When I see a question asking for something I have never seen before, I do not know how to connect it [u]to that which I have seen.[/u] It is *not* about how to solve a specific problem that I ran into; rather, my issue is how to connect theory to novel application more broadly in a real test scenario which *does not* rely on simply a)reading more theory primers or b)reading more problems.

I think you refer to a scenario in which you try to carry over a certain problem, or way to solve it into another problem which is or looks similar. Now, in theory, this is ok because is in our nature to replicate something we do know in a new context to reach a solution alike.

I give you an example to understand better what I mean: Lat year I had the same pain in my lower back. I will take the same painkiller so I will get relief.

Sound fine, right ??'NO. The scenario looks similar but the conditions are different: I am older which has a huge influence on my body. Maybe the pain source comes from another spot yet similar. Maybe the weather is different. and other millions variable.

The GRE is the same: the factors are the same (few notions to know and the lower back pain is the same) but the context is completely different. The only thing you should know is that is a pain but try to figure out how, when, and why is different.

So what you should do is NOT to figure out the similarities of the problems trying to match each other in some way but the only thing you have to do is to figure out the problem per se. What it is asking you to solve. Yes, it is also true you need to use the same notions you did leverage for the previous problem but the way to reach the solution for the new one must be different:

1) could be the same path even though slightly different
2) could be a different approach
3) could be a shortcut
4) could be an educated guess strategy
5) could be you pick a choice and you are lucky

Moreover, there is another important aspect to take into account: YOU think you do know the theory and the real problem is to chain it to the problem itself but maybe you DO NOT know the theory at all.

Another example: awhile ago I talked with a student and he said: it is a noun in the sentence. Yes, correct. What is a noun?? a noun is a noun and.....what a stupid question ...

In brief, he knew the noun and its function because he did encounter it all the way down but indeed he did not know the role, the function, why is the noun is used.

I hope I helped you. In my opinion is a way to perfect your knowledge and notions and to apply them in the proper way to a problem.

Please read my guide about time management on what I mean here. https://gre.myprepclub.com/forum/gre-time- ... 19697.html I think you will discover much deeper what I tried here to explain to you in a shot

Let me know Sir

Thank you for elaborating on some of the questions at hand. The trouble remains, however, when faced with objectively impossible questions, and even those which don't seem impossible, how to arrive at the right method in time. For the questions I listed out in my starting post, I cannot see any route they could go. They don't have any similar paths to anything I've seen; they don't seem to be using similar approaches; there isn't a shortcut.

For instance, with a specific problem I mention; how to find the area of a kite shaped rhombus if I know the ratio of the long sides and the short sides and nothing else. This cannot be done. Rhombus areas are determined with the diagonals; diagonals can be determined if I know the angles of the interior triangles - but I only had the ratio of the long sides and the short sides, nothing about angles. There is no similarity, because finding the area of a kite shaped rhombus with just the ratios of the outside edges is simply not possible.

And over and over again. There is no similarity to anything I've seen in any way, for so many of these, no matter how long I think about them. I've gotten better with time management, but when I outright cannot solve a problem, time management is besides the point.

Even IF I did know how to solve a problem, well, then time management becomes an issue. I cannot draw the similarities to things I've seen rapidly enough. I try one method, doesn't work; 30 seconds gone. I try another, doesn't work; 60 seconds gone. I try a third, it works, but it takes me another minute, and by then I'm 60 seconds behind. I read the time management part, but it really only breaks out how much time I should be giving to each problem, not how to rapidly draw connections, which I think is a vastly more complicated subject. How should I study for this sort of thing? Is it just about reading more into the theory to make sure I really do know the underlying issues? Do I just read through more practice questions?

Read my guide above. Take your time to digest it.

Let me know , then

Regards