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GRUBER’SCOMPLETEGREGUIDE 2015*4th Edition*GRE is a registered trademark of the Educational Testing Service, which was notinvolved in the production of, and does not endorse, this book.Gary R. Gruber, PhDGRE2015 Intro.indd 14/30/14 9:19 AM

Copyright 2014 by Gary R. GruberCover and internal design 2014 by Sourcebooks, Inc.Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical meansincluding information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in criticalarticles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered.It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professionalservice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person shouldbe sought.—From a Declaration of Principles Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and aCommittee of Publishers and AssociationsAll brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of theirrespective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.Published by Sourcebooks, Inc.P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410(630) 961-3900Fax: (630) 961-2168www.sourcebooks.comLibrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.Printed and bound in the United States of America.DR 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1GRE2015 Intro.indd 24/18/14 11:24 AM

Recent and Forthcoming Study Aids fromDr. Gary Gruber IncludeGruber’s Complete SAT Guide 2015Gruber’s Complete PSAT/NMSQT Guide 2015Gruber’s Complete ACT Guide 2015Gruber’s SAT 2400Gruber’s Complete SAT Math WorkbookGruber’s Complete SAT Critical Reading WorkbookGruber’s Complete SAT Writing WorkbookGruber’s SAT Word MasterGruber’s Essential Guide to Test Taking: Grades 3–5Gruber’s Essential Guide to Test Taking: Grades w.drgarygruber.comGRE2015 Intro.indd 34/18/14 11:24 AM

vImportant Note About ThisBook and Its AuthorThis book is the most up-to-date and complete book on the current GRE (Graduate RecordExaminations). Every exam is patterned after the GRE, and all the strategies and techniquesdeal with the GRE. The GRE incorporates all the Gruber Critical-Thinking Strategies.This book was written by Dr. Gary Gruber, the leading authority on the GRE, who knowsmore than anyone else in the test-prep market exactly what is being tested in the GRE. In fact,the procedures to answer the GRE questions rely more heavily on the Gruber Critical-ThinkingStrategies than ever before, and this is the only book that has the exact thinking strategies youneed to use to maximize your GRE score. Gruber’s books are used by the nation’s schooldistricts more than any other books.Dr. Gruber has published more than 35 books with major publishers on test-taking andcritical-thinking methods, with more than 7 million copies sold. He has also authored morethan 1,000 articles on his work in scholarly journals and nationally syndicated newspapers,has appeared on numerous television and radio shows, and has been interviewed in hundredsof magazines and newspapers. He has developed major programs for school districts and forcity and state educational agencies for improving and restructuring curriculum, increasinglearning ability and test scores, increasing motivation and developing a passion for learningand problem solving, and decreasing the student dropout rate. For example, PBS (PublicBroadcasting System) chose Dr. Gruber to train the nation’s teachers on how to preparestudents for the SAT through a national satellite teleconference and videotape. His results havebeen lauded by people throughout the country from all walks of life.Dr. Gruber is recognized nationally as the leading expert on standardized tests. It is saidthat no one in the nation is better at assessing the thinking patterns of how a person answersquestions and providing the mechanism to improve faulty thinking approaches.Gruber’s unique methods have been and are being used by PBS, by the nation’s learningcenters, by international encyclopedias, by school districts throughout the country, in homesand workplaces across the nation, and by a host of other entities.His goal and mission is to get people’s potential realized and the nation “impassioned”with learning and problem solving so that they don’t merely try to get a fast, uncritical answerbut actually enjoy and look forward to solving the problem and learning.For more information on Gruber courses and additional Gruber products, visit www.drgarygruber.com.Important: Many books do not reflect the current GRE questions. Don’t practice with questions that misrepresent the actual questions on the GRE. For example, the math questionscreated by the test makers are oriented to allow someone to solve many problems withouta calculator as fast as he or she could with one, and some can be solved faster without acalculator. This book reflects the GRE more accurately than any other commercial book, andthe strategies contained in it are exactly those needed to be used on the GRE. It is said thatonly Dr. Gruber has the expertise and ability to reflect the exam far more closely than anycompetitor! Don’t trust your future with less than the best material.GRE2015 Intro.indd 54/18/14 11:24 AM

