theorem to determine the diameter of the circle, which is given by

Thus, the circumference is 40.3π

Practice more questions like this one on Grockit!

Grockit Live Online Courses Are Here

brian buser March 9, 2010

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Analogy Strategy: Part 1

jordan schonig March 8, 2010

Analogy questions ask you to determine the relationship between a pair of words and then pick the pair of words with the same relationship. For example, if I see the pair “GEOLOGY: ROCKS,” I will pick the analogous pair “ENTOMOLOGY: INSECTS,” since in both cases, A is “the study of” B. The best fundamental approach to analogies is to mentally articulate the relationship between the first and second word. Then, apply the relationship to each of the five choices, and see which one fits. Again, define the relationship before you look at the choices. That all sounds pretty simple, but the GRE wouldn’t be a standardized test without tricks and traps. Here are some strategies to make the most of the analogy section:

1. Refine Your Relationship if Necessary: There is a particularly frightening moment that befalls every analogy test taker: you’ve confidently articulated the relationship between the pair, and it fits more than one of the answer choices. No, you may not choose both. I’ve already checked with the ETS, and that’s not an option. So, what do you do? Your best option is to narrow your relationship. Make it more specific, and hopefully only one answer choice will be left standing. Let’s check out an example:

CROWN:HILL

Belabor: argue

Vertex:pyramid

Phylum: arthropod

Undercarriage: aircraft

Floor:sea

Let’s say I see CROWN:HILL, and I determine the relationship to be “a crown is part of a hill,” which is true. I feel I’ve overcome an obstacle by finding a secondary definition of “crown,” i.e. not the one that goes on a king’s head, and I’m confident in my choice. I go through my choices, and–gasp!–I notice that the vertex is part of a pyramid, the undercarriage is part of an aircraft, and the floor is part of the sea. Hmm. Maybe, I was a bit hasty in determining my relationship. Let’s make it more specific: a crown is the highest point of a hill. Now, only one choice works. A vertex is the highest point of a pyramid.

2. Don’t Forget Secondary Meanings: Many English words have more than one definition, and you bet the GRE will exploit this as much as possible. If there’s a familiar word with an unfamiliar definition, chances are you’ll see it on the GRE. After all, the only thing worse than an unfamiliar word is a familiar word whose selected definition is unfamiliar. At least with the unfamiliar word, you immediately know your fate. The familiar word, on the other hand, is a traitorous trickster donning a disguise of friendship, only to attack when you least expect it. Okay, enough of the metaphor. Here’s an example:

VOLATILE: TEMPER

Whimsical: information

Exorbitant: price

Erratic: course

Taciturn: chatter

Inchoate: project

Immediately, I see a word like volatile and a word like temper, and I feel safe. They seem pretty related already. I know that someone with a temper, or a sudden outburst of anger, can be characterized as volatile, or liable to sudden change. It’s not the strongest relationship, but what else could it be? So, my relationship is “B is characterized as A.” When I apply my relationship to the choices, however, nothing quite seems to work. One small exception is “price is characterized by exorbitant,” which, though it feels weak because price is not essentially exorbitant, is the closest thing I have to an analogous relationship. Well, I’ve wasted all this time because I did not use the right definition of temper. I should have noticed a stronger relationship between ‘volatile’ and another definition of temper–disposition, mood, or temperament. With this less often used but more original definition, I find that “to be volatile is to have an unpredictable temper.” Going through the answer choices, I have a satisfying analogy: to be erratic is to have an unpredictable course, path, or direction.

Antonym Strategy

jordan schonig March 1, 2010

The antonym portion of the GRE Verbal may be the most misleading portion of the test. After getting acquainted with the GRE, you may realize that “finding the antonym,” a seemingly simple task, turns out to be not so easy. And, perhaps unexpectedly, the GRE has a lot more in its arsenal than obscure vocabulary.

