Hi Anonymous,

in general I would recommend the following steps for math in the

1. Repeat the question – candidates sometimes do mistakes answering the wrong question in the math part
2. Present how you would like to proceed from a theoretical point of view (you may ask for time before presenting if you initially don't know how to approach the problem)
3. Ask for time and perform the first computations
4. Present interim steps to the interviewer to keep him/her aligned – don’t just say the final number
5. Continue with the computations until you find the final answer
6. Propose next steps on the basis of the results you found

It seems your issues are mainly on point 2. If that’s the case, as Vlad mentioned I would recommend using the math part in casebooks as a way to improve on the identification of the formulas.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Dear A,

• For practicing and improving your mental math you can find some apps and tools, besides Victor Cheng’s math tool (Magoosh's mental maths app, Mental math cards challenge app, etc).
• Buy the Viktor Cheng test prep program - the best materials I've seen so far.
• Practice PST. You can find some guidance on PrepLounge https://www.preplounge.com/en/bootcamp.php/interview-first-aid/master-the-problem-solving-test/guide-to-improving-speed-in-written-tests-such-as-the-pst

Best,

André

Hi,

What has proving really useful to my candidates:

1. Find all available casebooks online (20-30 casebooks)
2. Go through each case, but just concentrate on solving the math problem
3. You are prepared!

The reason is - there is a finite number of math problems that you can have in the case and most of them are in casebooks

And here is how to approach charts:

1. Ask the interviewer for a minute to analyze the chart / table

2. In your mind formulate the question you have to answer

3. Look at the chart and define the type (pie chart, line chart, etc). Read the chart title. Read the legend

4. Analyze the chart / table. Look for: Trends, comparisons, % shares, etc. Look for unusual things (consultants love to integrate these traps in charts) - correlations, outliers, etc

5. Ask clarifying questions if required

6. Provide your conclusion. You should not just describe the chart but also derive the conclusions. There should be at least one major conclusion plus any additional conclusions you can make. You can also provide your hypothesis on what can be the root causes / consequences

7. Based on the interviewer's feedback, prioritize the most important information and define the next steps.

Here are some tips on how you can master that skill:

1. Read "Say it with Charts" book by Gene Zelazny

2. Check the chapters on cases with charts in the following case books "Consulting Bible" and "Vault guide for consulting"

3. Refresh the basic statistics (Most of GMAT prep handbooks have a good summary)

4. Practice GMAT Integrated Reasoning part (GMAT Official guide or Manhattan prep)

5. Practice on real MBB presentations. Look at the chart, derive the conclusions, and compare it to the ones on the slide. Best sources to find presentations - various reports and articles on MBB websites, Slideshare

Best!

Hello!

Do you mean business cases, or do you mean the McK initial test?

Cheers