Your test will likely include both quantitative and logical reasoning. The test may include a scenario where you may be asked to provide a solution using problem-solving skills, applying simple numerical skills with reasoning. For example, in a made-up world, you may be a pilot of a spaceship faced with choices to either deliver essentials for a crew on one planet away from earth or to rescue another crew in a life-threatening situation on a different planet. You may be given a lot of information to frame a solution. When you process all that data, you may realize all you need to know is the speed-distance relationship from your Algebra 1 class and process data to give a good solution. When faced with providing a real-life challenge in a limited time, it may be overwhelming. What do we do? Let us first define the attributes of a good solution.

​

Inclusive: When presented with a lot of information, you use all the relevant data. Do not miss the forest for trees. Be sure to use everything given to you in the prompt.

 

Intuitive: Make sure the proposed solution is easily understood by unfamiliar readers. You never know how proficient in math your grader is. Any work you do should be clearly explained.

Suitability: If you are proposing any quantitative relationship, make sure that it is suitable for the given conditions in the problem statement.

 

Succinct: Write the solution clearly, so an unfamiliar reader can understand in their first reading.

Very often, the scenario will be longer than a quantitative question we usually handle in our math class. It may also include a topic from Science or contemporary world dilemmas. We do not have to be experts on the subject or study about the topic in advance. There will be a lot of information to build a narrative and important data presented in the prompt. The following tips may help you to efficiently process the information to propose a suitable solution. Remember, there is no perfect solution. It is more often evaluated about how original and intuitive with in the limitations presented to you

• Do a quick read of the whole problem presented and then also read the questions that follow it

• Identify the important data

• To address a solution, check if any mathematical relationship is applicable. More often, it helps to know core math principles: Speed-Distance, Linear relationships between to 2 variables, permutations and combinations etc. We have provided topics to come up to the speed with them.

• If any data is missing to form a quantitative relationship, identify the assumptions you are making. It is not wrong to make a suitable assumption. However, it is important you are not overlooking any data provided to you. Clearly state the assumptions you are making when you write the solution.

• Provide the solution using the quantitative relationship you proposed in a concise manner

• Describe any limitation or condition under which the solution may not work.

• If there is an ethical part of the question, explain how your solution is addressing the situation.

• When you plan to provide a response, make sure you have enough time to type it!

 

Remember to completely answer to the best of your abilities within the limited time. Last but not the last, do not keep thinking about the perfect solution for the problem. This is just a part of the evaluation to select more than 500 students. At the end of the day, the best students are ones who know how to articulate their thoughts, not necessarily those who only know the answer. Be yourself and you will be just fine, good luck