GRE Math : GRE Quantitative Reasoning

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Math

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store varsity tutors ibooks store

Example Questions

Example Question #2 : How To Find Median

Find the median:

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the median, arrange the numbers from smallest to largest:

 4,4,4,4,6,7,9,9,12,12,12,12,12,12,18,76,90

There are 17 numbers in total.  Since 17 is an odd number, the median will be the middle number of the set.  In this case, it is the 9th number, which is 12.

Example Question #3 : How To Find Median

There are 3,500 people in group A and 5,000 people in group B:

Car Type

% in Group A Who Own

% in Group B Who Own

Motorbike

 4

 9

Sedan

 35

 25

Minivan

 22

 15

Van

 9

 12

Coupe

 3

 6

What is the median of the number of people in group B who own either a minivan, van, or coupe?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Treat the percentages as a list, as we are including every demographic from the 3 vehicle types mentioned. If we do each 0.06(5000), 0.12(5000), and 0.15(5000) we note from observation that the median, or middle value, would have to be the 12% row since the sample size does not change. The question asks for EITHER of the 3 categories, so we can ignore the other two.

0.12(5000) = 600 (van) is the median of the 3 categories.

Example Question #4 : How To Find Median

In the set above, which is larger: the median, the mean, or the mode?

Possible Answers:

Mode

Both median and mean

Mean

Median

All are equal

Correct answer:

Mean

Explanation:

Begin by ordering the set from smallest to largest:

 

Already, we see that the mode is 8. Find the median by taking the average of the two middle numbers:

Find the mean by adding all numbers and dividing by the total number of terms:

 

Of the three, the mean of the set is the largest.

Example Question #1 : How To Find Median

The grades on a test taken by  students are  respectively. What was the median score for this test?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To solve this problem, we must be aware of the definition of a median for a set of numbers. The median is defined as the number that is in middle of a set of numbers sorted from smallest to largest. Therefore we must first sort the numbers from largest to smallest.

 

34,43,45,50,56,65,70,76,76,82,87,88,92,95,100

43,45,50,56,65,70,76,76,81,87,88,82,95

45,50,56,65,70,76,76,81,87,88,82

50,56,65,70,76,76,81,87,88

56,65,70,76,76,81,87

65,70,76,76,81

70,76,76

76

Then by slowly eliminating the smallest and the largest numbers we find that the median score for this test is 76.

Example Question #5 : How To Find Median

Quantity A: The mean of 

Quantity B: The median of 

Possible Answers:

The relationship cannot be determined.

Quantity A is greater.

Quantity B is greater.

The two quantities are equal.

Correct answer:

Quantity B is greater.

Explanation:

Begin by reordering the set in numerical order:

Then becomes

Since there is an odd number of values, the median is the middle value.

Quantity B: 

Now, to find the arithmetic mean, take the sum of values divided by the total number of values.

Quantity A: 

Example Question #4 : Statistics

The arithmetic mean of  is 

 The median of 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

 is an unknown value, but it can be found given what we know about the mean of the set :

Now,  is out of order; arrange in numerically:

Since there are even number of values, the median is the mean of the two middle most values:

Example Question #1 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

Column A                                                  

The mean of the sample of numbers 2, 5, and 10.                           

Column B 

The mean of the sample of numbers 1, 5, and 15.

Possible Answers:

The quantity in Column A is greater.

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

The two quantities are equal.

The quantity in Column B is greater.

Correct answer:

The quantity in Column B is greater.

Explanation:

The arithmetic mean is the average of the sum of a set of numbers divided by the total number of numbers in the set. This is not to be confused with median or mode.

In Column A, the mean of 5.66 is obtained when the sum (17) is divided by the number of values in the set (3).

In Column B, the mean of 7 is obtained when 21 is divided by 3. Because 7 is greater than 5.66, Column B is greater. The answer is Column B.

Example Question #531 : Gre Quantitative Reasoning

Bill runs for 30 minutes at 8 mph and then runs for 15 minutes at 13mph. What was his average speed during his entire run?

Possible Answers:

92/3 mph

10 mph

101/2 mph

11 mph

Correct answer:

92/3 mph

Explanation:

Rate = distance/time.

Find the distance for each individual segment of the run (4 miles and 3.25miles). Then add total distance and divide by total time to get the average rate, while making sure the units are compatible (miles per hour not miles per minute), which means the total 45 minute run time needs to be converted to 0.75 of an hour; therefore (4miles + 3.25 miles/0.75 hour) is the final answer.

Example Question #1 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

Sample Set A has 25 data points with an arithmetic mean of 50.

Sample Set B has 75 data points with an arithmetic mean of 100.

Quantity A: The arithmetic mean of the 100 data points encompassing A and B

Quantity B: 80

Possible Answers:

Quantity B is greater.

The two quantities are equal.

Quantity A is greater.

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

Correct answer:

Quantity A is greater.

Explanation:

Note that:

The arithmetic mean of the 100 data points encompassing A and B = 

(total data of Sample Set A + total data of Sample Set B)/100

We have Mean of Sample Set A = 50, or:

(total of Sample Set A) / 25 = 50

And we have Mean of Sample Set B = 100, or:

(total of Sample Set B) / 75 = 100

 

We get denominators of 100 by dividing both of the equations:

Divide [(total of Sample Set A) / 25 = 50] by 4:

 (total of Sample Set A) / 100 = 50/4 = 25/2

Multiply [(total of Sample Set B)/75 = 100] by 3/4:

(total of Sample Set B)/100 = 75

Now add the two equations together:

(total data of Sample Set A + total data of Sample Set B)/100

= 75 + 25/2 > 80

Example Question #532 : Gre Quantitative Reasoning

The average (arithmetic mean) of x, y and z is 15. If w is 10, then what is the average of w, x, y and z?

Possible Answers:

12.5

10

15

13.75

12.75

Correct answer:

13.75

Explanation:

We can calculate the arithmetic mean by adding up the numbers in a set, and dividing that total by the count of numbers in the set.

Thus, we know that (x + y + z) / 3 = 15. (Multiply both sides by 3.)

x + y + z = 45

We add w = 10 to that, and divide by the new count, 4.

55 / 4 = 13.75

Tired of practice problems?

Try live online GRE prep today.

1-on-1 Tutoring
Live Online Class
1-on-1 + Class
Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors