What does the Quantitative Reasoning section test?
According to GMAC, the section tests basic algebra and arithmetic and how you apply them to solve problems. Score scales (opens in a new tab)
GMAC says the math is around a high school level, but applying it requires reasoning. The test is adaptive: question difficulty adjusts to your answers. Your work is not scored; the goal is to find the right answer efficiently. Quantitative Reasoning (opens in a new tab)
In the score
Scored from 60 to 90, like the other two sections, based on three factors: the number of questions attempted, answer accuracy, and question difficulty and other question-level factors. All three sections count equally toward the total score, which ranges from 205 to 805. Score scales (opens in a new tab)
The score calculation, in the GMAT guideWhat do Quantitative Reasoning questions look like?
Twenty-one questions, all of the same type: Problem Solving. Each presents a math problem and five answer choices. Choose the correct one. Calculators are not allowed; GMAC says this is part of the section’s design. Quantitative Reasoning (opens in a new tab)
GMAC notes that the answer choices are part of the information you can use. They are always ordered, ascending or descending, and bound the answer. You can often estimate, round, or test an option in the problem. Quantitative Reasoning (opens in a new tab)
- A prompta problem, often a real-world situation to turn into an equation
- A questionthe value to find, read carefully
- No calculatorcalculations designed to be done without a calculator
- Five answer choicesordered answer choices, only one of them correct
Quantitative Reasoning or Data Insights ?
Quantitative Reasoning
Find the value, without a calculator.
One problem, five options: find the correct one, using the options themselves to help.
Data Insights
Analyze data with a calculator.
An on-screen calculator, tables, and charts; in Data Sufficiency, a different task: decide whether the information is sufficient without finding the value.
The section guide Data InsightsYou can take the three sections in any order. Flag questions to return to during review. After answering every question in a section, you can review them and change up to three answers if time remains. Test structure (opens in a new tab)
A worked Problem Solving question
A question written by Upsilar in the Problem Solving format. Choose an answer, then check it: the explanation follows the method below.
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
Correct answer: B—30 notebooks in the box.
The method in action
- Read what the question asks. We need the number of notebooks in the box, not the number sold, which is six fewer. Setting up an equation leads to a quadratic, so testing the options is quicker.
- Use the options. Test the middle option, C: 36 notebooks cost $360, or $10 each; selling 30 at $12 each also brings in $360. That is too much, and the larger the box, the higher the revenue, so move down. For B: 30 notebooks at $12 each; 24 sold at $14 each gives 24 × 14 = $336.
- Check the answer against the prompt. 30 × $12 = $360 in purchases, and 24 × $14 = $336 in sales: both conditions hold. And 30 answers the question about the number of notebooks in the box. Answer B.
The pitfall
A, 24: that is the number of notebooks sold. 24 × $14 = $336 satisfies the sales condition, but the question asks about the box, which held six more.
Key takeaways
Here, revenue increases with the number of notebooks, so testing the middle option shows which direction to search. Check how the quantity changes before using this strategy elsewhere.
What method should you use for Quantitative Reasoning?
Use these three steps for each Problem Solving question.
Read what the question asks.
Name the value you are solving for before calculating. A prompt may contain other values, which may also appear among the options. GMAC notes that it is easy to find the right answer to the wrong question.
Use the options.
GMAC recommends strategies such as testing an answer choice in the prompt, substituting a simple value for an unknown, or estimating. If the result always changes in the same direction as the value you test, the ordered options can show which direction to search next.
Check the answer against the prompt.
Check the selected value against every condition. If it satisfies them all and answers the question, it is correct. A few seconds can prevent a misreading.
The pitfall to avoid
Solving it the way you learned in class. Setting up and solving a full equation when testing an option would suffice: your work is not scored, only the answer is, and the extra time takes away from later questions.
How much time do you have per Quantitative Reasoning question?
Average per question
2 min 09 sec
45 minutes ÷ 21 questions, according to GMAC figures
A time budget between the other two sections: 2 minutes 15 seconds per question in Data Insights and 1 minute 57 seconds in Verbal Reasoning. This is an average, not a rule: some problems can be solved by testing an option, while others require calculation. GMAC notes that running out of time often signals an overly long method. Quantitative Reasoning (opens in a new tab)
An unfinished section
Incomplete section: a penalty accounts for the number of unanswered questions. It is better to leave enough time to answer all 21 questions. Understand your score (opens in a new tab)
What is the GMAT?, in the GMAT guideHow can you brush up on the basics without reviewing everything indiscriminately?
