Basic Numeracy

Some people are just "good with numbers." I don't know to what extent you can develop that talent as an adult, but I do know you can gain some skills that will give you many of the same benefits on the GMAT. Get comfortable with fractions, decimals, and percents, converting one from the other, and developing an intuitive understanding of what they mean. Real-world examples are very helpful here. You may be good at approximating 20% from shopping sales; if you have a stock or mutual fund portfolio, you are looking at decimals all the time. A key word in that last paragraph is "approximating." Many people who have a well-developed "number sense" have a knack for approximating, then adjusting their results. If local sales tax is 8%, they figure out 10% (which is much easier), then nudge the number down a bit. You can't simulate 20 years of practice in a couple of months before the GMAT, but you can start developing those skills. Even a little bit helps. Many of these techniques fall under the heading of "mental math

Beginning Algebra
Without rock-solid basic algebra skills, you won't do very well on the GMAT Quantitative section. There's no way around that. If you look at an equation or variable and quiver in fear, it's time to seek help. Take a class at a local community college or work through the first several chapters of a high-school algebra book. Before you start GMAT Math preparation, you should be able to solve equations with one variable, solve systems of equations with two variables, and simplify equations, all without much effort .

Word Translations
While algebra is important, many GMAT Quantitative questions are word problems. Before you get to do any algebra, you have to convert two or three sentences to something more mathematical. Some students have trouble with this, even if they remember the mechanics of high-school algebra and geometry. Like basic algebra, it is something that needs to be almost automatic if you are to excel on the GMAT. Start by memorizing some key words: "less" almost always represents subtraction, "per" indicates division (as in "miles per hour"), and "is" often signals an equals sign .

Getting Comfortable
This threefold foundation won't eliminate the challenges of GMAT Math--in a way, all it does is prepare for a whole new set of difficulties! However, too many students try to skip over the basics and catch up along the way. It almost never works. Much better to spend a few weeks at the outset ensuring that you've mastered the basics, even if you feel silly relearning material you first saw when you were twelve years old. It will make the rest of preparation much more efficient and effective.