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GRE High Frequency Math Terms

Subjects : gre, math

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. When 2 lines are perpendicular to each other - their intersection forms 4 angles. What degree are these 4 angles?
1. Figure out how many slots you have (i.e. you'Re supposed to bring home 3 different types of ice cream) 2. Write down the number of possible options for each slot (i.e. 5 flavors of ice cream at the store - 5 options for the 1st slot - 4 options fo
A triangle in which one of the three interior angles is 90 degrees.
90 degrees each.
2 - 14 - and 34. So - a Bell - standard deviation - or normal distribution curve would be segmented: | 2% | 14% | 34% |average score| 34% | 14% | 2% |

2. HIGH: Simplify this: v75/v27
y = mx + b -- where: x -y are the coordinates of any point on the line (allows you to locate) m is the slope of the line b is the intercept (where the line crosses the y-axis) Sometimes on the GRE - 'a' is substituted for 'm' - as in 'y = ax + b'.
90 degrees each.
V75 = v253 = 5v3 - and v27 = v93 = 3v3. So we have 5v3/3v3. The v3 in the top and bottom of the fraction cancel - leaving 5/3.
Groups - teams - or committees.

3. What is a 'Right' triangle?
Using a simple '3' is usually close enough. Just remember that p is slightly more than 3 - if a comparison is called for.
Invert the second fraction (reciprocal) and multiply
(0 -0)
A triangle in which one of the three interior angles is 90 degrees.

4. Define 'proportionate' values
2 - 14 - and 34. So - a Bell - standard deviation - or normal distribution curve would be segmented: | 2% | 14% | 34% |average score| 34% | 14% | 2% |
The length of any one side of a triangle must be less than the sum of the other two sides - and greater than the difference between the other two sides.
Proportionate values are equivalent. Example: 1/2 and 4/8 are proportionate - but 1/2 and 2/3 are not.
A=1/2bh. The height of the triangle must be measured by a line perpendicular to the base.

5. What'S a handy rough estimate for a circle'S perimeter - if you know it'S diameter?

6. a² - b² is equal to
6
(a+b)(a-b)
That - unlike a normal chart - they are constructed to HIDE information or make it HARDER to understand. Be sure to scroll down - read everything - and look carefully for hidden information - asterisks - footnotes - small print - and funny units.
This equals 7 ÷¼ - or 7/1 ÷ 1/4 = 7/1 * 4/1 = 28/1 = 28

7. What causes 80% of errors on the math section of the GRE?
An integer is divisible by 4 if its last two digits form a number that'S divisible by 4. For example - 712 is divisible by 4 because its last two digits (12) is divisible by 4.
60%
(# of possible outcomes that satisfy the condition) ÷ (total # of possible outcomes)
Not reading the problems carefully enough!

8. How precise do you need to be - using p on the GRE?

9. Simplify this: v32
If order matters - then you have a permutation -- do NOT divide. If order does NOT matter - then you have a combination -- divide by the factorial of the number of available slots.
V32 = v16*2. We can take the square root of 16 and move it outside the square root symbol - = 4v2.
PEMDAS (Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally): P = Parentheses. Solve anything inside of parentheses first. E = Exponents. Solve these second. MD = Multiplication - Division. From left to right - do all multiplication and division during one step through
3:4:5 5:12:13

10. HIGH: Rough est. of v2 =
The value that appears most often in a data set.
1.4
Probability A * Probability B
V32 = v16*2. We can take the square root of 16 and move it outside the square root symbol - = 4v2.

11. The probability of an event happening and the probability of an event NOT happening must add up to what number?
First - translate into clear math: 56 = x/100(80) ('56 is x one-hundredths of 80') = 56 = 80x/100 = 56 = 4x/5 Divide both sides by 4/5 (multiply by 5/4) 70 = x - so 70%.
Arrangements - orders - schedules - or lists.
1. Given event A: A + notA = 1.
1. Factored: x² - y² Unfactored: (x+y)(x-y) 2. Factored: (x+y)² Unfactored: x² + 2xy + y² 3. Factored: (x-y)² Unfactored: x² - 2xy + y²

12. v4 =
The # falling in the center of an ordered data set
2
Not reading the problems carefully enough!
A 90-degree angle.

13. HIGH: Volume of a cylinder?
Arrangements - orders - schedules - or lists.
V=pr²h (This is just the area multiplied by the height)
360 degrees
Using a simple '3' is usually close enough. Just remember that p is slightly more than 3 - if a comparison is called for.