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viiThe Author Has SomethingImportant to Tell YouAbout How to RaiseYour GRE ScoreWhat Are Critical-Thinking Skills?First of all, I believe that intelligence can be taught. Intelligence, simply defined, is the aptitudeor ability to reason things out. I am convinced that you can learn to think logically and figurethings out better and faster, particularly in regard to GRE Math and Verbal problems. Butsomeone must give you the tools. Let us call these tools strategies. And that’s what CriticalThinking Skills are all about—strategies.Learn the Strategies to Get More PointsThe Critical-Thinking Skills (beginning on page 65) will sharpen your reasoning ability so thatyou can increase your score on each part of the GRE.These Critical-Thinking Skills—5 General Strategies, 25 Math Strategies, and 17 VerbalStrategies—course right through this book. The Explanatory Answers for the 3 Practice Testsin the book direct you to those strategies that may be used to answer specific types of GREquestions. The strategies in Part 4 of this book are usable for more than 90 percent of thequestions that will appear on your GRE. It is obvious, then, that your learning and using the 47easy-to-understand strategies in this book will very likely raise your GRE score substantially.Are the Practice Tests in This Book Likean Actual GRE?If you compare any one of the 3 Practice Tests in this book with an actual GRE, you will find thebook test very much like the actual test in regard to format, question types, and level of difficulty.Compare our book tests with one of the official tests written by the GRE people.Building Your Vocabulary Can Make aDifference on Your TestAlthough antonyms no longer appear on the GRE, vocabulary will still be tested, especially onSentence Completions and Reading Comprehension. This book includes four vital sections tobuild your vocabulary:1.2.3.4.GRE2015 Intro.indd 73,400-Word List100 Vocabulary TestsThe Most Important/Frequently Used GRE WordsThe Hot Prefixes and Roots4/18/14 11:24 AM

viii Gruber’s Complete GRE Guide 2015If you have time, it is important for you to study this word-building instructional material.You will find that many, many words in the 3,400-Word List will actually show up in the SentenceCompletion and Reading Comprehension sections of the Verbal part of your GRE. We repeatthat each additional correct answer adds approximately 10 points to your score (or addsapproximately 1 point on the 130–170 point scale). Knowing the meanings of the words in the3,400-Word List will, therefore, help you considerably to “rake in” those precious points.Study the Latin and Greek Roots, Prefixes,and SuffixesWe have developed a list that contains roots, prefixes, and suffixes that give you the meaningof more than 150,000 words. Learning all of these will increase your vocabulary immensely.You may also wish to study the Hot Prefixes and Roots in Appendix A.Study the Most Important/Frequently UsedGRE WordsWe have developed a list of the most frequently used words and their opposites related tospecific categories for easy memorization. Study these words.Study the Mini-Math RefresherIf you believe you are weak in basic math skills, study the Mini-Math Refresher. The materialin the section is keyed to the Complete Math Refresher section for more thorough instruction.Take the 101 Most Important Math Questions TestTo see what your weak basic math skills are, take the 101 Most Important Math QuestionsTest and look at the solutions to the questions. The questions are keyed to the Complete MathRefresher, so you can further brush up on your weak areas by referring to those pages in theComplete Math Refresher that are relevant for any questions you missed.The Explanatory Answers to Questions Are Keyed toSpecific Strategies and Basic SkillsThe Explanatory Answers in this book are far from skimpy—unlike those of other GRE books.Our detailed answers will direct you to the strategy that will help you to arrive at a correctanswer quickly. In addition, the math solutions in the book refer directly to the Math Refreshersection, particularly useful in case your math skills are rusty.Lift That GRE ScoreBy using the material in this book—that is, by taking the tests, learning the specific strategies, and refreshing your basic skills as described above—you should increase your GREscore substantially.—Gar y GruberGRE2015 Intro.indd 84/18/14 11:24 AM

ContentsINTRODUCTIONxivImportant Facts About the GRE / xivMulti- Level Approaches to the Solution of Problems / xxivThe Inside Track on How GRE Questions Are Developedand How They Vary from Test to Test / xxA 4- Hour Study Program for the GRE / xxviiWhat Are Critical-Thinking Skills? / xxiiLonger-Range Study Program and Helpful Steps forUsing This Book / xxviiiP A RT 1STRATEGY DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR THE GREDirections for Taking the Diagnostic Test / 21Section 3: Quantitative Reasoning (QuantitativeComparison) / 16Strategy Diagnostic Test Answer Sheet / 3Strategy Diagnostic Test Answer and DiagnosticTable / 19Section 1: Verbal Reasoning / 4Section 2: Quantitative Reasoning / 12P A RT 2THE WORLD’S shortest PRACTICE test—20 QUESTIONSto approximate your GRE score25Verbal (Critical Reading) / 26Answers / 31Regular Math / 28Scoring / 32Quantitative Comparison Math / 30Answers and Hints / 33PART 3THE 101 MOST IMPORTANT MATH QUESTIONSYOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SOLVEGRE2015 Intro.indd 9101 Math Questions Answer Sheet / 38101 Math Questions: Answers / 52101 Math Questions Test / 40Basic Skills Math Diagnosis / 54101 Math Questions: Answers, Diagnoses, Solutions,Generalizations, and Rules / 51Solutions, Generalizations, and Rules / 55374/18/14 11:24 AM