GMAT Quantitative Reasoning syllabus 2026

Two things were taken out of GMAT quant and most preparation material has not caught up. Geometry is gone entirely. Data sufficiency has moved to Data Insights. What remains is 21 problem solving questions on arithmetic and algebra, in 45 minutes.

The maths stops at roughly Class 10 level. The difficulty is in reading the question correctly with about two minutes on the clock, and in an adaptive engine that pushes you towards questions at the edge of your ability. The section sits within the GMAT exam pattern.

Section structure

Arithmetic

• Properties of integers: factors, multiples, primes, odd and even, divisibility, consecutive integers
• Fractions, decimals and place value
• Percentages: percentage change, successive percentages, percentage of a percentage
• Ratio and proportion, including mixtures and dilution
• Powers, roots and exponents, including negative and fractional exponents
• Averages and statistics: mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation as a concept rather than a calculation
• Rate, work and speed: combined rates, relative speed, average speed
• Profit, loss, interest and discount
• Sets and overlapping sets, including three-set problems
• Counting methods: permutations, combinations, the multiplication principle
• Probability: independent and dependent events, complementary probability

Algebra

• Linear equations: single and simultaneous
• Quadratic equations: factorisation, roots, the relationship between roots and coefficients
• Inequalities, including compound inequalities and inequalities with variables on both sides
• Absolute value in equations and inequalities
• Functions and function notation, including composite functions
• Exponents and algebraic identities
• Sequences and series: arithmetic, geometric and recursively defined
• Word problems translated into equations, which is where most of the section actually lives

What is not in GMAT quant

• No geometry or coordinate geometry
• No trigonometry
• No calculus
• No matrices, vectors or complex numbers
• No data sufficiency, which is now in Data Insights

This is a genuine divergence from the Indian papers. CAT quant still tests geometry and the XAT quant section tests trigonometry directly, so a geometry chapter is CAT and XAT preparation only.

How the adaptive format changes your approach

You cannot skip a question and come back to it during the section. Every question must be answered before the next appears. Bookmarking lets you flag up to three for review at the end, and only at the end.

A wrong answer early costs more than a wrong answer late, because the engine uses it to set the difficulty of everything that follows. Spending three minutes on question four is usually a better investment than spending it on question eighteen.

• Never leave a question unanswered at the end of the section, since that is penalised more heavily than a wrong answer
• Guess and move on rather than accumulating a time debt you cannot repay
• Use the bookmark sparingly, since you can only change three answers
• Accept that the questions will feel hard, because the engine is calibrating to your level

Common mistakes

• Preparing data sufficiency as part of quant, when it now sits in Data Insights
• Revising geometry that is no longer tested
• Treating a run of hard questions as a sign the test is going badly, when it usually means the opposite
• Running out of time and leaving the final questions blank
• Using a practice bank that is not adaptive, which trains content without training pacing

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are in GMAT quant?

21, in 45 minutes.

Is geometry on GMAT quant?

No. It was removed with the Focus Edition in 2024.

Is data sufficiency still on the GMAT?

Yes, but in Data Insights rather than in the quant section.

Is a calculator allowed in GMAT quant?

No. The on-screen calculator is only available in Data Insights.

Is there negative marking?

No, but unanswered questions at the end of a section are penalised heavily.

What is a good GMAT quant score?

Section scores run 60 to 90. What counts as competitive depends on the programme, so check the school rather than a general benchmark.

Can I go back to a previous question?

Not during the section. You can bookmark questions and change up to three answers at the end.

How hard is GMAT quant compared with CAT quant?

The content is narrower, since there is no geometry. The adaptive format makes the experience harder to read, because a well-performing candidate faces consistently difficult questions.

Do I need to memorise formulas?

A small number of arithmetic and algebra relationships. There is no formula sheet to learn of the kind geometry used to require.

Is mental arithmetic important?

It helps, since there is no calculator in this section, but question selection and setup return more than raw calculation speed.