14. HIGH: Describe and define three expressions of quadratic equations - in both factored and unfactored forms. Know these cold.
(0 -0)
6
1. Factored: x² - y² Unfactored: (x+y)(x-y) 2. Factored: (x+y)² Unfactored: x² + 2xy + y² 3. Factored: (x-y)² Unfactored: x² - 2xy + y²
No. Never believe what you see - only what you read. GRE diagrams are often deliberately designed to be misleading or confusing.

15. HIGH: How much of your times table should you know - for the GRE?
It will be a great advantage on test day to have your times table memorized from 1 through 15.
Length of an Arc = (n/360)(2pr) - where 'n' equals the central angle (the angle formed by the two edge radii of the arc). For example: if n=60 - then n/360 = 1/6 - which means the arc formed by the 60-degree central angle will be 1/6 of the circle'S
No. Never believe what you see - only what you read. GRE diagrams are often deliberately designed to be misleading or confusing.
Between 0 and 1.

16. HIGH: What is the unfactored version of (x+y)² ?
x² + 2xy + y²
1. Raising a fraction (between 0 and 1) to a power greater than 1 results in a SMALLER number. For example: (1/2)² = 1/4. 2. A number raised to the 0 power is 1 - no matter what the number is. For example: 1 -287° = 1.
An integer is divisible by 3 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 3. For example - adding the digits of the number 2 -145 (2+1+4+5) = 12 - which is divisible by 3.
No. Never believe what you see - only what you read. GRE diagrams are often deliberately designed to be misleading or confusing.

17. HIGH: How do you calculate the length of an arc?

18. Convert to a percentage: 1/4
25%
A circle'S perimeter is roughly 3x its diameter (the formula is pd).
First - translate into clear math: 56 = x/100(80) ('56 is x one-hundredths of 80') = 56 = 80x/100 = 56 = 4x/5 Divide both sides by 4/5 (multiply by 5/4) 70 = x - so 70%.
S²

19. What is a 'Right' angle?
Length of an Arc = (n/360)(2pr) - where 'n' equals the central angle (the angle formed by the two edge radii of the arc). For example: if n=60 - then n/360 = 1/6 - which means the arc formed by the 60-degree central angle will be 1/6 of the circle'S
A 90-degree angle.
1/x^n For example - 6-² = 1/6² = 1/36
V=pr²h (This is just the area multiplied by the height)

20. HIGH: What is 'absolute value' - and how is it represented?

21. How do you solve a combination?

22. What do permutation problems often ask for?
3:4:5 5:12:13
Arrangements - orders - schedules - or lists.
Ratio of sides is x : xv3 : 2x - where x is the base - xv3 is the height - and 2x is the hypotenuse.
Quadrant 1 is top right. Q 2 is top left. Q 3 is bottom left. Q 4 is bottom right.

23. HIGH: Volume of a cube?
40%
Turn the second fraction upside down (find its reciprocal) and multiply. Example: 2/3 ÷ 4/5 = 2/3 * 5/4
V=s³
Absolute value is a number'S distance away from zero on the number line. It is always positive - regardless of whether the number is positive or negative. It is represented with | |. For example - |-5| = 5 - and |5| = 5.

24. Solve this: v6 * -v6 = ?
Favorable Outcomes/Total Possible Outcomes
That - unlike a normal chart - they are constructed to HIDE information or make it HARDER to understand. Be sure to scroll down - read everything - and look carefully for hidden information - asterisks - footnotes - small print - and funny units.
Arrangements - orders - schedules - or lists.
6

25. HIGH: What must be true before a quadratic equation can be solved?

26. On the GRE - should you ever assume that diagrams are truthful?
No. Never believe what you see - only what you read. GRE diagrams are often deliberately designed to be misleading or confusing.
Groups - teams - or committees.
Length of an Arc = (n/360)(2pr) - where 'n' equals the central angle (the angle formed by the two edge radii of the arc). For example: if n=60 - then n/360 = 1/6 - which means the arc formed by the 60-degree central angle will be 1/6 of the circle'S
Total of the elements divided by the number of elements. Example: (4 -6 -7) -- add 4+6+7 = 17 and divide by 3

27. What is the 'distributive law'?
A(b+c) = ab + ac a(b-c) = ab - ac - For example - 12(66) + 12(24) is the same as 12(66+24) - or 12(90) = 1 -080.
Multiply numerator times numerator and denominator times denominator.
Percentage Change = Difference/Original * 100
Calculate and add the areas of all of 6 its sides. Example: for a rectangle with dimensions 2 x 3 x 4 - there will be 2 sides each - for each combination of these dimensions. That is - 2 each of 2x3 - 2 each of 3x4 - and 2 each of 4x2.

