The KAPLAN Method

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The KAPLAN Method

• A GMAT student guide for using KAPLAN strategies

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Why all the different KAPLAN methods?

• Standardized tests have predictable question
  types
• These question types are formulaic and yield to
  specific strategies
• Each question type has a corresponding strategy
• KAPLAN has researched the best methods for each
  question type

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How can KAPLAN methods help students to raise
test scores?

• Students have a definite place to start for each
  question so less time is lost trying to figure
  out what to do
• KAPLAN methods focus on identifying the most
  important elements of the question and answers
• The KAPLAN methods help students learn how to
  eliminate answer traps

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How do the KAPLAN methods work?

• Lets see one in action!

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The KAPLAN method forData Sufficiency Questions

• Step 1 Read the Question Stem Yes/No or
  Value Question What is Given, What is
  Needed
• Step 2 Evaluate Each Statement
  INDIVIDUALLY!
• Step 3 Combine the Statements
• IF NECESSARY!

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Step 1- Read the Q-stem

• Is x gt 3?
• Is this a yes/no or value question?
• What is Given, What is asked?

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Explanation Is x gt 3?

• The answer to this question will be either yes or
  no.
• Either a yes or no response will be sufficient to
  answer the question.
• A maybe or sometimes response will be
  insufficient to answer the question.
• Q- What is needed to answer the question?
• A - A value or range for x!

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Step 2- Evaluate each statement INDIVIDUALLY!

• Statement 1) x gt 4
• Statement 2) x gt 1
• In this step, each statement must be evaluated
  separately.
• Either statement can be evaluated first.

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What is a sufficient statement for a yes/no
question?

• Statement 1) x gt 4 answers the question is x gt
  3? as yes, because x will always be greater
  than 3. This statement is sufficient! (An
  always no response is equally sufficient, i.e.
  x lt -1 would be no, x will never be greater
  than 3, and is therefore sufficient)
• Statement 2) x gt 1 answers the question is x gt
  3? as maybe, because x could equal 2 and be
  less than 3, or could equal 4 and be greater than
  3. This statement is insufficient!

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Step 3- Combine the statements

• This step is not necessary because one of the
  statements alone is sufficient.
• This step is only necessary when both statements
  alone are insufficient.
• Now for a value based question!

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Step 1- Read the Q-stem

• What is the value of x?
• The value based data sufficiency question stem
  means one and only one value for x. A statement
  that gives a range or two or more values for x is
  insufficient!
• What about these next two statements?

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Step 2- Evaluate each statement INDIVIDUALLY!

• Statement 1) 3x (x-2) 0
• In this case, x could equal either 0 or 2,
  therefore the statement is insufficient!
• Statement 2) (x-2) (x2) 0
• In this case, x could equal either 2 or
  -2,therefore the statement is insufficient!

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Step 3- Combine the statements

• In this example, the third step is necessary
  because each statement is insufficient.
• If there is only one value that satisfies each
  statement, then together the statements are
  sufficient.
• If there is still more than one possible value,
  then the statements alone and combined are
  insufficient.
• In this example, 2 is the only value that will
  satisfy both statements, therefore combined they
  are sufficient!

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The Answer Choices

• The answer choices on test day will always be the
  same
• 1- Statement 1 alone is sufficient
• 2- Statement 2 alone is sufficient
• 3- Together, statements are sufficient
• 4- Either statement alone is sufficient
• 5- Alone or together the statements are
  insufficient

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Work the method, every time!

• Step 1
• If there are 50 games in the season and Team X
  must win 80 of its games to advance to the
  playoffs, will Team X be in the playoffs?
• Is this a yes/no or a value question?
• yes/no
• value

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This is a yes/no question

• Step 2
• If there are 50 games in the season and Team X
  must win 80 of its games to advance to the
  playoffs, will Team X be in the playoffs?
• statement 1 Team Y won 43 games
• statement 2 Team X and Team Y won the same
  number of games
• 1- Statement 1 alone is sufficient
• 2- Statement 2 alone is sufficient
• 3- Together, statements are sufficient
• 4- Either statement alone is sufficient
• 5- Alone or together the statements are
  insufficient

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The right methodthe right answer!

• Step 3 is required in this example. Statement 1
  only talks about Team Y, while Statement 2 makes
  the relation between Team X and Team Y.
• It is only when combined that the statements are
  sufficient to answer the question Will Team X be
  in the playoffs?
• Remember, this is a yes/no, not a value question,
  although the value is needed to answer yes.
• Also, do only as many calculations as required to
  sufficiently answer the question. The answer
  choices will never ask for an actual value, only
  whether the statements provide sufficient
  data/evidence to answer the question.

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The Best Answer- KAPLAN has it!

• Every question has one, and only one, right
  answer
• KAPLAN has developed proven methods to eliminate
  the wrong answers as well as choose the right
  answers
• The KAPLAN methods save valuable time and that
• Leads to higher scores!

Click here to visit the KAPLAN site!