GRE Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield GRE facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. If √(x + 5) = x − 1, what is the value of x? (A) x = 4 (B) x = 1 (C) x = 4 or x = 1 (D) No real solution → x = 4
2. Using the quadratic formula, what are the solutions to x² - 5x + 6 = 0? → x = 2, 3
3. Pipe A fills a tank in 3 hours and pipe B fills it in 6 hours. With both pipes open, how long does it take to fill the tank? → 2 hours
4. Which word describes someone who acts morally superior or self-righteous in an irritating way? → Sanctimonious
5. A histogram shows counts 10, 20, 30, 40 across four ranges. What percent is in the smallest range? → 10%
6. What should the essay's following paragraph be about? → explaining what dietary therapy is and how it works
7. A pie chart of 1,200 customers shows 35% are new. How many are new customers? → 420
8. If f(x) = 2x^2 - 3x + 1, what is f(-2)? → 15
9. What does 'addressing the complexity of the issue' demonstrate to graders? → Sophisticated critical thinking
10. An author writes that a theory 'enjoyed brief popularity before being eclipsed by more rigorous models.' The word 'eclipsed' most nearly means: → Overshadowed and replaced
11. Why is it important to follow the specific instructions that accompany an Issue prompt? → Different instructions require addressing the issue from particular angles
12. A is 6 units away from B and B is 2 units away from C on a number line. What is the distance between the two points A and C? → 4 or 8
13. A circle has area 49π. What is its radius? → 7
14. A solution is 30% acid. How many liters of pure water must be added to 12 liters to make it 20% acid? → 6
15. Quantity A: x. Quantity B: x^2. Given no restriction on x, which is correct? → The relationship cannot be determined
16. The conclusion of an argument-based passage is best identified as: → The main claim the evidence is meant to support
17. What is the units digit of 3^47? → 7
18. How many body paragraphs does a well-structured GRE Argument Analysis essay typically have? → Two to three
19. How many distinct prime factors does 360 have? → 3
20. Solve for x: x² = 49. → x = ±7
21. How many integers from 1 to 100 inclusive are divisible by both 4 and 6? → 8
22. A car travels 120 miles at 40 mph, then another 120 miles at 60 mph. What is the average speed for the entire trip? (A) 48 mph (B) 50 mph (C) 52 mph (D) 55 mph → 48 mph
23. The scientist warned that drawing conclusions from a single trial was ______, urging colleagues to await replication. Which two words complete it? → premature ... precipitate
24. If a train travels at 90 km/h, how long does it take to travel 375 km? (A) 3.5 hours (B) 4.0 hours (C) 4.2 hours (D) 4.5 hours → 4.2 hours
25. The editorial condemned the policy as ______, claiming it punished the poor while sparing the powerful. Which two words work? → iniquitous ... unjust
26. For a question asking what a pronoun like 'it' or 'they' refers to, you should: → Trace back to the nearest grammatically fitting antecedent
27. A line has equation y = −2x + 7. What is its y-intercept? → 7
28. A reading passage describes a policy as 'ostensibly neutral but functionally discriminatory.' This suggests the author believes the policy: → Appears fair but produces unequal effects
29. What is the mode of the data set {2, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 9}? → 6
30. How many trailing zeros does the number 25 × 16 × 5 contain? → 3