• GMAT Test: Crazy Math Problem – Solved!

    By | Questions & Strategies For GMAT Prep

    Get the Flash Player to see this content.

    So I got this crazy math problem from a GMATPill student who was using ManhattanGMAT material and didn’t quite understand their explanations. (It’s OK ManhattanGMAT–nobody’s perfect).

    Well, here’s the video that I sent back to my student.

    Step 1) Notice that the numbers are EVEN and are SQUARES.

    Step 2) Notice that the question is not asking for x. Rather, it is asking for some weird expression—SQUARED.

    Step 3) Identify that it might make sense to re-write the equation with squares so they better match up with what we’re trying to solve for.

    Step 4) Recognize that the squares now cancel out, leaving us with 4^(2x) = 40

    Step 5) Recognize that the question is asking us something that looks different–but we can rewrite it so that it includes the term that we already found in step #4.

    Step 6) Do the division and arrive at 2.5 –TADA!!

    Other GMAT Prep Questions:

    GMAT Math Word Problem
    GMAT Math Mixture Problem

    Table of Contents | See Pricing

    Verbal Questions: Sentence Correction | Critical Reasoning | Reading Comprehension
    Quant Videos: Problem Solving | Data Sufficiency

    9 comments
     

    9 responses to “GMAT Test: Crazy Math Problem – Solved!”


    Leave a reply


    1. Roselyn

      hey this is what i need, i was looking for it.

    2. alley

      hi this is working for me exactly the same way i saw it on the gmat website other

    3. rocky

      so funny it looks! but it also is explained in a good manner

    4. leena

      i hate maths but this was a bit interesting

    5. pablo

      whoa, don't think i would've gotten that from the get-go

    6. mathdummy

      Zeke, HELP ME!!!! I'm trying to sign up to the course, but everytime I try to enroll, the page freezes up and I can't sign up. Please e-mail me with help. I'm desperate to sign up. usma_alecram@yahoo.com

    7. Thornton

      By the end of 1955, Thornton had 5,500 residents in over 1,200 homes.
      Thornton graduation gowns

    8. Santa Maria

      The city is notable for its wine industry and Santa Maria Style Barbecue
      Santa Maria graduation cap and gown


    9. This really is this type of great resource that you’re supplyin and also you provide away free of charge. I really like seeing websites that understand the need for supplying an excellent resource free of charge. Thank you for this excellent resource !

Login (Sign Up)
About Zeke Lee
Zeke Lee is the "98th %ile in 2 weeks" guy from Stanford who teaches MBA candidates how to think efficiently on the GMAT and how to study less, but score more... [more]
GMATPill Contributes To

GMATTM is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission CouncilTM. The Graduate Management Admission CouncilTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this web site.
© Copyright 2013, All rights reserved.