GMAT Official Guide 2018: Book + Online

The Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) is the association of leading graduate business schools around the world. GMAC's mission is to meet the needs of business schools and students through a wide array of products, services, and programs, and the organization serves as a primary resource of research and information about quality graduate management education. GMAC is the owner and administrator of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). Created in 1954, the GMAT is the first and only standardized test specifically designed for graduate business and management programs. Available in over 100 countries, it is the global standard for entry to the MBA degree course. Currently about 2,100 schools and 5,900 programs have adopted the GMAT, and the test is taken approximately 230,000 times annually.

Letter from the President and CEO, GMAC® v


1.0 What Is the GMAT® Exam? 2


1.0 What Is the GMAT® Exam? 3


1.1 Why Take the GMAT® Exam? 3


1.2 GMAT® Exam Format 4


1.3 What Is the Content of the Test Like? 5


1.4 Integrated Reasoning Section 6


1.5 Quantitative Section 6


1.6 Verbal Section 6


1.7 Analytical Writing Assessment 7


1.8 What Computer Skills Will I Need? 7


1.9 What Are the Test Centers Like? 7


1.10 How Are Scores Calculated? 7


1.11 Test Development Process 8


2.0 How to Prepare 10


2.0 How to Prepare 11


2.1 How Should I Prepare to Take the Test? 11


2.2 What About Practice Tests? 11


2.3 How Should I Use the Diagnostic Test? 12


2.4 Where Can I Get Additional Practice? 12


2.5 General Test–Taking Suggestions 12


3.0 Diagnostic Test 14


3.0 Diagnostic Test 15


3.1 Quantitative Questions 16


3.2 Verbal Questions 23


3.3 Quantitative and Verbal Answer Keys 40


3.4 Interpretive Guide 40


3.5 Quantitative Answer Explanations 41


3.6 Verbal Answer Explanations 60


4.0 Math Review 100


4.0 Math Review 101


4.1 Arithmetic 102


4.2 Algebra 114


4.3 Geometry 122


4.4 Word Problems 134


5.0 Problem Solving 142


5.0 Problem Solving 143


5.1 Test–Taking Strategies 144


5.2 The Directions 144


5.3 Practice Questions 146


5.4 Answer Key 181


5.5 Answer Explanations 183


6.0 Data Sufficiency 264


6.0 Data Suffi ciency 265


6.1 Test–Taking Strategies 266


6.2 The Directions 268


6.3 Practice Questions 270


6.4 Answer Key 288


6.5 Answer Explanations 289


7.0 Reading Comprehension 356


7.0 Reading Comprehension 357


7.1 What Is Measured 358


7.2 Test–Taking Strategies 360


7.3 The Directions 361


7.4 Practice Questions 362


7.5 Answer Key 423


7.6 Answer Explanations 424


8.0 Critical Reasoning 504


8.0 Critical Reasoning 505


8.1 What Is Measured 506


8.2 Test–Taking Strategies 506


8.3 The Directions 507


8.4 Practice Questions 508


8.5 Answer Key 546


8.6 Answer Explanations 547


9.0 Sentence Correction 672


9.0 Sentence Correction 673


9.1 Basic English Grammar Rules 673


9.2 Study Suggestions 678


9.3 What Is Measured 678


9.4 Test–Taking Strategies 678


9.5 The Directions 679


9.6 Practice Questions 680


9.7 Answer Key 709


9.8 Answer Explanations 710


10.0 Integrated Reasoning 788


10.0 Integrated Reasoning 789


10.1 What Is Measured 789


10.2 The Question Types 790


10.3 Test–Taking Strategies 797


10.4 The Directions 799


11.0 Analytical Writing Assessment 800


11.0 Analytical Writing Assessment 801


11.1 What Is Measured 801


11.2 Test–Taking Strategies 802


11.3 The Directions 802


11.4 GMAT® Scoring Guide: Analysis of an Argument 803


11.5 Sample: Analysis of an Argument 805


11.6 Analysis of an Argument Sample Topics 809


Appendix A Answer Sheets 841


Diagnostic Answer Sheet Quantitative 841


Diagnostic Answer Sheet Verbal 841


Problem Solving Answer Sheet 842


Data Suffi ciency Answer Sheet 843


Reading Comprehension Answer Sheet 844


Critical Reasoning Answer Sheet 845


Sentence Correction Answer Sheet 846