8 Essential Tips for the GRE Mathematics Section

I want to give you a few more GRE quant power tips. There are 8. (8 also happens to be my favorite number. I like that it is so symmetric. I like that when I push it over, it is the infinity sign or a pair of glasses or the two wheels of my bike). Anyways†¦ Power Tip 1: Always, always start with arithmetic There is no exception to this rule. Arithmetic is the foundation tothe quantitative section, and by far represents the largest portion of the exam. Even if you get all the homework questions right, don’t get cocky about arithmetic. It is one of those things that can look deceptively easy, but in reality, is very hard. if you have doubts as to whether arithmetic can be hard, let me ask you a few questions. Is zero positive or negative? Is one a prime number? Are negative numbers prime numbers? What is the difference between least common denominator and greatest common multiple? What is the divisibility rule for 3? What is the units digit of 1798943^123? The last one is actually a GRE question...and obviously requires you to see patterns and to know foundational math. Hence, I want to emphasize that many GRE quant problems bank on you having studied the complicated stuff but overlooked the "simpler stuff," hence, arithmetic can be deceptively easy. Power Tip 2: Know when to use your BRAIN, and when to use your calculator The onscreen calculator both easy to use and necessarily a little limited in its functionality. You will have to use your mouse to click, which can get tedious. This is the on-screen calculator. No more. No less. Try to simplify fractions or round before you reach for the calculator.Our primal instinct is the latter, but actually, you will find that paper and pencil can go much faster. For example:with some thinking, fractions like 45/90 become  ½ without using the calculator. Another example:A $6.25 shirt price can be rounded down to 6 and then that is a nice easy whole number to work with. Also have you ever wondered what those weird MR, MC, keys on the calculator meant? Here’s what they mean. M+ stores numbers in memory. MR is recall memory. MC is clear memory. Using them can help you save a little time but don’t feel the need to. Most people don’t. Power Tip 3: The power of estimation This power tip goes along with tip 2. It is in the use-your-brain department. Your motto from now on will be: think before you calculate. I will show you this tip through example: This problem looks scary no? Now, DO NOT solve this cold. DO NOT reach for the calculator. It will be more time consuming. Look at the answers and notice that they are all easy whole numbers, which means that there has to be an easier way to solve this problem. What you should do is round all the numbers in the question to the nearest whole number. See below. The answer is 1! How straightforward was that?! Oh, the power of estimation. Power Tip 4: Know when to plug in numbers For some people, plugging in numbers is the last resort. But for certain problems, this is the best first resort. When appropriate,plugging in can be a great method(magic, even), and can save you lots of time. Remember this question? You should, becauseit was part of your homework. Lionel is younger than Maria.Quantity A Quantity BTwice Lionel's age Maria's age (A) Quantity A is greater.(B) Quantity B is greater.(C) The two quantities are equal.(D) The relationship cannot be determined from the information given. Before you start writing x’s and y’s, let’s try the plug in method. If L is 6 and M is 10, then A is greater. If L is 4 and M is 10, then B is greater. And that’s it, the answer isD,because both A or B could be greater. Power Tip 5: Know your strengths and weaknesses I have emphasized this many times and for good reason. A very common question I get is:how do I approach a complicated math problem?Unfortunately, there are really no methods or â€Å"tricks† that can make up for not knowing a math property. I.e. in numeric entry problems, you don’t even have the opportunity to guess! So my advice to you is this: if you find a question you know you can’t guess, (i.e. it is probability and you just don’t feel comfortable with probability), then skip it. Come back to it later, or use your time to solve problems you do know how to solve. Power Tip 6: Don’t get flustered if you don’t know the answer immediately. Even the best math people need 30 seconds to orient themselves to the problem. No one looks at a question and just knows. There is no such thing as knowledge at first sight. To get rid of the butterflies, or at least quell them, pick up that pencil and start writing something.I recommendwriting information from the problem. If it is a word problem, try to translate each sentence into an algebraic expression. If it is a numbers only problem, try to write down what you know. I.e. X=integer, Y=positive, etc.Writing helps the wheels start turning. Power Tip 7: Eliminate careless errors These are errors that you can avoid! There is no point in learning high level geometry when you miss questions like 2x=10. You will find that if you eliminated all careless errors, you might actually have your goal score without having to learn combinatorics so well. Power Tip 8: Give yourself a benchmark ‘question’ goal Instead of telling yourself that you will get X score, tell yourself that you will get 10 right, or 15 right.A whole score is somewhat abstract, a question benchmark is more tangible.OKAY, break time! Go fuel up. Eat a cookie. You have earned it.

