How To Answer Basic Math Multiple Choice Questions

Generally, the time allowed for the math portion is so short there’s not much room for error. You have to be fast and accurate. It’s imperative that before the test day arrives, you’ve learned all the main formulas that will be used, and then to create your own problems (and solve them).

On the actual test day, use the “Plug-CheckCheck” strategy. Here’s how it goes.

Read the problem, but not the answers.
You’ll want to work the problem first and come up with your own answers. If you do the work right, you will find your answer among the options given.
If you need help with the problem, plug actual numbers into the variables given. You’ll find it easier to work with numbers than it is to work with letters. For instance, if the question asks, “If Y - 4 is 2 more than Z, then Y+5 is how much more than Z?” Try selecting a value for Y. Let’s take 6. Your question now becomes, “If 6-4 is 2 more than Z, then 6 plus 5 is how much more than Z?” Now your answer is easier to work with.

Check the answer choices to see if your answer matches one of those.
If no answer matches your answer, re-check your math, but this time, use a different method. In math, it’s common for there to be more than one way to solve a problem.

Math Multiple Choice Strategies
The two strategies for working with basic math multiple choice are Estimation and Elimination.

Math Strategy 1 - Estimation.
Just like it sounds, try to estimate an approximate answer first. Then look at the choices.

Math Strategy 2 - Elimination.
For every question, no matter what type, eliminating obviously incorrect answers narrows the possible choices.
Elimination is probably the most powerful strategy for answering multiple choice.

Fractions Shortcut - Canceling Out
In any operation with fractions, if the numerator of one fraction has a common multiple with the denominator of the other, you can cancel out. This saves time and simplifies the problem quickly, making it easier to manage.

Solve 2/15 ÷ 4/5 a.    6/65 b.    6/75 c.    5/12 d.    1/6
To divide fractions, we multiply the first fraction with the inverse of the second. Therefore, we have 2/15 x 5/4. The numerator of the first fraction, 2, shares a multiple with the denominator of the second fraction, 4, which is 2. These cancel out, which gives, 1/3 x 1/2 = 1/6
Canceling out solved the questions very quickly, but we can still use multiple choice strategies to answer.
Choice B can be eliminated because 75 is too large a denominator. Choice C can be eliminated because 5 and 15 don’t go into 12.
Choice D is correct.

Strategy and Shortcuts
Multiplying decimals gives a very quick way to estimate and eliminate choices. Anytime that you multiply decimals, it is going to give an answer with the same number of decimal places as the combined operands.

So for example,
2.38 X 1.2 will produce a number with three places of decimal, which is 2.856.