28. HIGH: How do you multiply and divide square roots?
(0 -0)
Percentage Change = Difference/Original * 100
Multiply each numerator by the other fraction'S denominator. Example: 3/7 and 7/12. Multiply 312 = 36 - and 77 = 49. If you completed the full calculation - you'd also cross-multiply the denominators - but you don'T have to in order to compare values
Like any other number. For example - v3*v12 = v36 = 6 For example - v(16/4) = v16/v4 = 4/2 = 2

29. What is the key to dealing with ratio questions?
Ratio of sides is x : xv3 : 2x - where x is the base - xv3 is the height - and 2x is the hypotenuse.
Find the total - or whole - first - and then set up a Ratio Box.
A triangle in which one of the three interior angles is 90 degrees.
For RIGHT triangles only: c² = a² + b² 'c' is the length of the hypotenuse; 'a' and 'b' are the other two sides ('legs')

30. HIGH: Explain the process to solve '56 is what percent of 80?'

31. Define the median of a set of numbers - and how to find it for an odd and even number of values in a set.

32. HIGH: What is the unfactored version of (x-y)² ?
V32 = v16*2. We can take the square root of 16 and move it outside the square root symbol - = 4v2.
x² -2xy + y²
y = mx + b -- where: x -y are the coordinates of any point on the line (allows you to locate) m is the slope of the line b is the intercept (where the line crosses the y-axis) Sometimes on the GRE - 'a' is substituted for 'm' - as in 'y = ax + b'.
By Plugging In an actual value for the variable(s). This will be quicker - more accurate - you'll avoid built-in traps - and you can use the calculator. When Plugging In - use simple numbers but avoid 1 and 0.

33. What are the side ratios for a 30:60:90 triangle?
6
A median is the middle value of a set of numbers. For an odd number of values - it'S simply the middle number. For an even number of values - take the average of the center two values.
This is an equilateral triangle that has been divided along its height. Interior angles are 30:60:90 degrees. Ratio of sides is x:xv3:2x - where x is the base - xv3 is the height - and 2x is the hypotenuse. This allows you to deduce any side - given
Ratio of sides is x : xv3 : 2x - where x is the base - xv3 is the height - and 2x is the hypotenuse.

34. HIGH: What is a '30:60:90' triangle?
Probability A + Probability B
This is an equilateral triangle that has been divided along its height. Interior angles are 30:60:90 degrees. Ratio of sides is x:xv3:2x - where x is the base - xv3 is the height - and 2x is the hypotenuse. This allows you to deduce any side - given
The length of any one side of a triangle must be less than the sum of the other two sides. It must also be greater than the difference between the other two sides. So - 'A' will always be < B+C - and > B-C or C-B.
Groups - teams - or committees.

35. An integer is divisible by 9 if...
V=s³
Turn the second fraction upside down (find its reciprocal) and multiply. Example: 2/3 ÷ 4/5 = 2/3 * 5/4
S*v2
An integer is divisible by 9 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 9.

36. What degree angle is a line?
A line is a 180-degree angle.
Not necessarily. This is a trick question - because x could be either positive or negative.
2 -3 -5 -7 -11 -13 -17 -19 -23 -29. Note that 0 and 1 are not prime numbers.
(a+b)(a-b)

37. HIGH: Rough est. of v1 =
x²-y²
1
1. Figure out how many slots you have (i.e. you'Re supposed to bring home 3 different types of ice cream) 2. Write down the number of possible options for each slot (i.e. 5 flavors of ice cream at the store - 5 options for the 1st slot - 4 options fo
180 degrees.

38. HIGH: what is the side ratio for a Right Isosceles triangle?
80%
25%
The ratio of sides is x:x:xv2 - where xv2 is the hypotenuse.
Multiply numerator times numerator and denominator times denominator.

39. Define a factorial of a number - and how it is written.
Probability A * Probability B
An integer is divisible by 8 if its last three digits form a number that'S divisible by 8. For example - 11 -640.
The factorial of a number is that number times every positive whole number smaller than that number - down to 1. Example: 6! means the factorial of 6 - which = 65432*1 = 720.
An integer is divisible by 6 if it'S divisible by BOTH 2 and 3.