While expanding your vocabulary is necessary for the antonyms, it’s not quite sufficient to beat the test-makers at their own game. Here are a few strategies to level the playing field:

1. Read all answer choices: Because the time limit on the GRE is pretty intimidating, many test takers rush though the antonyms. After all, all you need to do is read a single word and find its opposite, right? Well, yes and no. While this is, in fact, all you need to do, remember that the GRE is a reasoning test. More than one answer will appear sufficient, so if you jump at the first answer that satisfies your vague requirements for antonymness, you will likely make many errors. Let’s check out an example:

EQUANIMITY :

petulance

aplomb

propagate

agitation

misaligned

Suppose, upon viewing the word “equanimity,” you think “equal,” and go for the first word that satisfies an antonym of equal, congruent, and balanced. Surely, “misaligned,” though not an exact antonym, fits the bill, so you choose it. Unfortunately for you, hasty test-taker, you’re wrong. Though equanimity does retain the sense of “equa,” meaning equal or even, the word more accurately means “composure, steadiness under stress” (aplomb is a close synonym). If equanimity means steadiness under stress, then its antonym might suggest a more typical reaction to stress: agitation is our correct answer.

2. Determine Part of Speech: When we hear a word out of context, we often think of only one of its definitions and/or one of its parts of speech. For example, when I say FLAG, I expect that you imagine a colorful rectangle of linen blowing in the wind. But, what if we have this question:

FLAG:

wane

burgeon

intensify

return

weaken

If you were presented with these answer choices, I’d hope that you changed your mental image of flag. How do we know “flag” doesn’t mean an American flag or a white flag? All of the choices are verbs, not concrete nouns. So, we abandon our mental image and remember that, as a verb, flag can mean “to weaken, to become less intense.” Now, everything makes sense, so we choose “intensify.”

3. Remember Secondary Meanings: This tip is very similar to the last one. Not only should you pay attention to part of speech, but don’t forget about the lesser known meanings of familiar words. Take this example:

RIGHT:

lie

serve

keel

acquiesce

adumbrate

While the simple word “right” may seem like a beacon of clarity in a sea of difficult words, think again. We know, from strategy 2, that we aren’t speaking of the noun ‘right,’ like ‘right versus wrong.’ And based on the choices, we aren’t even speaking of the familiar verb “right,” as in “to right a wrong.” At this point, if you can think of a lesser known definition of “right” as a verb, go for it. It just so happens that “right” can mean “regain an upright position,” as in the phrase “he righted himself.” “Keel,” our correct answer, happens to mean “to capsize or overturn” when used as a verb.

4. Be Aware of Distracters: Do you think that, when making the antonym questions, test-writers arbitrarily choose wrong answer choices? Unfortunately for us, they don’t. We can only hope they’d be so lazy. When examining answer choices, certain answers are likely to grab your attention. You should be wary of such choices. Here’s an example:

UNDERMINE:

overturn

assuage

support

denounce

execrate

The sight of “under” in the word undermine may lead the hasty test-taker to the answer choice “overturn.” Under versus over is an attractive antonym, especially if you are running out of time and losing your composure. But, we know that undermine means to weaken or counteract, like “undermine the argument.” So, “support” is the best answer.

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Inequalities

jake becker February 22, 2010

The best way to think of inequalities is as equations with slightly less specific information. Instead of providing an exact location, they provide a range of locations, all of which are satisfactory. With “=” instead of“<”, we can solve for the exact number. In an inequality, that number will be used as an endpoint.

Find the Range

To find the range, you can solve for each inequality as if it were an equation, and then look at the direction of the sign. For example:

1/2 < 2x + 3 < 8

To find the range of values for x, we can subtract 3 from all three expressions, and then divide by 2.

(1/2 – 3) < 2x < (8 – 3)
-5/2 < 2x < 5

-5/4 < x < 5/2

If the question had asked if x³ < 0 (if x is negative), then we would not have definitive proof. Inequalities literally provide a range of options, so be sure what critical points (0, +1, -1 etc) these ranges include.

How many Ranges? It Depends.

When you have one greater/less than sign in an inequality with a linear variable, there is only one range created. Here are your options:

x>2 OR
x<4

These both provide one range stretching to infinity or to negative infinity. But what if you had x² < 9?

x² < 9 actually provides a finite range with two endpoints, even though there is only one < sign. The endpoints in this case are +/-3. Any x value between these two points will satisfy the equation. Also note that the expression x² < 9 can also be written as |x| < 3.

Be careful how many endpoints are created, to recognize whether the range is finite or infinite.

Multiplication/Division of a Negative Number
Make sure you are not multiplying or dividing by a negative number. In these situations you must FLIP the signs. If you aren’t sure whether the number is positive or negative (as in a variable) then you cannot perform the action.

