What You Will Learn This Hour
- ✓ Recap the complete GMAT Focus Edition structure, sections, and scoring
- ✓ Master pacing strategy and when to guess intelligently on test day
- ✓ Build a night-before and morning-of routine for peak mental performance
- ✓ Complete 12 mixed practice questions across Quant, Verbal, and DI to confirm readiness
Core Concepts: Complete 24-Hour Recap
1 GMAT Focus Edition Structure
2 Section Order Choice
On GMAT Focus you choose the order of the three sections at the start of the test. The right order depends on your strengths.
3 Pacing Strategy
Check the on-screen timer after every 5 questions. If you are behind pace, speed up on easier questions, not harder ones. Never spend more than 3 minutes on any single question.
4 When to Guess
- ▶ You have spent 2+ minutes and have no clear path forward — guess and move on.
- ▶ You can eliminate 2–3 choices, making a 50/50 or 33% guess — worth taking.
- ▶ There is no penalty for wrong answers on GMAT Focus. Never leave a question blank.
- ▶ In the last 2 minutes, answer all remaining questions quickly — omitting is worse than guessing.
5 Mental Stamina Tips
Test Day Checklist
Worked Examples
A store sells two items. Item A costs $48 and Item B costs $36. If a customer buys both items and receives a 15% discount on the total, how much does the customer pay?
Step-by-step solution:
Step 1: Find the total before discount: $48 + $36 = $84
Step 2: Calculate the discount amount: 15% × $84 = 0.15 × 84 = $12.60
Step 3: Subtract the discount: $84 − $12.60 = $71.40
Answer: $71.40
Key insight: Always compute the full total first, then apply the percentage. Never apply the percentage to individual items when the discount is on the combined total.
"A city implemented a new bike-lane program last year. Since then, cycling injuries have increased by 20%. Therefore, the bike-lane program has made the city less safe for cyclists."
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument above?
Step-by-step solution:
Identify the conclusion: The bike-lane program made the city less safe for cyclists.
Identify the premise: Cycling injuries increased 20% after the program.
Find the gap: More injuries could also result from more cyclists, not more danger per cyclist.
Correct weakener: "The number of cyclists in the city increased by 60% over the same period." If far more people are cycling, an increase in absolute injuries does not mean increased risk per cyclist — in fact, it might mean the roads are safer.
Key skill: Distinguish absolute numbers from rates when evaluating safety arguments.
A project has two tasks: Task X takes 6 hours alone; Task Y takes 4 hours alone. Select the combined rate (tasks per hour) and the time to complete one full project together (hours).
Step-by-step solution:
Step 1 — Individual rates: Task X rate = 1/6 project/hr. Task Y rate = 1/4 project/hr.
Step 2 — Combined rate: 1/6 + 1/4 = 2/12 + 3/12 = 5/12 projects per hour.
Step 3 — Time together: 1 ÷ (5/12) = 12/5 = 2.4 hours
Combined rate = 5/12 tasks/hr | Time together = 2.4 hours
TPA tip: Answer both columns independently. The combined rate column and the time column are separate selections.
GMAT Traps to Avoid
Cramming New Material the Night Before
Introducing unfamiliar concepts 12 hours before the exam increases anxiety and confusion. Your brain consolidates learning during sleep, not last-minute studying.
Skipping Breakfast
Your brain runs on glucose. A 2+ hour test on an empty stomach degrades working memory and processing speed. Eat a balanced meal with complex carbohydrates and protein.
Spending Too Long on Questions You Do Not Know
Every minute you over-invest in one hard question is a minute stolen from five easier questions. The GMAT rewards breadth. Guess strategically and move on.
Changing Correct Answers Due to Doubt
Research consistently shows that first instincts are correct more often than second-guesses. Only change an answer if you find a specific logical reason to, not out of anxiety.
Practice Questions — Final Mixed Review
12 questions: 4 Quant, 4 Verbal, 4 Data Insights. Full solutions in each answer.
If 3x + 7 = 22, what is the value of 6x − 4?
Show Answer
Answer: (C) 26
From 3x + 7 = 22, we get 3x = 15, so x = 5. Then 6x − 4 = 6(5) − 4 = 30 − 4 = 26. Notice that 6x − 4 = 2(3x) − 4 = 2(15) − 4 = 26 — a faster path by doubling 3x directly.
A car travels 240 miles at 60 mph and then 180 miles at 45 mph. What is the total travel time in hours?
Show Answer
Answer: (C) 8
Time = Distance ÷ Speed. First leg: 240 ÷ 60 = 4 hours. Second leg: 180 ÷ 45 = 4 hours. Total = 4 + 4 = 8 hours. Average speed is NOT simply (60+45)/2 because the distances differ.
What is 40% of 25% of 200?
Show Answer
Answer: (B) 20
25% of 200 = 50. Then 40% of 50 = 0.40 × 50 = 20. Shortcut: multiply percentages as decimals: 0.40 × 0.25 × 200 = 0.10 × 200 = 20.
A rectangle has a perimeter of 48 cm. If the length is three times the width, what is the area in cm²?
Show Answer
Answer: (B) 108
Let width = w, length = 3w. Perimeter = 2(w + 3w) = 8w = 48, so w = 6. Length = 18. Area = 6 × 18 = 108 cm².
"All competitive runners train daily. Maria is a competitive runner. Therefore, Maria trains daily."
This argument is an example of which reasoning pattern?
Show Answer
Answer: (B)
This is a valid syllogism (deductive argument). Premise 1: All A are B. Premise 2: Maria is A. Conclusion: Maria is B. If both premises are true, the conclusion must be true. GMAT tests whether you can identify valid vs. flawed argument structures.
