How do we conquer the fear of GRE math?

 

Let start with a show of hands

 How many of us go blank when we see a math sum?

I can see that most of you are raising your hands, the others must be one of lucky 2%.

Now the big question.

Why some of us go blank and others seem to have the knack of solving math sums?

 

Well you can blame it on your mathematics teacher @ school or on your genes. But nevertheless while preparing for GRE or in fact while doing an Graduate course, you will encounter lot of math.

I can hear lots of groans. :-)

 

Few years back I read this book ‘How to solve it’ by George Polya. I modified my teaching style from just teaching question answers, question answers, question answers, question answers……to question logic answers, question logic answers, question logic answers…..

 

I found that I could tutor a person to achieve 160 within few weeks as instead of few months. Wow!! The best part of it I could see that students are able to solve math problems independently without me intervening.

 

In the book, Polya gives a detailed step by step process on how to approach math problems in general

 

I will modify the process and present it to you in context with GRE math

Keep these steps in mind when you approach a math problem in the future.

 

Step 1: Understanding the problem

Answer the following questions first

1.     Do you understand all the words used in stating the problem?

2.     What are you asked to find or show?

3.     Can you think of a picture or diagram that might help you understand the problem?

4.     Is there enough information to find the solution?

5.     What information, if any, is missing?

The answer to these questions will channelize your thinking towards the answer.

 

Step 2: Devise a plan

What will be the best approach to address the problem?

Approaches can only be devised. If a tutor explains a sum to you, then you will be able to understand only that problem. But when you encounter a new problem, you will go blank again.

Ideally when you encounter a new problem, you will have to use the existing ideas plus any new ideas you can conjure up. These process are mostly done mentally and involve little computation/calculation.

 

To get an idea, do any/all of the following.

1.     Make a systematic list/table

2.     Write an equation

3.     Consider special cases

4.     Use direct reasoning- for example If A>B and B>C then A>C.

5.     Use indirect reasoning.-Think of an earlier sum where you encountered a similar problem

6.     Look for a pattern

7.     Draw a picture

8.     Solve a simpler problem- break the problem into small parts and solve each part.

9.     Use a model- Make a general assumption and solve by guessing.

10. Work backwards. –work with answer options

Now that you have got an idea. Put pen on paper and solve to get an answer

 

Stage 3: Carry out the plan

 

Solve the problem with great care and patience

Discard the plan if it does not work and devise a new plan

Record what you have done to avoid repetitive work – For future use.

While attempting Data sufficiency questions, it is imperative you check your results. So

 

 

Stage 4: Looking back or checking

Have you addressed the problem?

Is your answer reasonable?

Can the method applied to other similar problems?

Is It consistent.

Now go ahead and repeat this thought process on different math problem and the next time when you see a math problem you will not go blank.

Watch this video to understand mathematical reasoning...

 

Feel free to contact me if you have any queries..

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GRE Reading comprehension cues

Reading comprehension questions appear in the verbal section of the GRE exam. 

Because the Verbal section includes content from a variety of topics, you may be generally familiar with some of the material; however, neither the passages nor the questions assume knowledge of the topics discussed.

Typical reading comprehension questions you get in GRE.

1. The main idea or central theme of the passage

2. Information specifically mentioned in the passage (mostly line numbered)

3. Information implied in the passage

4. The tone, intent or mood of the passage

5. The author’s point of view that’s projected through the article

6. What could have logically preceded or followed the passage

7. The scope of the passage

8. What is true or untrue of the passage

9. What is / are the applications of the ideas

Here are some cues to keep in mind, when you read the passage.

1. Summarize each para in your own words

While reading a passage make a mental map; what each of the paragraphs deals with, the author’s intent…

 Read the passage and form a mental summary

Sample:

The problem is the problem of success itself. Earlier Brazil was a food deficit country, now it is a food surplus one. With surplus production of food have come the problems of storage and in turn the problem of capital being tied up in food grains. The solution that everybody seems to talk about is diversification - into fruits, flowers, fisheries and animal husbandry. This, of course, is easier said than done. First, the farmer has to be convinced of the need to market his produce, which cannot be done without providing him infrastructural support - roads and cold chain. Then there must be someone to do the marketing. After all,even the most progressive farmer has to be assured of a market and of returns on his investment. Of course physical infrastructure is not everything. Knowledge infrastructure - how to deal with perishable produce and where to take it - is also important.