Inequalities and Absolute Values

Since an absolute value simply expresses a distance from a certain point, if we used an inequality instead of an equal sign, we know if a distance is more or less than the specified amount. Take a look at the following example:
Which inequality below most accurately represents the range of possible values for x?

A. The absolute value of x is less than or equal to 4.
B. The absolute value of x is less than or equal to 5.
C. The absolute value of (x + 2) is less than or equal to 2.
D. The absolute value of (x – 1) is less than or equal to 3.
E. The absolute value of (x + 1) is less than or equal to 3.

The first thing we want to do is determine the midpoint between the endpoints. What this does is create an equal distance in the negative and positive directions from that center location. For this question, the center point between -2 and +4 is +1.

From +1, our range of possible values for x extends at most 3 in either direction, but can also be 1, 1.5, 2.8 etc in either direction. This means that the distance from +1 is LESS THAN 3.

Looking at our answer choices, we now have to decide between D and E. With absolute values, as with some advanced pre-calculus equations, the shift within the equation is opposite of the shift on the graph. A good way to quickly test this is to plug in numbers toward the extremes and see which fit.

For (E), if we plug in x = 3.5 (which we know is within the given range) into | x + 1 | ≤ 3, we get 4.5 ≤ 3, which is false.

Any x within the given range meets the inequality | x – 1 | ≤ 3 in Choice D. Be sure to think of ranges in terms of both inequalities and absolute values, as these come up in about 1-2 questions per test.

Good luck. Please visit Grockit for more GMAT quant practice!

Factoring

jake becker February 4, 2010

Factoring can be seen as reverse-multiplication. In essence, it’s division without actually dividing. Knowing when and how to efficiently rearrange mathematical expressions and/or to reduce larger numbers into more manageable ones will prove invaluable when taking a timed test.

No Long Division

Only in rare cases (such as finding a repeating remainder without a calculator) might we use long division. The vast majority of the time, we will try to reduce numerator and/or denominator of the fraction and look for common factors. Note: 99% of the time you will want to divide before multiplying out. For example:

For what values is

Instead of multiplying out (or cross multiplying), we first simplify the fraction in order to eliminate common factors. (Note that there are two powers of x on the top and only one power of x on the bottom.) Even numbers are always a good place to start. If you see both top and bottom contain a factor of two, then you can cancel that first. Then, factor out common multiples (including variables.)

{14x*3(x + 3)}/{2(x + 3)} < 42

7x*3 < 42

21x<42

x<2

When x < 2 , the equation {14x(3x + 9)}/{2x + 6} < 42 is satisfied. Pick an easy number to check, like 0.

Common Expressions

Learn these by heart. They come up on every test, in one form or another:

Note the difference in the last two. Only the sign on the 2xy term changes. So, in the following example, we can recognize what the expressions would be if we were to multiply out.

What is the value of xy?

Note that the question is asking for xy, and not necessarily the value of x or y independently. This should be hint that we don’t need to solve for x and y, and then go about finding xy. Instead we subtract the equations.

x^2 + y^2 + 2xy = 9

x^2 + y^2 - 2xy = 16

(x^2 + y^2 + 2xy) - (x^2 + y^2- 2xy) = 9 - 16

4xy = -7

xy = -7/4

Pulling Perfect Squares Out of Square Roots

When confronted with a large number or expression under a square root sign, remember that you can factor perfect squares out of the expression and “pull” them out from under the square root. This can work with numbers AND variables.

$sqrt{(12)(21)x^6 - (10)(18)x^6} =$

A.

B. $6x^3sqrt{2}$

C. $24x^6sqrt{3}$

D. $6sqrt{7x^3} - 6sqrt{5x^3}$

E.

Instead of multiplying out and then combining the two terms, and THEN, finding the square root of that equation, we can find common perfect square and take those out first.

Both 12*21 and 10*18 have two factors of two (4) and two factors of three (9).

Since x^6 is also a perfect square, we can rewrite the expression:

$sqrt{36x^6(7-5)} = 6x^3sqrt{7-5} = 6x^3sqrt{2}$

Choice B.

Take Hints from Other Expressions in the Question

On questions involving factoring, there are occasions on which you will run into expressions that can guide your thinking. In the following example, both the expression in the question and the expression in Statement 1 can be factored similarly.

