How to Practice for the GRE Quantitative Section: High School Level Difficulty, but a 170 is Only the 89th Percentile—Understand the Questions, Familiarize Yourself with Question Types, and Minimize Mistakes

Many Chinese test-takers find the GRE Quantitative section "easy" and set their target directly at 170. But as we wrote in How to Score High on the GRE, a 170 in Quant is only the 89th percentile: a large number of test-takers are in the high-score range, and missing just one or two questions can drop your ranking significantly. Therefore, the challenge of GRE Math is not the difficulty of the questions, but rather understanding the English prompts, familiarizing yourself with question formats, managing time, and making almost no mistakes. Based on the official ETS guidelines, this article explains what the GRE Quant section tests, how it is structured, and how to practice for it.

1. What It Tests: High School Math Level

According to ETS, GRE Quantitative Reasoning tests basic math skills, understanding of fundamental math concepts, and the ability to reason, model, and solve problems using quantitative methods. The content covers high school math and statistics, generally not exceeding the difficulty of a second course in algebra, and does not test trigonometry, calculus, or other higher-level math. There are four content areas:

For Chinese test-takers, the knowledge points themselves are not difficult; what really takes time is mastering English math terminology and data analysis (statistical concepts and graph questions).

2. How It Is Tested: Two Sections, Section-Level Adaptive

According to ETS, the total GRE test time is about 1 hour and 58 minutes, with the Quant section divided into two parts:

• Section 1: 12 questions, 21 minutes;
• Section 2: 15 questions, 26 minutes.

The test is section-level adaptive: the difficulty of the second section depends on your performance in the first section. Within a section, you can skip questions and go back to change answers, and you can also use the "Mark" and "Review" features to look back.

Let's calculate the time: less than two minutes per question on average. Therefore, you need to be especially steady in the first section; getting them right allows you to move on to the more difficult second section and aim for a high score.

3. Four Question Types

1. Quantitative Comparison: Compare the relationship between two quantities. The options for this type are always the same four: Quantity A is greater, Quantity B is greater, the two quantities are equal, or the relationship cannot be determined. With practice, you can solve these very quickly;
2. Single-choice questions: Select one correct answer from the options;
3. Multiple-choice questions (select one or more): You must select all correct options;
4. Numeric Entry: You enter the answer yourself, which could be an integer, decimal, or fraction.

There are also Data Interpretation sets: several questions based on the same table or graph.

Multiple-choice and numeric entry questions do not have options to eliminate, making them easier to lose points on; they should be the focus of your practice.

4. The Calculator: Use It Wisely

The test provides a basic on-screen calculator. ETS recommends using it for tedious calculations, such as long division or square roots, while mental math is still faster for simple calculations. You should familiarize yourself with the calculator's operation in the practice software before the test.

5. Test-Taking Strategies from ETS

ETS lists the following math test-taking tips on its website:

• Avoid unnecessary calculations: Think first if there is a faster way;
• Figures are not necessarily drawn to scale: Do not rely on visual estimation for lengths and angles;
• Plug in numbers: For questions with variables, try plugging in numbers;
• Work backward from the options: Sometimes it is faster to plug the options back into the question;
• Check if the answer is reasonable.

ETS's general test-taking advice also includes:

• No penalty for wrong answers: Your score is based only on the number of correct answers, so answer every question and leave no blanks;
• All questions are worth the same: Do not spend too much time on one question; if unsure, mark it and come back later;
• Use your scratch paper well.

6. A Practice Method

Here are some empirical recommendations:

1. Build Your English Terminology First

Compile a bilingual list of math terms, such as integer, prime, remainder, median, standard deviation, and inclusive. Some "careless mistakes" are actually just a result of not understanding the question.

2. Identify and Fill Knowledge Gaps by Area

Go through a round of official materials, tally your wrong answers by the four areas, and focus on filling gaps in data analysis and probability/counting, which are not heavily emphasized in Chinese high schools.

3. Practice Quantitative Comparison Specifically

These questions are the best for improving your speed. Practice plugging in special values (0, negative numbers, fractions, very large numbers) to identify "cannot be determined" scenarios.

4. Take Official Practice Tests

ETS offers POWERPREP practice tests: two free full-length tests (one untimed, one timed); the paid POWERPREP PLUS Online tests are $44.95 each, providing instant scoring and detailed reports. Practice tests help you get familiar with the test software, calculator, and pacing.

5. Keep an Error Log

For every wrong answer, note down: what went wrong (misread the question, calculation error, unclear concept, ran out of time) and what the correct approach is. Review your error log intensively before the test.

6. Manage Your Time

When practicing, complete full sections under timed conditions to find your own pace; if you get stuck on a question, mark it and skip it to ensure you finish all the questions you know how to solve.

7. A Study Schedule (Example)

1. Weeks 1–2: Compile your terminology list, complete a round of official questions, and tally errors by area;
2. Weeks 3–5: Targeted practice for weak areas, focusing on data analysis, probability, and quantitative comparison;
3. From Week 6: Do timed full-section practice and POWERPREP practice tests, and review your error log;
4. Week before the test: Review your error log and terminology list, and adjust your sleep schedule.

Adjust the exact timeline based on your foundation and test date.

Conclusion

The knowledge points in GRE Math are not difficult; what makes the difference is the details: understanding the English, knowing the rules of the four question types, using the calculator properly, not spending too much time on one question, answering every question, and making as few mistakes as possible. By practicing with official materials using this method, scoring high is well within reach. For Verbal and Writing preparation, see our articles on How to Score High on the GRE and How to Memorize GRE Vocabulary.

If you need GRE prep tutoring, feel free to chat with our tutors.

Verification note: This article was verified against the official ETS website in September 2026. The math content, four areas, difficulty range, question types, data interpretation sets, calculator instructions, and test-taking tips are from the GRE Math introduction page; the total test time, number of questions and time for the two math sections, section-level adaptivity, and skip/review features are from the test structure page (reflecting the new test format starting September 22, 2023); no penalty for wrong answers, answering every question, and pacing advice are from the test strategies page; the number and price of POWERPREP practice tests are from the POWERPREP page. The description of the four fixed options for Quantitative Comparison is based on ETS's standard question type description; the separate page for this question type could not be opened this time; the 89th percentile for a 170 in Math has been verified in our 28th article. The practice methods and study schedule are our empirical recommendations.

References:

• ETS: GRE Quantitative Reasoning
• ETS: GRE General Test Structure
• ETS: GRE Strategies & Tips
• ETS: POWERPREP