How many different forms are there?

Forum for the GRE subject test in mathematics.
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dasgut
Posts: 250
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:20 am

How many different forms are there?

Post by dasgut » Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:08 am

So how many different forms of the GRE math subject exam are there out there? Anybody know what the chances are that if we took the test in October we'll get the exact same form in November?

cbreeden
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:37 am

Re: How many different forms are there?

Post by cbreeden » Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:22 am

I'm sure they have a mechanism for preventing just that. I mean, they have your name, and they know what tests you have taken. I'm sure they aren't going to give you the same exact test. I wouldn't be surprised if you see a few questions on the Nov test that were on the Oct test, though.

dasgut
Posts: 250
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:20 am

Re: How many different forms are there?

Post by dasgut » Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:35 am

I dunno. I think the test I took in October may have been the exact same one I took last November. Of course I didn't remember the answers :(

prong
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:17 am

Re: How many different forms are there?

Post by prong » Tue Oct 26, 2010 5:22 pm

even if you think you've seen a problem before you probably haven't. you should know by now that there are many ways to permute problems to get 'similar'-looking problems that fall to the same methods but differ by factors of 2, or sqrt(x). you'll never remember that factor of 2 or the different prime factors or the extra squared term because all you remember from the problem was its rough 'shape' and the method of solution.

cbreeden
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:37 am

Re: How many different forms are there?

Post by cbreeden » Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:47 am

right, so clearly the best thing to do is to learn how to do the problems you missed, as opposed to just remembering answers. Even though, getting similar problems, is indeed a big advantage.



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