Summary: Diversification of crops, as solution to problems arising from food surplus, can be successfully implemented only when farmers are provided with physical and knowledge infrastructure.

 

The Summary usually comprises the main point of the passage and the different views

  

2. Notice opinions

When you read the passage, notice the different points of view.

You will get questions based on person A’s/B’s… opinion or Authors opinion..

Sample:

“Initially the Vinaver theory that Malory’s eight romances, once thought to be fundamentally unified, were in fact eight independent works produced both a sense of relief and an unpleasant shock.”

There are three points of view in the line above

1. Vinaver’s view – There are 8 books

2. Somebody view– The books are unified

3. Authors view – the books produced both a sense of relief and a shock

Each paragraph will have many opinion/counter opinions.. Identify all of them. 

 

3. Notice thought reversals- but/however..

These words indicate a change in opinions/views…

Positive view to a negative view.. to a positive view…

 Sample:

“ It might seem that certain traits would clearly define a species as a keystone species; for example, Pisaster ochraceus is often a…………………. But such predation on a …………………………………… roles. Moreover, ……………………………and at certain sites sand burial is responsible for eliminating mussels.”

Words like But/Moreover.. indicate thought reversals.

 

4. Skim through descriptive data

Some passages have illustrative data.

Skims through illustrative matter and scan through meaty points

 

Sample

 “There are times when the night sky glows with bands of color. The bands may begin as cloud shapes and then spread into a great arc across the entire sky. They may fall in folds like a curtain drawn across the heavens. The lights usually grow brighter, then suddenly dim. During this time the sky glows with pale yellow, pink, green, violet, blue, and red. These lights are called the Aurora Borealis. Some people call them the Northern Lights. Scientists have been watching them for hundreds of years. They are not quite sure what causes them. In ancient times people were afraid of the Lights. They imagined that they saw fiery dragons in the sky. Some even concluded that the heavens were on fire.”

 

Descriptive data:  “There………….. violet, blue and red”

These line talk about the shapes,colours, sizes..

You need to quickly skim these statements and get the gist of the paragraph as a whole. When you observe an opinion/claim….. read  the statements intently.

 

5. Make a mental map of the entire passage to identify the layout (example para 1:claim, para 2: evidence 1,  para 3: evidence 3...)

 

 Read and map the passage

While reading segregate the meaty statements from purely illustrative matter.

 

Sample:

“Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight is in the private and retiring, for ornament is in discourse, and for ability is in judgment and disposition of business. Reading  and pursuing knowledge allow us to do three things: entertain ourselves in private, adorn or embellish our speech and increase our ability to, for example, make better judgments and decisions in conducting our business. For expert men can execute and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one, but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs come best from those that are learned.

 Experts those who excel at or specialize in one thing, are good at handling particular problems within their area of expertise, but the larger issues of life are handled best by those who have studied more widely, who are more learned. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament is affectation; to make judgments wholly by their rules is the humor of a scholar. Of course spending too much time reading is

laziness, referring too much to our reading, dropping quotes everywhere, for example, is just showing off; and reacting to life according to the rules we’ve read is the characteristic of a scholar, some one who spends too much time in school, someone who doesn’t get out much into the real world" 

 The statements in bold are the main points/opinions/examples…These should be noted.  Also make a gist of the passage:

 Gist of the passage

The passage is about the benefits of reading- for delight, for communication and for better decision making. However, too much reliance on reading is acceptable, nor is using knowledge at every context welcome.

These are some of the reading cues to keep in mind while reading the passage.

If you want to maximize your math scores in the GRE.. Lets have a chat...

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