The GMAT is a remarkably consistent and predictable Exam, so improving your performance isn’t just about ‘fixing’ the things that you are doing ‘wrong’ – it’s also in developing the proper skills to improve on work that you can already do.
 
Consider the following question. For many “math thinkers”, the approach would be “system algebra” – write out the appropriate equations and then solve for whatever the question asks for. That approach will absolutely get you to the correct answer here – and I suggest that you try it. Make sure to time yourself though - we need to know how long it would take you to solve this question using an algebraic approach.
 
Andrew has a certain number of coins in his pocket. He has three times as many dimes as quarters and six times as many nickels as dimes. A nick is worth $0.05, a dime is worth $0.10 and a quarter is worth $0.25. If he has a total of $10.15, then which of the following represents the number of dimes in Andrew’s pocket?
 
9
10
18
20
21
 
How long did it take you? For most GMATers, this question would require 2-3 minutes of work. If you’re really great at algebra, it might take you less time than that.
 
Now, I bet that I can show you a MUCH faster way to get to the correct answer – and it’s an approach that you’ll be able to use 2-3 times on the Official GMAT. Tomorrow, I’ll show you how it works and how to use it.
 
GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,
Rich
 
If you have any questions about anything in this thread, then you can feel free to contact me directly via email (at [email protected])