What Test Sections Are on the GMAT Exam?
UPDATED FOR THE NEW GMAT IN 2024
The GMAT Focus Edition is a computer adaptive entrance exam with three sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights, taken over the course of 2 hours and 15 minutes. Test-takers choose from among six possible section orders and can take one optional, 10-minute break. All three sections count toward your overall score.
Keep reading for a full overview of the GMAT Focus Edition format and a breakdown of the GMAT Focus sections.
Looking for more guidance on the GMAT? Contact us today!
THE GMAT QUANTITATIVE REASONING SECTION
The Quantitative Reasoning section consists of 21 questions in 45 minutes. All of these questions are similar to multiple choice questions seen on the “math” section of other standardized exams -- they require students to solve a problem and choose from five possible answer choices. On the GMAT Focus, this format is known as Problem Solving.
The following are some of the most common math topics that appear in the GMAT quant section:
● Rates
● Probability
● Combinatorics
● Ratios
● Number Properties
● Arithmetic
● Algebra
● Exponents
● Percents
● Percents
THE GMAT VERBAL REASONING SECTION
The GMAT Verbal Reasoning section includes 23 questions in 45 minutes.
There are two types of questions in the GMAT verbal section:
1) Reading Comprehension (RC). GMAT RC questions are based on 3-4 passages of varying lengths, interspersed throughout the Verbal Reasoning section. Passages often cover a topic such as economics, science, art, or history, and they are followed by 3-4 questions. GMAT RC questions never require any subject-specific knowledge.
On RC questions, test-takers are often required to:
Identify primary purpose and main ideas
Infer conclusions
Discern logical structure
Recognize style and tone
For more, check out this article on how to study for GMAT Reading Comprehension or this free GMAT RC video course.
2) Critical Reasoning (CR). CR accounts for roughly half of the questions on the GMAT Verbal Reasoning section. These questions follow a short passage that presents an argument. After reading that argument (typically less than 100 words), GMAT test-takers are asked to do tasks such as the following:
Strengthen the argument
Weaken the argument
Identify the role of different pieces within the argument
Identify assumptions underlying a conclusion
Resolve an apparent paradox or discrepancy
Infer a conclusion based on given facts
For more, check out this article on how to prepare for GMAT Critical Reasoning or this free GMAT CR video course.
THE GMAT FOCUS DATA INSIGHTS (DI) SECTION
The GMAT Data Insights section consists of 20 questions in 45 minutes. It requires test-takers to use a combination of quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, and real-world data skills to solve complex questions.
The following are question types that you can expect to see fairly frequently on the DI section:
Data Sufficiency — Logic-y (and sometimes math-y) questions that require students to evaluate whether two statements are sufficient to answer a question, either individually or together.
Table Analysis — Basically Excel.
Graphics Interpretation — Read graphs – sometimes bizarre ones – and answer questions.
Two-Part Analysis — You’ll select two answers for each question. These can require quant skills, verbal skills, logic skills, or a combination of these.
Multi-source Reasoning — The GMAT’s best firehose: a group of several questions with accompanying text, tables, graphs, etc.
For more on how to approach the GMAT Focus Data Insights section, check out this video:
GMAT SECTION ORDER
You can take the three sections of the GMAT Focus in whichever order you prefer. Overall, this gives you six possible section orders (there’s a miniature combinatorics question for you!). There is no “perfect” section order that everyone should use – it comes down to personal preference. So, just think of the arrangement of the Quant, Verbal, and Data Insights sections that would work the best for you.
When thinking through your ideal section order, there are two main factors to take into account:
Are you likely to feel nervous at the beginning? If so, start with a section that won’t be as impacted by a bit of test-day jitters.
Are you likely to feel fatigued at the end? If so, finish the exam with a section that doesn’t require as much brainpower.
Additionally, There is one optional 10-minute break that can be taken between the first and second section or between the second and third section.
WHAT IS AN ADAPTIVE TEST, AND WHY ARE SOME GMAT SECTIONS ADAPTIVE?
All three sections of the GMAT Focus are adaptive, which means that when you answer questions correctly, the test will give you harder questions as you move through the section. If you get a bunch of questions wrong, on the other hand, the GMAT will adapt and show you easier questions.
The purpose of making a test adaptive is to allow the exam to tailor the difficulty level to match your skill level. This allows the exam to efficiently reveal a wider range of scores with a smaller number of test questions.
For more on how to manage your time on an adaptive test like the GMAT, check out this video.
Want to learn more about the GMAT?
New to the GMAT? Here’s a pile of articles about the logistics and fundamentals of the exam.
Our beginner’s guides to Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning
A 12-minute video on how to approach the GMAT Data Insights section
Our free, complete GMAT video course, featuring videos for all three sections of the GMAT Focus Edition