Getting a perfect score in the GRE Math section is certainly attainable – you don’t need to be a maths genius for that. With a clear understanding of the basic concepts and thorough preparation, you can easily crack the GRE Quantitative section. Here are a few GRE math tips and tricks you must remember if you’re aiming for a perfect 170 in the GRE Math section:

Practice Regularly and Revise

Practicing regularly is the key to succeed in GRE. Make a definite study schedule and follow it rigorously. Start with studying the fundamental concepts thoroughly and follow up by solving a large number of problems for all difficulty levels based on them. Since the GRE Math section covers a large number of topics, it is important that you revise and redo them regularly.

Learn Shortcut Techniques

You must not give more than 2 minutes to a question in GRE. To get that strategic advantage, learn a few shortcut techniques such as approximation, estimation, mental math, plug in, squaring and halving, number picking etc. These techniques can save up your time on easy questions and let you utilize it on the tougher ones.

Don’t memorize formulas

The GRE does not ask you problems simply based on plugging in a formula and obtaining a solution. Rather, it tests you on how clear you’ve understood the fundamental mathematical concepts. Hence, it is advisable that you skip learning formulas and focus on actually understanding the theory behind a concept.

Make the Calculator your friend

A lot of students waste their time doing tedious calculations on paper instead of relying on the online calculator provided by ETS. Utilize the calculator when you encounter complex long division functions or cube roots but ensure that you don’t overuse it and depend on it even for simple calculations.

Make sure you read all the information given on the problem

Test makers often put up small hints and tricks that can lead you to the answer in the problem itself. So make sure that you read the problem carefully and with full consciousness to grasp all the important information that can help you crack the question. This is extremely important in case of data interpretation questions where you need to analyze and make conclusions based on the data given.

Take Word Problems with Ease

The GRE can annoy you with those long, ‘purposely using a twisted language’ word problems and reading them can take up a lot of your time. Break down the question and pull out the important concepts underlying the question, once you’re clear with what is given and what is asked, it’ll take just a fraction of seconds to get the answer

Geometry figures are not complicated

A lot of geometry figures appear to be complex and confusing, but they’re not! Break down those large figures into smaller ones and you’ll see how easy it becomes! Reconstruct the figures on paper and make sure to check if they’re scaled or not

Don’t skip Mock tests!

There’s no preparation for GRE than mock tests! Taking a practice test in a stress-simulated, time bound environment familiarizes you with the actual experience and helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Take as many mock tests as possible, keep calm and you’ll get that perfect score!