A learning sequence by Upsilar, moving from units to equations. The four problems that follow help diagnose your approach; they do not predict a score.
- Unit priceIdentify the value of one unit before multiplying or dividing.
- Fraction of a wholeRepresent both situations using the same unknown total.
- RatesAdd quantities per unit of time, not time durations.
- Algebraic constraintsTranslate an upper bound and check the greatest allowed value.
First solve the problems without trying to go fast. After each explanation, identify which information determined the setup and what mistake each other option represents. Once the method is clear, try it with new numbers, then under time pressure. This sequence practices the arithmetic and algebra GMAC describes; it does not cover every topic in the section. Quantitative Reasoning (opens in a new tab)
Can you choose the right model for each problem?
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
C — 15 batteries.
The method in action
- Identify the unit. 84 ÷ 7 = $12 per battery. Unit price is an amount of money, not the number of items requested.
- Use the budget. 180 ÷ 12 = 15 batteries. Divide the budget by the price of one item.
- Check your work. 15 × 12 = 180. Twelve batteries cost $144 and 14 cost $168, so both are possible but not the maximum. Eighteen cost $216 and 21 cost $252, over budget.
The pitfall
Choosing 12 gives the unit price instead of the number of batteries.
Key takeaways
Write the unit beside each intermediate result to see whether you have answered the question.
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
D — 60 liters.
The method in action
- Hold the whole constant. The capacity C is the same before and after the amount is removed. The amount removed is (3/5 − 3/10)C = (3/10)C.
- Solve. 3C/10 = 18, so C = 18 × 10/3 = 60.
- Check both situations. The tank initially contains 36 liters, then 18. These are 3/5 and 3/10 of 60. Capacities of 36, 45, 54, and 90 would result in removals of 10.8, 13.5, 16.2, and 27 liters.
The pitfall
36 liters is the initial amount, not the tank’s capacity.
Key takeaways
Compare two fractions of the same whole using the same conceptual denominator: the capacity.
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
C — 2.5 hours.
The method in action
- Move on to rates. A produces 360 ÷ 6 = 60 labels per hour, and B produces 360 ÷ 9 = 40.
- Combine the work. Together, they produce 100 labels per hour. They need 250 ÷ 100 = 2.5 hours.
- Check your work. In 2.5 hours, A produces 150 labels and B produces 100. The other times give a combined total of 150, 200, 300, or 400 labels, not 250.
The pitfall
Adding 6 and 9 combines the time each needs to complete a full batch, not their simultaneous production rates.
Key takeaways
Before combining two machines, express both rates in the same units.
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
C — 10 colis.
The method in action
- Translate the limit. With n packages, the price is 12 + 3n. “No more than” includes equality: 12 + 3n ≤ 42.
- Isolate the variable part. 3n ≤ 30, so n ≤ 10. The greatest allowed integer is 10.
- Check the boundary. Ten packages cost $42; eleven would cost $45. Eight and nine are possible but not the maximum; 12 and 14 exceed the limit.
The pitfall
42 ÷ 3 = 14 ignores the fixed fee, which cannot be used to pay for packages.
Key takeaways
Check a maximum by testing its value and then the next one.
For more practice with price changes and proportions: GMAT percentages and ratios: choose a simple model
For more practice with sign constraints and equations: GMAT algebra: equations, inequalities, and values to test
Frequently asked questions about Quantitative Reasoning
Are calculators allowed in Quantitative Reasoning?
No. GMAC says the section is designed to assess mental math and problem-solving, so calculators are not allowed. An on-screen calculator is available only in Data Insights. The section guide Data Insights
What level of math do you need?
About a high school level, according to GMAC: word problems, arithmetic and number properties, ratios and proportions, algebra, descriptive statistics, sequences, sets, probability, and counting. GMAC’s list does not mention geometry.
Are there question types other than Problem Solving?
No. According to GMAC, this section contains only Problem Solving questions. Data Sufficiency questions, which ask whether information is sufficient, are part of Data Insights.
The Quantitative Reasoning section: is it adaptive?
Yes. Question difficulty adapts to your answers. According to GMAC, your score reflects the number of questions answered, answer accuracy, question difficulty, and other question characteristics.