40. Does order matter for a permutation? How about for a combination?
S²
Order does matter for a permutation - but does not matter for a combination.
1. Raising a fraction (between 0 and 1) to a power greater than 1 results in a SMALLER number. For example: (1/2)² = 1/4. 2. A number raised to the 0 power is 1 - no matter what the number is. For example: 1 -287° = 1.
Invert the second fraction (reciprocal) and multiply

41. HIGH: What is a 'Right isosceles' triangle?
This triangle is a square divided along its diagonal. Interior angles are 90:45:45 degrees. The ratio of sides is x:x:xv2 - where xv2 is the hypotenuse.
Use the FOIL method: First - Outer - Inner - Last. This simply means to multiply every term in the first parentheses by every term in the second parentheses. Example: (x+4)(x+3) = First: (xx) + Outer: (x3) + Inner: (4x) + Last: (43) = (xx)+(x3)+(x4)+
Order does matter for a permutation - but does not matter for a combination.
(a+b)(a-b)

42. How do you divide fractions?
Use the FOIL method: First - Outer - Inner - Last. This simply means to multiply every term in the first parentheses by every term in the second parentheses. Example: (x+4)(x+3) = First: (xx) + Outer: (x3) + Inner: (4x) + Last: (43) = (xx)+(x3)+(x4)+
Invert the second fraction (reciprocal) and multiply
Find a common denominator and make equivalent fractions. Then add or subtract.
T = G1 + G2 - B + N Where T = Total G1 = first Group G2 = second Group B = members who are in Both groups N = members who are in Neither group

43. HIGH: how do you calculate a diagonal inside a 3-dimensional rectangular box?
The average - mean - median - or mode.
The formula is a² + b² + c² = d² where a - b - c are the dimensions of the figure and d is the diagonal.
Using a simple '3' is usually close enough. Just remember that p is slightly more than 3 - if a comparison is called for.
The factorial of a number is that number times every positive whole number smaller than that number - down to 1. Example: 6! means the factorial of 6 - which = 65432*1 = 720.

44. HIGH: What is the side ratio for a 30:60:90 triangle?
Ratio of sides is x:xv3:2x - where x is the base - xv3 is the height - and 2x is the hypotenuse.
(x+y)(x-y)
Subtract the exponents - retain the base For example - x? ÷ x4 = x?-4 = x5
Multiply numerator times numerator and denominator times denominator.

45. Diameter of a circle?
The # falling in the center of an ordered data set
Absolute value is a number'S distance away from zero on the number line. It is always positive - regardless of whether the number is positive or negative. It is represented with | |. For example - |-5| = 5 - and |5| = 5.
An integer is divisible by 4 if its last two digits form a number that'S divisible by 4. For example - 712 is divisible by 4 because its last two digits (12) is divisible by 4.
2r

46. HIGH: Define the formula for calculating slope.
Percentage Change = Difference/Original * 100
Slope = rise/run. Find the change in y-coordinates (rise) and the change in x-coordinates (run) to calculate.
S²
Multiply all elements of both sides of the equation by 2 (the denominator of the fraction). This will produce 10x + 3 = 14x. Solve from there: 3 = 4x - x = 3/4.

47. Explain the special properties of zero.
Between 0 and 1.
360 degrees
Zero is even. It is an integer. It is neither positive nor negative. Zero multiplied by any other number = zero. You cannot divide by zero.
A(b+c) = ab + ac a(b-c) = ab - ac - For example - 12(66) + 12(24) is the same as 12(66+24) - or 12(90) = 1 -080.

48. How do you solve a permutation?
Turn the second fraction upside down (find its reciprocal) and multiply. Example: 2/3 ÷ 4/5 = 2/3 * 5/4
1
The value that appears most often in a data set.
1. Figure out how many slots you have (i.e. there are 3 winning positions in a race - 1st - 2nd - and 3rd) 2. Write down the number of possible options for each slot (i.e. 5 runners in the race - so 5 options for the 1st slot - 4 options for the 2nd

49. If something is possible but not certain - what is the numeric range of probability of it happening?
(x-y)²
T = G1 + G2 - B + N Where T = Total G1 = first Group G2 = second Group B = members who are in Both groups N = members who are in Neither group
An isoceles right angle. Remember that interior angles are 90:45:45 degrees. The ratio of sides is x:x:xv2 - where xv2 is the hypotenuse.
Between 0 and 1.

50. How do you calculate the percentage of change?
Percentage Change = Difference/Original * 100
Always read the answer choices first. Try to eliminate choices by ballparking or estimating. But watch out for 'Trap' answers that look temptingly correct at first glance.
Add the exponents - retain the base. for example - x² + x5 = x²+5 = x7
1. Figure out how many slots you have (i.e. you'Re supposed to bring home 3 different types of ice cream) 2. Write down the number of possible options for each slot (i.e. 5 flavors of ice cream at the store - 5 options for the 1st slot - 4 options fo