If , is divisible by 4?

(1) is divisible by 10

(2) For a certain integer k,

If we break y^3 - y into y(y + 1)(y - 1) , we can quickly see that the three factors are consecutive numbers. In order for the product of three consecutive numbers to be divisible by 4, either one has to be divisible by 4 by itself, or two must be divisible by 2 individually. This means that both (y - 1) and (y + 1) must be even.

Statement (1) tells us that y(y + 1) is divisible by 10, which means that one of the two factors is divisible by 5 and also that one of the two is divisible by 2. However, it does not tell us which of the two is divisible by 2, so we cannot know if the remaining (y - 1) is also divisible by 2.

Statement (2) tells us that y = 2k + 1 . Since 2k is even, that means 2k + 1 is odd. If , then y is also odd. (y - 1) and (y + 1) must both be even, so their product is divisible by 4.

Choice B.
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GMAT vs. GRE What are the Key Differences

martin sobolewski January 26, 2010

Many people may not realize that some MBA programs do take the GRE for admissions and that some doctoral programs take the GMAT for admissions. With this in mind, it is important to understand the key differences you will encounter with both of these tests. Be sure to check with your target schools well in advance to make sure you are taking and preparing for the right test. The last thing you want to do is learn that your top school only takes one test or the other. Further, please be to check www.mba.com and www.ets.org/gre for further details. Also, ETS, makers of the GRE, are planning a GRE overhaul to start in 2011, so keep this in mind.

The following is an overview of the overall structure of the GMAT test:

GMAT

The GMAT test consists of three main parts, the Analytical Writing Assessment (commonly referred to as AWA), the Quantitative section (commonly referred to as Quant), and the Verbal section (which many people just call Verbal). You have 3.5 hours for the entire exam, though there is a whole process of checking in, etc, that will make it longer than this. All three portions are taken at a testing center on a computer. Also, note that the GMAT is a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) and adapts to your skill level based on your right or wrong answer choices. This implies that your test is unique, as you will receive different questions than another test taker.

Analytical Writing Assessment Section

The GMAT test begins with the AWA and consists of two separate writing portions and you are allowed 30 minutes for each essay. They are the “Analysis of an Argument” and “Analysis of an Issue”. These writing samples are fairly straightforward and there are many practice examples in the OG Guide or many other books. Once you are finished with the AWA section, you are offered an optional 5 minute break. Many students use this break to use the restroom or just have a quick walkabout, etc.

Quantitative Section

This Quantitative section contains 37 multiple-choice questions of two different types of questions, Data Sufficiency (commonly referred to as DS) and Problem Solving (commonly referred to as PS, for all you lingo enthusiasts). You are allowed a maximum of 75 minutes to complete the entire section, which equates to about 2 minutes per question. The Data Sufficiency questions ask you a question, then show you two different pieces of information and you are supposed to analyze whether one, both, neither, or taken together they answer the question that you are given. There is a certain strategy to answer these types of questions, but this is not the purpose of this article (there are many articles and much information out there). Problem Solving questions involve a question and five answer choices, you are to choose the correct answer.

Verbal Section

After the Quantitative Section, you will be given another optional break, which again is useful for many people. The Verbal section contains 41 multiple choice questions of three question types—Reading Comprehension (RC), Critical Reasoning (CR), and Sentence Correction (SC). Reading Comprehension involves reading a short passage and responding to questions (usually several in a row) about the passage. Critical Reasoning questions are those that give you an argument or brief paragraph and you must answer a question on this short argument/paragraph. They are much shorter in comparison to Reading Comprehension and usually only involve one question. Sentence Correction questions give you five different similar sentences and you are to choose what the best choice is. You are given a maximum of 75 minutes to complete the entire section, though because it is a computer test, you do not have to wait if you finish early. Once you are finished with the test, you are given a choice to cancel your scores or to accept. If you accept (which is usually advisable) you are immediately given your numerical score pertaining to the Quantitative and Verbal Sections. You will usually receive an official score report and your AWA score in the mail a few weeks later.

