GMAT Geometry: Syllabus, Concepts, Formulas & Important Topics

Geometry is a crucial component of the quantitative element of the GMAT curriculum. GMAT Geometry questions are designed to measure your spatial reasoning skills. Business schools are continually on the lookout for candidates with a solid mathematical background for admission into management degree programmes.

There are certain Geometry questions on the GMAT quant section that you must know how to solve. For some applicants, the GMAT's geometry section presents a challenge because they lack a thorough understanding of the topics covered. We'll go over all you need to know about the GMAT Geometry section in this blog post.

Brief Overview Of GMAT Geometry

Geometry topics are tested in the data sufficiency and the problem-solving sections of the GMAT. Just under 25% of the problems on the GMAT quant section are geometry-related. You won't merely need to be able to apply GMAT geometry concepts on their own, as with all GMAT quant questions. To arrive at the right solution, you must be able to apply your understanding of geometry to other concepts (such as number properties).

GMAT geometry basics include triangles, quadrilaterals, straight lines and parabolic coordinate geometry. Angles, sides, area, and perimeter are common questions. To master the GMAT Geometry section, students require good visual abilities and learn the geometry formulas well.

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GMAT Geometry Topics

GMAT Geometry syllabus covers 10 to 15% of the GMAT Quant portion. This means you could get 3 to 6 questions out of 31 questions on exam day. The GMAT geometry syllabus mostly focuses on triangles, quadrilaterals, and straight lines, although parabolas in coordinate geometry are occasionally tested. Angles, side, area, and perimeter are often asked as well. The GMAT's evaluation of geometry concepts can be condensed into the following subcategories:

1.  Lines and Angles

• A line is a one-dimensional abstraction that runs on indefinitely.
• A line segment has two endpoints.
• Parallel lines lie in the same plane and never intersect.
• Perpendicular lines cross at 90°.
• Two lines intersect to form an angle. This is called an angle's vertex.
• Angles are calculated in degrees.
• Acute angles are smaller than 90°.
• Right angles are 90°.
• An obtuse angle exceeds 90°.
• Straight angles are 180°.
• The sum of the angles around a point is 360°.
• Two angles are supplementary if their sum forms a straight angle.
• Two angles are complementary if their sum forms a right angle.
• Two intersecting lines form vertical angles.
• A segment/line bisects an angle if it divides it into two equal, smaller parts.
• Two vertical angles are equal in measure.

2.  Triangles

• Triangles are closed figures that have three angles and three straight sides.
• A triangle's internal angles equal a sumtotal 180°.
• Every interior angle is supplementary to an adjacent exterior angle, and the sum of both is 180° .
• The gmat geometry formulas for finding the area of a triangle is ½bh where b= base and h= height
• Isosceles triangles have 2 equal-length sides.
• An equilateral triangle has three equal sides and three 60° angles.
• Special right triangles include:
  • Isosceles right triangles have a side relationship of 1:1:√2.
  • 30°60°90° triangles have a side relationship of 1:√3:2.
• Right triangles have one interior 90° angle. The hypotenuse is the triangle's longest side.
• The Pythagorean Theorem for triangle side lengths: a2+b2=c2
• Similar triangles have angles with the same degree measure.
• Two triangles are congruent if their angles and sides are equal.

Suggested: GMAT Exam Syllabus

3.  Circles

• A circle's diameter is a line segment that connects two points on the circumference of the circle and goes through its centre.
• The radius connects the circle's centre to any point on the circumference of it.
• Two radii form a circle's central angle.
• Circumference is the circle's distance.
  • C=πd
  • C=2πr
• Arcs are part of circle's circumference
• Length=(n/360 °)C, where n is the central angle in degrees.
• A=πr^2 gives the circle's area.

4.  Polygons

• A polygon is a closed figure with straight-line sides.
• A polygon's perimeter is its distance around the polygon (the sum of the length of all its sides).
• A quadrilateral equals 360° upon sumtotal of its interior angles.
• Area of a square: s^2
• Area of a rectangle: lw
• Area of a parallelogram: bh
• Area of a trapezoid: 1/2(a+b)

5.  Solids

• A cylinder is a solid that has a circle for its horizontal cross section
• Cylinder volume = Bh (base area).
• Cylinder base: πr^2
• A cube's faces are all squares.
• Cube volume = B * H (b=base area).
• Rectangular solid has six rectangular faces.
• Rectangular solid volume: lwh

6.  Coordinate Geometry

• Coordinate geometry is GMAT's biggest field.
• A line's slope indicates how steeply it climbs or descends the coordinate plane.
• Slope= rise/run
• Slope=change in y/ change in x
• Rise is the difference between two points on the y-coordinates; run is the difference between two points on the x-coordinates.
• To find the slope of a line, use the slope-intercept equation denoted as y=mx+b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.
• Perpendicular lines have slopes that are negative reciprocals of one another.
• Use the Pythagorean theorem to find the distance between two coordinates on the coordinate plane

Suggested: GMAT Exam Eligibility Criteria

How to Prepare for GMAT Geometry?

To do well on the quant section of the GMAT, one must take a systematic approach to the mathematics portion of the test. Practising the following GMAT geometry tips and tricks would be beneficial:

1.  Practice Daily

Candidates frequently neglect GMAT geometry practice questions in favour of data sufficiency, algebra, and arithmetic and in turn end up missing out on a better score on the GMAT. Regular Geometry practice helps solve problems easily and quickly. Understanding what the questions are going to look like is a good way to start. This will require reviewing GMAT practice papers, but more on that in an upcoming section below.

2.  Memorise the Rules

Geometry's properties and laws are difficult to learn at a stretch but  with daily practice, it is easily achieved. Candidates should save a copy of GMAT geometry rules and GMAT geometry formulas that we've listed for you in the next section.

3.  Redraw the Structure

Redrawing the diagram can help candidates speedily and effectively solve problems.

4.  Use the Scratch Paper Wisely

After you have redrawn the diagrams, you must remember to annotate them. Be sure to get this right, as the accuracy of the results depends on it for the rest of the calculation.

5.  Keep Track of Time

GMAT geometry questions take around 2 minutes to solve. How much time candidates spend on it is up to them.

Suggested: GMAT Score Chart & Score Calculator

Top GMAT Geometry Prep Books

Acquiring experience in working through actual GMAT questions is one of the most crucial aspects of your preparation for the GMAT. By working through genuine GMAT geometry questions, you can properly prepare yourself for the concepts that will be included in the GMAT.  Here are some of the best Geometry Prep Books to refer to in 2022:

1. Complete GMAT Strategy Guide Set
2. The Official Guide to the GMAT Review
3. GMAT Math Prep Course
4. The PowerScore GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible

Suggested: Best Books For GMAT Preparation

From the Desk of Yocket

GMAT Geometry shouldn't be intimidating. You must improve your geometry strategies, especially how to use diagrams to your advantage. There's a lot to study for the GMAT. Well-planned study techniques will help you attain your goals. If you still have questions regarding GMAT Geometry, join Yocket Prep today!