EA Quantitative Reasoning Question Types

Quantitative Reasoning Section of the EA Question Types

There are two types of questions you will encounter on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the EA – Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. Whichever question type you are working on, it will require a basic knowledge of arithmetic and algebra; unlike the GMAT, there is no geometry on the EA. For the most part, these questions are written to analyze your reasoning and critical thinking skills with less of a focus being placed on complex mathematical skills. That being said, it is important to remember that you will not be able to use a calculator on the Quantitative Reasoning section of the EA, so you will want to brush up on these skills. All practice questions you do should be done without a calculator to quickly highlight any areas of weakness you will need to strengthen before the day of your exam.

Problem Solving Questions

Problem Solving questions comprise approximately one-half to 2/3 of the questions in the Quantitative Reasoning section of the EA. These are more traditional logical and analytical-style problems in which you are presented with a question and five multiple-choice answers to choose from. Generally, they are presented as word problems, so you will first have to understand what the test makers are asking before you translate the question into a mathematical expression. As mentioned above, these questions will require you to use either arithmetic or basic algebra. It is possible you will be able to use more complex math to solve the problem, but you will not HAVE to. When preparing for exam day, you should be ready to use the simplest, and likely quickest, math tools to come up with the solution.

Data Sufficiency Questions

Data Sufficiency questions are not exactly asking you to solve a problem; rather, they are testing whether you can accurately assess for relevant information and decide if you have all the needed information to be able to solve a problem. You will be given two statements with data in them. Using your knowledge of arithmetic and/or algebra, as well as the provided data, you will have to determine if you are able to answer the given question.

By understanding the types of problems you will encounter on the Quantitative Reasoning section, you can better identify the appropriate approach to take, saving yourself valuable time and increasing the likelihood that you will arrive at the correct answer.