This free GMAT study guide covers the — the only version of the GMAT in use since early 2024 — organized to the official GMAC content outline.[2] It walks through all three sections the exam tests: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights.
It’s interactive, not a wall of text: every module has built-in checkpoint quizzes, flashcards, and practice questions, so you learn by doing — not just reading.
A key change to know up front: the three sections are weighted equally, so the new section counts just as much as Quant or Verbal. Read a section, test yourself at each checkpoint, then drill gaps with our free practice test and flashcards. This guide is a high-yield overview that maps the official content — not a full GMAT textbook.
GMAT Exam Snapshot (Focus Edition)
| Detail | GMAT (Focus Edition) |
|---|---|
| Sections | 3 — Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Data Insights (any order) |
| Questions | 64 total (Quant 21 · Verbal 23 · Data Insights 20) |
| Time | 2 hours 15 minutes (45 min per section) + one optional 10-min break |
| Format | Computer-based; section-adaptive within each section |
| Score scale | 205–805 total (10-point increments); each section 60–90 |
| Passing score | None fixed — program-specific; mean total ≈ 545 |
| Calculator | Data Insights only (on-screen); none in Quant |
| Review & Edit | Bookmark any question; change up to 3 answers per section |
| Administered by | GMAC (test center or online) |
| Cost | ≈ $275 test center / $300 online (excl. tax); 5 free score sends |
| Score validity | 5 years |
Because the three sections contribute equally to your total, study by balance — not by old habits that over-weighted Quant.[3] Here is how the exam is built:
Quantitative Reasoning
21 questions · 45 min · score 60–90
Problem Solving only — algebra and arithmetic. No geometry, no calculator.
Verbal Reasoning
23 questions · 45 min · score 60–90
Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning only. No sentence correction.
Data Insights
20 questions · 45 min · score 60–90
Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics, Two-Part. Calculator allowed.
Module 1 · Quantitative Reasoning
One of three sections, one-third of your total score (21 Problem Solving questions, 45 minutes). Quant tests only — five-choice math questions built on arithmetic and algebra. There is no geometry and no calculator in the Focus Edition, so the skill being measured is clean reasoning and number sense under time pressure.[2]
1.1 Arithmetic & Number Properties
Most Quant questions reward knowing a property over grinding the arithmetic. Master integer behavior: odd × even = even, odd × odd = odd, and the product of any two consecutive integers is even. A has exactly two factors; 2 is the only even prime and 1 is not prime. Know divisibility rules, factors, and multiples cold.
The other arithmetic core is proportional reasoning: , fractions, and especially . The single most-tested percent rule is to always divide by the original value, and to remember that successive percent changes multiply rather than add — a 50% drop then a 50% rise does not return to the start.
| Rule | What it means | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Even × anything | Any product with an even factor is even | Answer parity questions instantly |
| Consecutive integers | Two in a row → one is even → product is even | Skip the multiplication |
| Only even prime | 2 is the single even prime; 1 is not prime | Avoids the classic prime trap |
| Successive percents | Multiply factors (×1.1 then ×0.9), don't add | Stops the 'nets to zero' error |
1.2 Algebra
Algebra on the GMAT is about manipulation and setup, not heavy theory. Solve linear and (factor first, then the quadratic formula), simplify expressions, and work with functions. Handle carefully: multiplying or dividing by a negative number flips the inequality sign.
Two reliable strategies appear constantly. Plugging in answer choices (backsolving) turns an algebra problem into arithmetic — start with choice B or D. Picking smart numbers works when the problem is in variables; choose easy values (often 100 for percents) and test the choices.
| Tactic | Use it when… | How |
|---|---|---|
| Backsolve | Choices are numbers and algebra is messy | Plug B or D into the question; adjust up/down |
| Pick numbers | The problem and choices are in variables | Use easy values (e.g., 100); compare results |
| Factor first | You see a quadratic (ax² + bx + c) | Find two numbers that multiply to c, add to b |
| Flip on negatives | Dividing an inequality by a negative | Reverse the < or > sign |
1.3 Word Problems, Rates & Statistics
Word problems translate English into equations. The reusable engine is : convert each worker or machine to a rate, add rates when they work together (never add the times), and solve. For mixtures and averages, use a — weight each value by its share of the total, because groups are rarely equal in size.
Round out the section with statistics: , range, and (a measure of spread — you interpret it, you rarely compute it). Watch for the difference between the mean and the median when a set is skewed by an outlier.
| Type | Formula / rule |
|---|---|
| Rate / distance | distance = rate × time; combined rate = sum of rates |
| Work (two together) | time = (a × b) ÷ (a + b) for individual times a and b |
| Weighted average | Σ(value × weight) ÷ Σ(weights) |
| Simple interest | interest = principal × rate × time |
| Mean vs. median | An outlier moves the mean more than the median |
Checkpoint · Quantitative Reasoning
Question 1 of 10
The product of any two consecutive integers is always which of the following?
Module 2 · Verbal Reasoning
One of three sections, one-third of your total score (23 questions, 45 minutes). Verbal Reasoning tests two question types only: and . The Focus Edition removed sentence correction, so grammar rules are no longer tested — the skill is now reading and logic, not editing.[2]
2.1 Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension gives you a passage and several questions. Read for structure, not detail: note the author’s purpose, the role of each paragraph, and any shift in tone. The main ideamust cover the whole passage, so reject choices that are too narrow or too broad. Distinguish the author’s own view from views they merely describe in order to criticize.
Question types repeat: main idea, supporting detail, (what must be true from the text), logical structure (why a sentence is there), and tone. For inference questions, the answer stays close to the passage — anything requiring outside assumptions is wrong.
| Question type | What it asks | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Main idea | The central point of the whole passage | Pick the choice that covers all paragraphs |
| Detail | A specific fact stated in the text | Return to the line; don't rely on memory |
| Inference | What must be true given the text | Stay close to the text; reject big leaps |
| Structure / purpose | Why a sentence or paragraph is there | Identify its role in the argument |
| Tone | The author's attitude | Match the strength of the language used |
2.2 Critical Reasoning
Critical Reasoning gives a short argument and asks you to act on it. First, find the two parts: the (the main point) and the evidence offered for it. The link between them is an — an unstated premise the argument needs. Almost every CR question turns on spotting that gap.
To an argument, attack the assumption — offer an alternative cause or a counterexample so the conclusion no longer follows. To it, confirm the assumption or rule out alternatives. For assumption questions, use the negation test: if denying a choice makes the argument collapse, that choice is the necessary assumption.
| Type | Goal | Tactic |
|---|---|---|
| Assumption | Find the unstated premise | Negation test — denial breaks the argument |
| Weaken | Make the conclusion less likely | Alternative cause or counterexample |
| Strengthen | Make the conclusion more likely | Confirm the assumption; close the gap |
| Flaw | Name the reasoning error | Watch for causation-vs-correlation, overgeneralizing |
| Evaluate | What info would test it | Find the question whose answer swings the conclusion |
Checkpoint · Verbal Reasoning
Question 1 of 10
On the GMAT Verbal Reasoning section, which two question types make up the section under the current exam design?
Module 3 · Data Insights
One of three sections, one-third of your total score (20 questions, 45 minutes). Data Insights is the section that’s new to the Focus Edition, and it’s where many test-takers under-prepare. It measures real-world data literacy through five question types, and it’s the only section with an on-screen calculator.[2]
- 1
Data Sufficiency
Decide whether the given statements provide enough information to answer — without fully solving. (Moved here from Quant.)
- 2
Multi-Source Reasoning
Pull together data from several tabs — text, tables, and graphics — to answer linked questions.
- 3
Table Analysis
Sort and interpret a spreadsheet-style table to judge a series of true/false statements.
- 4
Graphics Interpretation
Read a chart or graph and complete statements from drop-down menus.
- 5
Two-Part Analysis
Solve a problem with two related components, choosing one answer in each of two columns.
3.1 Data Sufficiency
used to live in Quant; on the Focus Edition it’s a Data Insights type. You get a question and two numbered statements, and you decide whether there is enough information to answer — not what the answer is. The five answer choices are always the same, so memorize them and you save time on every question.