GRE

The GRE can be taken in both written and computer form and depends on what country or area you live in. Computer based tests are CAT, while the paper based tests are calculated via a process called “score equating”. In general, the GRE, like the GMAT, has three main parts, including the Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. Further, an unidentified unscored section may be included and may appear in any order after the Analytical Writing section. It is not counted as part of your score. The total testing time is three hours. For more details, please visit www.ets.org/gre.

Analytical Writing

The Analytical Writing section consists of two analytical writing pieces, including a 45-minute “Present Your Perspective on an Issue” essay and a 30-minute “Analyze an Argument” essay. These essays test whether you can clearly articulate complex ideas and also test your English language abilities, among other things.

Verbal Reasoning

After the Analytical Writing section, and if you do not have the unidentified, unscored section, you will arrive at the Verbal Reasoning part of the test, which measures reading comprehension and verbal and analogical reasoning skills in a multiple-choice format. There are 30 questions in 30 minutes. There are four types of questions in the Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE test

Reading Comprehension – Reading comprehension questions measure your ability to read with understanding, insight and discrimination and test your ability to analyze a written passage (several paragraphs usually) from several perspectives.

Sentence Completion – Sentence completion questions measure your ability to use a variety of cues to recognize the overall meaning of a sentence and analyze the relationships among the component parts of the sentence. You are given five answer choices of a word or sets of words that best complete a sentence.

Analogies – Analogy questions test your ability to recognize the relationship between two words in a given word pair and to recognize when two word pairs display parallel relationships. To answer correctly, you must correctly identify the key relationship between the given pair and then select the answer containing those words most closely related to one another.

Antonyms – Antonym questions measure the strength of your vocabulary and ability to reason from a given concept to its opposite. You must choose the best word or phrase that means the opposite of the given word.

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE test measures your ability to understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, data analysis and tests your overall quantitative abilities. You are given 45 minutes to complete 28 quantitative questions and there are three types of questions:

Quantitative Comparison - These questions test your ability to reason quickly and accurately compare two different quantities. You are to choose the answer that is bigger than the other.

Problem Solving – The format of these may vary, but can comprise of basic arithmetic, algebra or data quantitative concepts.

Data Interpretation – Some problem-solving questions involve data analysis. These usually occur in sets of two to five questions that share data in the form of tables or graphs and tests your ability to gather data and calculate information from the graphs.

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GRE Questions Tailored for YOU!

jake becker January 6, 2010

Here at Grockit, our philosophy is that students learn best when challenged with problems of appropriate difficulty. Each GRE student has a unique toolkit of complex reasoning, quantitative and English language skills, and Grockit’s analytical software provides that student with feedback on their performance, their progress, and their strengths and weaknesses. This feedback enables Grockit students to tailor their practice and allocate their study time more efficiently.

Grockit’s ever-growing bank of unique GRE questions has been written and reviewed by expert instructors and seasoned content writers. We design our questions using ETS® released questions from previous GRE exams along with other selected resources. This allows us to best model actual questions that you will see on the GRE on your test day. Each question is characterized by its difficulty level and the specific skills that it tests, and we use that information to provide you with fine-grained feedback on your performance and learning. When combined with the data that we’ve collected from your recent performance, this meta-data helps us provide Challenges custom-built for you.

500+ and 750+ students alike will benefit from Grockit’s algorithms. We aim to challenge you with test-true practice questions to help prepare you for your test day. Good luck with your studies!

Study for the GRE, track your progress and target specific skills

arena reed January 5, 2010

Grockit GRE is open to the public and people are busy studying for the GRE.

Grockit GRE

When you study for the GRE with Grockit you can practice questions whenever you want, for as long or as short a time as you like. Once you’ve practiced for a while, you can see a visualization of your accuracy across the skills tested on the GRE. Use your performance data to customize reviews and then orient your practice by customizing games to target weaknesses.

For example, your performance data may indicate that you are fairing well on Sentence Completion, but still need to improve your vocabulary skills overall. You may instantly create a custom review to see previously answered vocabulary questions with expert explanation and advice.

Track GRE Skills

Furthermore, you may practice more vocabulary questions, by creating a custom game that only targets vocabulary questions.

Target GRE Skills

In addition to the power of being able to track your performance and target specific skills when you study, Grockit offers you a way to collaborate with other GRE students and to get valuable instruction from tutors through the Group Study and Lessons tab in the Grockit lobby.

Start studying for the GRE on Grockit!

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