"Company profits rose 30% after the CEO was replaced. Clearly, the new CEO caused the profit increase."
Which assumption is the argument most relying on?
Show Answer
Answer: (C)
The argument assumes causation from correlation (post hoc fallacy). For the causal claim to hold, the argument must assume no other variables (market conditions, product launches, economic boom) caused the profit increase. (C) identifies this necessary assumption. Finding the hidden assumption is a core GMAT CR skill.
A passage states: "Rainforest deforestation has accelerated in recent decades despite international agreements." What does the author most likely want to convey?
Show Answer
Answer: (C)
"Despite" is the key signal word. The author contrasts international agreements (a protective measure) against acceleration of deforestation. This implies the agreements have been insufficient — not that they are bad in principle (A is too extreme) or should be abandoned. Always pay attention to contrast words like despite, however, although, yet.
Which of the following most strengthens the claim that daily reading improves vocabulary?
Show Answer
Answer: (B)
A controlled study with a comparison group directly supports a causal claim. (A) shows correlation with an unrelated variable; (C) reverses the direction (authors read, not reading makes you an author); (D) and (E) are irrelevant. On strengthen questions, look for evidence that directly supports the cause-and-effect relationship.
A table shows quarterly revenue ($M): Q1=120, Q2=150, Q3=135, Q4=165. What is the percent increase from Q1 to Q4?
Show Answer
Answer: (D) 37.5%
% change = (New − Old) / Old × 100 = (165 − 120) / 120 × 100 = 45 / 120 × 100 = 37.5%. Note: The Q2 and Q3 values are distractors — the question only asks about Q1 to Q4.
A survey of 400 employees shows: 60% prefer remote work, 25% prefer hybrid, and the rest prefer in-office. How many employees prefer in-office?
Show Answer
Answer: (C) 60
Remote + Hybrid = 60% + 25% = 85%. In-office = 100% − 85% = 15%. Number of employees = 15% × 400 = 0.15 × 400 = 60. Always check that percentages sum to 100% before applying the "rest" logic.
A graph shows two companies' market shares over 5 years. Company A started at 40% and grew to 55%. Company B started at 35% and fell to 28%. Which statement is best supported by the data?
Show Answer
Answer: (B)
(B) directly restates what the data shows without making an unsupported causal or predictive leap. (A) assumes no other competitors exist. (C) makes a future prediction the data cannot support. (D) and (E) infer causes not shown in the data. On GSI/Table questions: only select conclusions the data directly supports.
Worker A completes a task in 12 minutes. Worker B completes the same task in 8 minutes. How many minutes does it take them to complete 5 tasks working together simultaneously?
Show Answer
Answer: (A) 24
Combined rate = 1/12 + 1/8 = 2/24 + 3/24 = 5/24 tasks/min. Time for 1 task = 24/5 = 4.8 min. Time for 5 tasks = 5 × 4.8 = 24 minutes. The combined rate produces exactly 5 tasks in 24 minutes: (5/24) × 24 = 5. Verify by checking: this equals 24 min.
Score Prediction Guide
Use your accuracy on these 12 questions and your mock test data to estimate your GMAT Focus score range. This is a rough guide — official scores depend on question difficulty and adaptive algorithm.
| Accuracy Rate | Questions Correct (of 12) | Estimated GMAT Focus Score | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 40% | 0–4 | 205–455 | Need more study time |
| 40–54% | 5–6 | 455–545 | Below average — review fundamentals |
| 55–66% | 7–8 | 545–615 | Average — solid foundation |
| 67–80% | 8–10 | 615–695 | Above average — strong prep |
| 81–91% | 10–11 | 695–745 | Excellent — top-tier ready |
| 92–100% | 11–12 | 745–805 | Outstanding — elite performance |
Quick Reference Card
// GMAT FOCUS EDITION — MASTER CHEATSHEET
/* STRUCTURE */
Quant: 21 questions | 45 min | 2:08/q
Verbal: 23 questions | 45 min | 1:57/q
DI: 20 questions | 45 min | 2:15/q
Score: 205–805 (adaptive, 10-pt increments)
/* QUANT FORMULAS */
% change = (New - Old) / Old * 100
Distance = Rate * Time
Combined rate = 1/A + 1/B
Area rect = Length * Width
Simple int = P * R * T
Compound int = P * (1 + r/n)^(nt)
Mean = Sum / Count
Median = Middle value (sorted)
Prob(A or B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A and B)
/* VERBAL SIGNALS */
Contrast : but, however, despite, although, yet
Cause : because, since, therefore, thus, hence
Assumption : look for the unstated gap
Weaken : attack the assumption or add counter-evidence
Strengthen : support the assumption or add supporting evidence
/* DI QUESTION TYPES */
DS — Data Sufficiency: is the info sufficient?
MSR — Multi-Source Reasoning: combine multiple sources
TPA — Two-Part Analysis: solve for two interdependent values
GSI — Graph/Scatter/Image: read and interpret visuals
TA — Table Analysis: sort/filter tabular data
/* PACING RULES */
Check timer : every 5 questions
Hard question : max 3 min, then guess
Last 2 min : answer everything — no blanks
No wrong-answer penalty — always guess
// YOU ARE READY. GO GET YOUR SCORE.
You Are Ready
You have completed all 24 hours. You know the content. You know the strategy. You know the traps. The only thing left to do is walk in and perform.
Trust your preparation. One question at a time. You have done the work — now let the work speak for you.