How to Major in Artificial Intelligence

How to Major in Artificial Intelligence Headlines related to artificial intelligence are ubiquitous in 2019—automation displacing workers in industrial settings, self-driving cars on the cusp of taking over our roadways, and machines diagnosing diseases in patients with a higher rate of accuracy than even the best-trained physicians. Artificial intelligence is just as omnipresent in our daily experience whether it’s Netflix telling you (with alarming accuracy) what you would like to watch, Amazon knowing when you are out of dog food, or Spotify recommending what turns out to be your new favorite band. Examples are endless—for more, just ask Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant.Given its increasing role in the world, students intent on majoring in engineering or computer science may want to seriously consider specializing in AI. In the following article, we will answer each of these important questions:What colleges offer an AI major or track?What courses will I take to earn a degree in artificial intellige nce?How can I get accepted into an AI program?What is the job/salary outlook for AI degree holders?Let’s begin by exploring which U.S. universities offer programs in AI.Where can I major in Artificial Intelligence?Carnegie Mellon University, one of the nation’s top engineering schools just launched an undergraduate degree program in artificial intelligence in 2018-19. They are the first U.S. school to do so—fitting, since two Carnegie Mellon researchers created the first artificial intelligence computer programs in the mid-1950s. The Milwaukee School of Engineering followed CMU’s lead, announcing the formation of their own Computer Science/AI program shortly after. Many other elite universities do not offer full-blown AI majors, instead only granting degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels.Fortunately, for those seeking to tackle AI as an undergrad, many other top tech institutions do offer a track or concentration in AI as part of a computer s cience degree. For example, AI is one of the nine tracks that CS majors at Stanford University can select. Students in this program take courses like: AI Principles and Techniques, Natural Language Processing, Robotics and Control, and AI Methods. Caltech offers their CS majors a similar track in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. The University of Illinois offers their Computer Engineering students a specialization in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Cybernetics.For those lacking the credentials to apply to some of these aforementioned elite programs, schools like UNC-Charlotte, UMass-Amherst, and Oregon State University offer similar tracks/specializations in AI.Courses in an Artificial Intelligence bachelor’s programTo earn a degree in Artificial Intelligence, you can expect to take a core of computer science classes covering topics such as: Imperative computation, functional programming, sequential data structures and algorithms, and computer systems. Mat h requirements will involve coursework in areas such as: Differential and integral calculus, matrices and linear transformations, modern regression, probability theory, and integration and approximation.You can expect to take AI-specific courses in:Machine LearningDecision-making RoboticsPerception LanguageHuman-AI InteractionEthics AIThat is a sampling of what you will take once you’re in college but what courses can you take in high school to: a) help you gain admission to an AI program; and b) prepare you for success in your undergraduate study?What high school courses should I take?For starters, high schoolers eyeing entry into a top artificial intelligence program should take a full order of honors/AP courses in physics, chemistry, biology, calculus, trigonometry, geometry, and statistics. Additionally, students should take discrete mathematics since this is the foundation of modern day computer science and includes topics such as combinatorics, probability, number th eory, logic, and graph theory. While discrete math is a staple of most high school math competitions, it is not always offered by schools due to the fact that its content is not the primary focus of high-stakes state standardized tests or the SAT. Therefore, you may have to take a summer course at a local college or study the subject on your own. Likewise, if your high school lacks a robust Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate program then it is imperative that you seek out high-level math and science options via dual enrollment at a local college.Jobs/Salary outlookAverage salaries for AI jobs are estimated to be upwards of $140,000, making it as lucrative a field as one could hope to find. Presently, there is a gap between the pressing need for AI experts and the number of trained experts available, thus creating a favorable marketplace to highly-qualified AI degree holders. All signs point to a rosy picture for those with this skill-set as evidenced by a seemingly ne ver-ending run of relevant statistics. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t track AI as a unique field, computer science jobs as a whole are expected to grow 19% from now until 2026. Further, the number of jobs requiring AI knowledge has grown by 450% since 2013. As of 2018, only 15% of enterprises were using AI but 31% were expected to using its capabilities in the next 12 months. The artificial intelligence healthcare market alone is expected to be worth $36 billion by 2025†¦You get the idea—AI is about as in-demand a skill-set as one can find and this is likely to continue well into the future.College Transitions’ final thoughtsSome would argue against over-specializing during your undergraduate study given how rapidly technology develops. While this is, in many cases, a wise course of action (shed a tear for VCR repairmen and phone booth makers), AI programs still provide students with a sufficient dose of general engineering and computer scienc e coursework to prepare them for any type of career in tech industry. Additionally, it’s hard to imagine AI ever disappearing in our lives. Rather, it seems almost certain that its involvement in our lives will only expand and deepen in the coming decades.