# GRE Quantitative Reasoning: Format and Tips | topin GRE guidesGRE Quant ![](/mountains/quant.webp) GRE General Test # GRE Quantitative Reasoning: format, question types and strategy GRE Quantitative Reasoning tests arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis at roughly high-school level, with an emphasis on reasoning over heavy calculation. You answer 27 questions across two timed sections, with an on-screen calculator, and the second section adapts to how you did on the first. [Take a free GRE mock ](/gre/login) Updated 29 September 2026 · 4 min read ## At a glance Questions 27 in two sections: 12, then 15 Time 47 minutes: 21 for section 1, 26 for section 2 Adaptive Section-level: section 2 difficulty follows your section 1 result Calculator Basic on-screen calculator provided Content Arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis Score 130–170 in 1-point steps ## GRE Quant question types ### Quantitative Comparison You compare Quantity A with Quantity B and choose whether A is greater, B is greater, they are equal, or the relationship cannot be determined from the information given. Tip: Test several kinds of values when variables are involved: zero, negatives, fractions between 0 and 1 and large numbers. If two different values give different relationships, the answer is that it cannot be determined. ### Multiple Choice: select one answer A standard question with five choices and one correct answer. Tip: Look at the choices before you calculate. When they are far apart, estimate; when the question has variables, plugging in a simple number or working back from the choices is often faster than algebra. ### Multiple Choice: select one or more answers Usually several choices where any number can be correct. You must select all the correct ones and no others to earn credit. Tip: Work out the range or condition that correct answers must meet, then check every choice against it. Look for the smallest and largest possible values rather than testing choices one at a time. ### Numeric Entry No choices: you type an integer or decimal into one box, or a numerator and denominator into two boxes for a fraction. Tip: Reread the question for units and rounding instructions before you enter anything. Equivalent answers are accepted and fractions do not need to be reduced, so do not spend time simplifying. ### Data Interpretation sets Several questions share one table, bar chart, line graph or similar display, and use any of the formats above. Tip: Before the first question, read the title, axis labels, units and any notes on the display. Many wrong answers come from reading thousands as units or a percentage as a raw count. ## How GRE Quant is scored Your raw score is the number of questions you answer correctly across both sections, with every question worth the same. It is converted to a scaled score from 130 to 170 that accounts for the difficulty of the section 2 you were given. Wrong answers carry no penalty, and questions with more than one correct answer give no partial credit. [GRE score percentile calculatorSee what percentile your Verbal, Quant and Writing scores put you in, from ETS data.](/gre/score-percentiles) ## How to prepare for GRE Quant 1. 1 ### Know the content before you work on speed Most Quant errors come from gaps in fundamentals such as exponents, number properties, percentages and triangle rules. Go through each topic, fix what you do not know, and only then start timed sets. 2. 2 ### Use the calculator only when it saves time The on-screen calculator is basic and slow to click through, and it follows order of operations, so a mistyped expression gives a confident wrong answer. Use it for awkward arithmetic like long division or square roots, and do simple sums and estimates by hand. 3. 3 ### Master Quantitative Comparison Quantitative Comparison makes up a large share of each section and rewards a set method. Simplify both quantities the same way, as you would with an equation, and remember that the answer can only be one of A, B or equal if it holds for every possible value. 4. 4 ### Pace against the clock, not the question count Section 1 gives you 21 minutes for 12 questions and section 2 gives you 26 minutes for 15, so under two minutes each. If a question has taken two minutes with no clear path, guess, mark it and move on; you can return to it from the review screen. 5. 5 ### Keep an error log by topic For every missed question, write down the topic and the reason: concept gap, careless slip or misread question. Practise topin's GRE Quant questions by topic and take a free full-length mock to see which topics cost you most under real timing. ## Common GRE Quant mistakes * Assuming variables are positive integers in Quantitative Comparison when the question allows negatives, zero or fractions. * Trusting a figure's proportions; figures are not necessarily drawn to scale unless the question says so. * Missing a unit or rounding instruction on Numeric Entry, or answering in the wrong unit. * Selecting only one choice on select-one-or-more questions without checking the rest. * Leaving questions blank at the end of a section when a guess costs nothing. ## GRE Quant questions, answered How many questions are in GRE Quant? There are 27 Quant questions in two sections: 12 in the first section and 15 in the second. Is there a calculator on GRE Quant? Yes. A basic on-screen calculator is available throughout both Quant sections. It handles the four operations and square roots, but most questions can be solved faster with estimation and reasoning. How long is GRE Quant? 47 minutes in total: 21 minutes for section 1 and 26 minutes for section 2, each timed separately. What maths is on the GRE? Arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis, including statistics, probability and counting. The maths is at roughly high-school level; calculus and trigonometry are not tested. What is a good GRE Quant score? It depends on your target programmes. Engineering, computer science, economics and other quantitative programmes usually expect scores near the top of the scale, while many humanities programmes weight Quant less. Check each programme's published class profile and aim at or above its average. ## See where you stand in GRE Quant Your first full-length GRE mock is free, with every section included. [Take the free mock ](/gre/login)