Three Algebra Formulas Essential For The GMAT - Magoosh GMAT Blog

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Three Algebra Formulas Essential for the GMAT
BY MIKE MCGARRY ON APRIL 30, 2013 IN ALGEBRA, FORMULAS
First, a few practice problems.
1) The numbers a, b, and c are all positive. If , then what is the value of
Statement #1: a – b = 3
Statement #2: = 7
2) Given that (P + 2Q) is a positive number, what is the value of (P + 2Q)?
Statement #1: Q = 2
Statement #2:
http://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/threealgebraformulasessentialforthegmat/ 1/11
3) In the diagram above, O is the center of the circle, DC = a and DO = b. What is the area of
the circle?
Statement #1:
Statement #2: a + b = 22
4) ABCD is a square with a side y, and JKLM is a side x. If Rectangle S (not shown) with length
(x + y) has the same area as the shaded region above, what is the width of Rectangle S?
(A) x
(B) y
(C) y + x
(D) y – x
(E)
Three important algebra patterns
Doing math involve both following procedures and recognizing patterns. Three important
patterns for algebra on the GMAT are as follows:
Pattern #1: The Difference of Two Squares
Pattern #2: The Squares of a Sum
Pattern #3: The Squares of a Difference
For GMAT Quant success, you need to know these patterns cold. You need to know them as well
as you know your own phone number or address. The GMAT will throw question after question
at you in which you simply will be expected to recognize these patterns. In such a question, if
you recognize the relevant formula, it will enormously simplify the problem. If you don’t
recognize the relevant formula, you are likely to be stymied by such a question.
Memory, not memorizing
You might think I would say: memorize them. Instead, I will ask you to remember them.
What’s the difference? Memorization implies a rote process, simply trying to stuff an isolated
and disconnected factoid into your head. By contrast, you strengthen you capacity to remember
a math formula when you understand all the logic that underlies it.
Here, the logic behind these formulas is the logic of FOILing and factoring. You should review
those patterns until you can follow each both ways — until you can FOIL the product out, or
factor it back into components. If you can do that, you really understand these, and are much
more likely to remember them in an integrated way.
Summary
If these patterns are relatively new to you, you may want to revisit the problems at the top with
the list handy: see if you can reason your way through them, before reading the explanations
below. Here’s another practice problem from inside Magoosh:
5) http://gmat.magoosh.com/questions/129
Do you have questions? Is there anything you would like to say? Let us know in the comment
section at the bottom!
Practice Problem Explanations
1) Let X = , the value we are seeking. Notice if we subtract the first equation in the
prompt from this equation, we get = X – 17. In other words, if we could find the value
of , then we could find the value of X.
Statement #1: a – b = 3
From this statement alone, we cannot calculate , so we can’t find the value of X.
Statement #1, alone and by itself, is insufficient.
Statement #2: = 7
From this statement alone, we cannot calculate , so we can’t find the value of X.
Statement #2, alone and by itself, is insufficient.
Statements #1 & #2 combined: Now, if we know both statements are true, then we could
multiple these two equations, which cancel the denominator, and result in the simple equation a
+ b = 21. Now, we have the numerical value of both (a – b) and (a + b), so from the
difference of two squares formula, we can figure out , and if we know the numerical
value of that, we can calculate X and answer the prompt. Combined, the statements are
sufficient.
Answer = C
2) The prompt tells us that (P + 2Q) is a positive number, and we want to know the value of P.
Remember number properties! We don’t know that (P + 2Q) is a positive integer, just a positive
number of some kind.
Statement #1: Q = 2
Obvious, by itself, this tells us zilch about P. Alone and by itself, this statement is completely
insufficient.
Statement #2:
Now, this may be a patternrecognition stretch for some folks, but this is simply the “Square of
a Sum” pattern. It may be clearer if we rewrite it like this:
This is now the “Square of a Sum” pattern, with P in the role of A and 2Q in the role of B. Of
course, this should equal the square of the sum:
All we have to do is take a square root. Normally, we would have to consider both the positive
and the negative square root, but since the prompt guarantees that (P + 2Q) is a positive
number, we need only consider the positive root:
This statement allows us to determine the unique value of (P + 2Q), so this statement, alone
and by itself, is sufficient.
Answer = B
3) To find the area of the circle, we need to use Archimedes’ formula, . For that
we need the radius, OC. We are not given this directly, but notice that r = OC = DC – OD = a –
b. If we knew that, we could find the area of the circle.
Statement #1:
A major patternmatching hit! This, as written, is the “Square of a Difference” pattern.
In fact, this statement already gives us , so we just have to multiply by pi and we have the
area. This statement, alone and by itself, is sufficient.
Statement #2: a + b = 22
We need a – b, and this statement gives us a value of a + b. If we had more information,
perhaps we could use this in combination with other information to find what we want, but since
this is all we have, it’s simply not enough to find a – b. This statement, alone and by itself, is
insufficient.
Answer = A
4) A tricky one. First of all, notice that the shaded area, quite literally and visually, is the
difference of two square — Area = . We know from the Difference of Two Squares
pattern, this factors into:
Area = = (y + x)(y – x)
Well, if a rectangle had this same area, and it had a length of (y + x), it would have to have to
have a width of (y – x) — that would make the area the same. The width has to be (y – x).
Answer = D
More from Magoosh
GMAT Quant: Difference of Two Squares
GMAT Math: The Uses and Abuses of Formulas
GMAT Math: Area of a Triangle
GMAT Math: Algebra Equations with Radicals
By the way, sign up for our 1 Week Free Trial to try out Magoosh GMAT Prep!
About Mike McGarry
Mike creates expert lessons and practice questions to guide GMAT students to success. He
has a BS in Physics and an MA in Religion, both from Harvard, and over 20 years of
teaching experience specializing in math, science, and standardized exams. Mike likes
smashing foosballs into orbit, and despite having no obvious cranial deficiency, he insists
on rooting for the NY Mets.
 Previous Next 
3 Responses to Three Algebra Formulas Essential for the GMAT
REPLY 
Brittany August 15, 2013 at 4:34 pm #
Hello,
Just wondering if there are supposed to be multiple choice answers for all the practice
problems? In the solutions section, with the Answer = A, etc, seems to indicate this,
but as far as I can see, the only question that has multiple choice answers is #4. Am I
missing something here?
Thanks.
REPLY 
Mike August 16, 2013 at 9:51 am #
Brittany,
Yes, you are missing something big, in terms of GMAT math. Questions #13 are
what are called Data Sufficiency questions, which comprise approximately half of
the questions on the GMAT Quant section. I’ll recommend these two links to start:
http://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/introductiontogmatdatasufficiency/
http://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/gmatdatasufficiencytips/
I don’t know how far along you are in your GMAT prep, but in addition to learning
all the math, it is crucial for success on the GMAT to master the Data Sufficiency
question format.
Does this make sense?
Mike
REPLY 
Daniel September 16, 2015 at 12:43 pm #
Hello,
I think the issue is that those people who are practicing the GRE get linked to
here and then the answers aren’t provided in the same format which confuses
us. For the GRE it’s usually multiple choice or fill in the blank after all.
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