- A
Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not.
- B
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not.
- C
BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER alone is sufficient.
- D
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
- E
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.
The discipline is to evaluate each statement independently first, then together only if neither alone suffices. The biggest time-sink is fully solving — stop the moment you know whether the data is enough. For yes/no questions, “sufficient” means a definite yes or a definite no, not a maybe.
3.2 Graphs, Tables, Multi-Source & Two-Part
The other four Data Insights types test how you read and combine data. asks you to read a chart and complete statements from drop-down menus. gives a sortable, spreadsheet-style table to judge true/false statements. spreads data across tabs — text, tables, and graphics — so you must find the right source. asks for one answer in each of two related columns.
| Type | What you do | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics Interpretation | Read a chart; fill drop-downs | Axis labels, units, and scale |
| Table Analysis | Sort a table; judge true/false | Sort by the right column first |
| Multi-Source Reasoning | Combine tabbed sources | Knowing which tab holds the data |
| Two-Part Analysis | Pick one answer per column | The two parts constrain each other |
Checkpoint · Data Insights
Question 1 of 10
Which three GMAT sections are each scored and reported separately, with Data Insights standing alongside the other two as a full section rather than a sub-part?
How to Use This GMAT Study Guide
This guide is built to be worked, not just read. The most efficient path to your target score:
- Study all three sections in balance. They’re weighted equally — Data Insights counts as much as Quant and Verbal, so don’t skip it.
- Check off as you go. Use the Study Guide Contents to mark each section done; it raises your exam-readiness score.
- Take every checkpoint. The end-of-module quizzes show you exactly which section needs another pass.
- Drill the weak section. Send your weak area into the flashcards and a practice test until the score climbs.
- Learn the patterns, not just facts. The GMAT rewards recognizing question types and shortcuts (backsolving, the DS answer choices, the negation test) over rote memorization.
GMAT Concept Questions
Common GMAT concepts candidates search while studying — each answered briefly and backed by an official GMAC source. Test yourself, then drill them as flashcards.
GMAT Glossary
The high-yield GMAT terms in one place — hover any dotted term in the guide, or flip the whole deck here as a self-grading flashcard set.
- Assumption
- An unstated premise an argument needs to be valid — the link between its evidence and its conclusion. Negating it should make the argument collapse.
- Conclusion
- The main point an argument tries to establish; the evidence is offered to support it.
- Critical Reasoning
- A Verbal Reasoning question type testing your ability to analyze a short argument — strengthening, weakening, finding the assumption, or evaluating it.
- Data Insights
- The GMAT section (20 questions) testing data literacy through Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, and Two-Part Analysis. A calculator is allowed here.
- Data Sufficiency
- A question giving two statements; you decide whether they provide enough information to answer — not the answer itself. It uses five fixed answer choices and now lives in Data Insights.
- GMAT Focus Edition
- The current version of the GMAT, in use since early 2024. It has three 45-minute sections — Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights — and a 205–805 total score.
- Graphics Interpretation
- A Data Insights question type: read a chart or graph and complete statements using drop-down menus.
- Inequality
- A statement that one quantity is greater than or less than another. Multiplying or dividing by a negative number flips the inequality sign.
- Inference
- A conclusion that must be true based only on the information given — a key Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning skill.
- Mean, median, mode
- The three measures of center: mean (arithmetic average), median (middle value when ordered), and mode (most frequent value).
- Multi-Source Reasoning
- A Data Insights question type that presents several tabbed sources (text, tables, graphics) and asks you to combine them to answer linked questions.
- Number properties
- Facts about integers — odd/even, prime, factors, multiples, and divisibility — heavily tested in Quantitative Reasoning.
- Optional break
- One 10-minute break the Focus Edition allows, taken after the first or second section.
- Percent change
- The change in a quantity relative to its original value: (new − original) ÷ original × 100. Always divide by the original.
- Prime
- A whole number greater than 1 with exactly two factors, 1 and itself. 2 is the only even prime; 1 is not prime.
- Problem Solving
- A standard multiple-choice math question with five answer choices — the only question type in the Focus Edition's Quantitative Reasoning section.
