GRE Quantitative Reasoning Basics
The GRE consists of five scored sections: one Analytical Writing section, two Verbal Reasoning sections, and two Quantitative Reasoning sections. According to Educational Testing Service (ETS), the owner and administrator of the GRE, the Quantitative Reasoning sections are intended to evaluate:
- basic math skills
- elementary math concepts
- the ability to reason quantitatively
- the ability to model and solve problems using quantitative methods.
The GRE is computer adaptive at the section level, which means how well you perform on the first Quantitative Reasoning section determines the difficulty of the questions you will be asked in the second section. If you do well on the first section, the questions on your second section will be more difficult. If you do poorly on the first section, the questions you receive on the second section will be less challenging. The GRE scoring algorithm takes the difficulty level of a section into account when converting raw scores to scaled scores, with more difficult sections having the potential to be associated with higher scores.
The format of the Quantitative Reasoning sections is as follows:
| Quantitative Reasoning Section | Number of Questions | Time Given |
| #1 | 12 | 21 minutes |
| #2 | 15 | 26 minutes |
Test-takers have 21 minutes to complete 12 questions in the first Quantitative Reasoning section and 26 minutes to complete 15 questions in the second section. Based on these figures, you will have less than two minutes per question, which means you must be able to identify the type of question you are being asked and utilize an effective strategy to arrive at the correct answer in an efficient manner. There are a total of 27 Quantitative Reasoning questions. The format of the Quantitative Reasoning sections is the same whether the test is taken in a test center or remotely at home.
Test Content
Quantitative Reasoning content generally includes high school statistics and mathematics at a level no higher than Algebra 2. The test does not cover trigonometry, calculus, or higher-level math. An on-screen calculator is provided for tests taken in a test center, as well as remote tests taken at home.
Some problems are purely mathematical, some are posed as real-life problems, and some are “word problems” that must be interpreted and modeled mathematically. Standard mathematical assumptions of the exam include the following:
- all numbers are real numbers
- all figures lie in the plane of the computer or test paper
- geometric figures are not necessarily drawn to scale (so you cannot assume that lengths and angles measure properly)
- coordinate systems are drawn to scale (so you can estimate or compare quantities if they are in an x/y grid or number line, for example)
- graphical data presentations such as bar graphs or line graphs are drawn to scale.
The exam will use standard high school mathematics notation unless otherwise noted.
Content Areas
Quantitative Reasoning sections focus on four distinct content areas: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Analysis. Additional information can be found on the ETS website, but the following provides an overview of each content area:
| Quantitative Reasoning Content Area | Topics Included |
| Arithmetic | Properties and types of integers including divisibility; factorization; prime numbers; remainders; odd and even integers; exponents and roots; estimation; percent; ratio; rate; absolute value; the number line; decimal representation; sequences of numbers |
| Algebra | Operations with exponents; factoring and simplifying algebraic expressions; relations; functions; equations; inequalities; linear, quadratic, and simultaneous equations and inequalities; solving word problems; graphs of functions, intercepts, and slopes of lines |
| Geometry | Parallel and perpendicular lines; circles; triangles including isosceles, equilateral, and 30-, 60-, and 90-degree triangles; quadrilaterals and other polygons; congruent and similar figures; three-dimensional figures; area; perimeter; volume; the Pythagorean theorem; angle measurement in degrees |
| Data Analysis | Basic descriptive statistics including mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, interquartile range, quartiles, and percentiles; interpretation of data in tables including line graphs, bar graphs, circle graphs, boxplots, scatterplots, and frequency distributions; elementary and conditional probability; random variables and probability distributions; counting methods including combinations, permutations, and Venn diagrams |
Question Types
The Quantitative Reasoning sections of the exam have four question types:
- Quantitative Comparison questions
- Multiple-Choice questions (select one answer)
- Multiple-Choice questions (select one or more answers)
- Numeric Entry questions
Quantitative Comparison questions are similar to “Data Sufficiency” questions on the GMAT—they require test-takers not only to evaluate the magnitude of the quantities presented, but also to delineate a level of certainty about their relative size. Sometimes both quantities may be determined by computation or simplification, but some problems do not contain sufficient information to reach an answer.
Numeric entry questions are problem solving questions that require students to select one or more correct solutions to a problem, much like quantitative questions on the SAT.
One important distinction to be aware of on test day is the difference between the two types of Multiple-Choice questions. As you are taking the test, you can distinguish between these questions because single-answer multiple-choice questions will have a “bubble” format that only allows a single answer selection, whereas multiple-answer multiple-choice questions have a “checkbox” format that allows multiple answer selections. There is no partial credit given on the GRE, so in order to receive credit on questions asking for more than one answer, you must select all correct answers to receive credit.
Some test questions are presented independently, and others are part of a set of related problems called a Data Interpretation Set, which uses data from tables, graphs, or other informational displays. Data Interpretation questions may be a bit more challenging, since they require more advanced analysis of presented information, but they are comparable to the mathematical analysis skills tested in a variety of undergraduate disciplines. Once you learn the required skills and become familiar with the test methodology, Data Interpretation questions are very similar to other types of problem solving.
The easiest way to distinguish among different types of questions is to take multiple practice tests and become comfortable with the format of the test questions. With sufficient practice, identifying different question types and utilizing the appropriate strategy to arrive at the correct answer will become second nature, allowing you to focus on earning a top score.
While every exam is different, in general, each Quantitative Reasoning section consists of approximately eight (8) Quantitative Comparison questions, nine (9) Problem Solving items, and three (3) Data Interpretation questions.
Test Structure Compared to the GMAT
The Analytical Writing section of the GRE is always completed first. After this, test-takers will be given Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections in a randomly presented order. Unlike the GMAT, which allows you to choose the order in which you complete the sections, you do not get to choose the order of sections on the GRE. As previously mentioned, the GRE is computer adaptive at the section level, whereas the GMAT is computer adaptive at the question level. On the GRE, you can skip questions and choose where to start within a given section. You may also go back and change your answers as many times as you like before completing the section. On the GMAT, you may go back and review as many answers as you like, but you may only change up to three answers.
Conclusion
The Quantitative Reasoning sections of the GRE may seem daunting, but with focused and consistent practice, they can be mastered. When it comes to questions of a quantitative nature, the GMAT is usually considered to be more difficult than the GRE, but this is also subjective and depends on the academic and educational background of the individual taking the test.
The best way to become confident when answering Quantitative Reasonign questions is to take practice tests and develop the ability to quickly identify the type of question you are being given. There are no shortcuts to developing this ability, and consistent practice, often under the watchful eye of an instructor or tutor, is truly the only way to improve your test-taking speed and accuracy.