GMAT CAT Algebra

Algebra is the study of properties of operations carried out on sets of numbers. You use algebra to solve equations and to find the value of a variable. The algebra concepts tested on the GMAT are limited to the ones you'd use in a first-year algebra course, so you're at no disadvantage if you've never taken Algebra II. But you will see many GMAT math problems that involve basic algebra, and this chapter provides you with what you need to know to excel on all of them.

Out of the three sections, Algebra usually accounts for 20% to 25% of the quant section. Some of the key algebra topics that have been asked in GMAT tests are binomial theorem, equations and inequalities. This section is equally critical for getting high GMAT score.

Basic GMAT Algebra Concepts

The following concepts are considered to be fundamental. A student must understand everything discussed in this section to do well on the Math portion of the GMAT.

• Variables - You'll see a lot of variables in algebra problems. They're the symbols that stand for numbers. Usually the symbols take the form of letters and represent specific numeric values. True to their name, variables' values can change depending on the equation they're in.
• Constants - In contrast to variables, constants, as their name implies, are numbers with values that don't change in a specific problem. Letters may also be used to refer to constants, but they don't change their value in an equation as variables do (for instance, a, b, and c stand for fixed numbers in the formula y = ax2 + bx + c).
• Terms - Single constants and variables or constants and variables grouped together form terms; terms are any set of variables or constants you can multiply or divide to form a single unit in an equation.
• Expression - Terms often form expressions. An algebraic expression is a collection of terms that are combined by addition or subtraction and are often grouped by parentheses, such as (x + 2), (x - 3c), and (2x -3y). Expression can be classified as monomial, binomial, quadratic and polynomial.
• Coefficient - A coefficient is a number or symbol that serves as a measure of a property or characteristic. In 2a + 4b, the variables are a and b, and the numbers 2 and 4 are the coefficients of the variables.

GMAT Algebra Topics

Below are the topics covered under GMAT Algebra. Click on them to learn more:

• GMAT Equation
• GMAT Inequality

Related Topics

GMAT Math Arithmetic | GMAT Math Geometry | GMAT Math Data Sufficiency | GMAT Math Problem Solving