- Quadratic equation
- An equation of the form ax² + bx + c = 0, solved by factoring, the quadratic formula, or completing the square.
- Quantitative Reasoning
- The GMAT section that tests problem solving using arithmetic and algebra. It has 21 questions, no calculator, and no geometry in the Focus Edition.
- Question Review & Edit
- A Focus Edition feature that lets you bookmark questions and change up to three answers per section before time runs out.
- Ratio
- A comparison of two quantities. Ratios can be scaled up or down and combined, and underlie many mixture and proportion problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- A Verbal Reasoning question type testing your understanding of a passage's main idea, details, inferences, structure, and tone.
- Section-adaptive
- Within each GMAT section, the difficulty of the next question adapts to your performance so far. The Focus Edition is question-adaptive within a section.
- Standard deviation
- A measure of how spread out a data set is around its mean; a larger value means more dispersion.
- Strengthen
- To make an argument's conclusion more likely to follow from its evidence — often by confirming the assumption.
- Table Analysis
- A Data Insights question type: sort and read a spreadsheet-style table to evaluate a set of true/false statements.
- Total score
- The combined GMAT score on a 205–805 scale, built from the three equally weighted section scores (each 60–90), in 10-point increments.
- Two-Part Analysis
- A Data Insights question type asking you to choose one answer in each of two related columns from a shared option set.
- Verbal Reasoning
- The GMAT section that tests Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning across 23 questions. The Focus Edition removed sentence correction.
- Weaken
- To make an argument's conclusion less likely — often by offering an alternative cause or a counterexample.
- Weighted average
- An average that accounts for groups of different sizes by multiplying each value by its share of the total, then dividing by the total weight.
- Work rate
- Output per unit of time. For combined work, add the individual rates (jobs per hour), not the times.
GMAT Study Guide FAQ
The GMAT Focus Edition has three 45-minute sections — Quantitative Reasoning (21 questions), Verbal Reasoning (23 questions), and Data Insights (20 questions) — for 64 questions in 2 hours and 15 minutes, plus one optional 10-minute break. You can take the sections in any order.
Quantitative Reasoning tests Problem Solving with arithmetic and algebra (no geometry, no calculator). Verbal Reasoning tests Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning (no sentence correction). Data Insights tests data literacy through Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, and Two-Part Analysis, with a calculator allowed.
Each section is scored 60–90, and the three combine — equally weighted — into a total score on the 205–805 scale, in 10-point increments. There is no fixed passing score; programs set their own targets. The mean total is roughly 545, and competitive programs often look for 645 and above.
Yes. Since early 2024 the Focus Edition is the only GMAT. It removed the Analytical Writing essay, sentence correction, and geometry, moved Data Sufficiency into the new Data Insights section, and changed the total scale to 205–805. Older 200–800 materials and section formats no longer match the exam.
Yes. The Question Review & Edit tool lets you bookmark any questions during a section and, at the end of that section, change up to three of your answers if time remains. Use bookmarks so you can move past uncertain questions and revisit them.
Only in the Data Insights section, where an on-screen calculator is provided. The Quantitative Reasoning section does not allow any calculator, so you must do the arithmetic and algebra by hand.
The exam fee is about US $275 at a test center and about US $300 online (plus tax), and includes sending your scores to up to five programs for free at registration. GMAT scores are valid for five years.
Because the three sections are weighted equally, give each real time — Data Insights now counts as much as Quant or Verbal. Read each module, take the checkpoint quiz, then drill weak areas with our free practice test and flashcards. This guide is a high-yield overview mapped to the official GMAC content, not a full textbook.
References
- 1.Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). “GMAT Exam Structure.” mba.com. ↑
- 2.Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). “GMAT Exam Content.” mba.com. ↑
- 3.Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). “Understanding Your Score.” mba.com. ↑
- 4.Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). “GMAT Sample Questions.” mba.com. ↑
- 5.Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). “GMAT Exam — Frequently Asked Questions.” mba.com. ↑
- 6.Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). “GMAT Focus — Everything You Need to Know.” mba.com. ↑
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