Saudi Arabia Qiyas General Aptitude Test (GAT) Study Guide

Ratios and percentages

The GAT measures verbal and quantitative abilities for undergraduate admission, so ratio questions are best treated as reasoning tasks, not as memorized formulas. In this preparation breakdown, ratios and percentages mean: compare two quantities, find a missing part, or track a percent change. The reliable setup is part ÷ base = percent ÷ 100.

Original worked example

A study group has Arabic notes and math notes in the ratio 5:3. After 12 more math notes are added, the ratio becomes 5:4. How many Arabic notes are there?

Let the original numbers be 5x and 3x. After adding 12 math notes, math notes are 3x + 12. The Arabic notes did not change, so 5x ÷ (3x + 12) = 5 ÷ 4. Cross-multiply: 20x = 15x + 60, so 5x = 60 and x = 12. Arabic notes = 5x = 60.

Common error: adding 12 to both parts of the ratio. A ratio describes relative amounts; the story says only the math notes changed.

Action drill

• Write the base before calculating any percent.
• Translate each ratio into variables such as 2x:7x.
• Do 8 mixed questions: 3 ratio, 3 percent change, 2 missing base. Explain each answer in one sentence.

Algebra and word problems

Algebra in GAT preparation is about turning language into a small model. Before solving, identify the unknown, the operation, and the condition that must stay true. Many word problems become one equation after you remove extra story details.

Original worked example

A bus company sells adult tickets for 18 riyals and student tickets for 12 riyals. On one trip, 40 tickets are sold for a total of 600 riyals. How many student tickets are sold?

Let s be the number of student tickets. Then adult tickets are 40 − s. Build the money equation: 12s + 18(40 − s) = 600. Expand: 12s + 720 − 18s = 600. Combine: 720 − 6s = 600, so −6s = −120 and s = 20. Check: 20 student tickets cost 240, and 20 adult tickets cost 360; total 600.

Common error: using s for students and then also writing adults as s. Two groups with a fixed total should usually be s and total − s.

Action drill

1. Circle the sentence that gives the total.
2. Define one variable in words.
3. Write the equation before calculating.
4. After solving, substitute the answer back into the story.

Geometry and measurement

Geometry questions often reward careful reading more than complicated drawing. Keep angle facts visible: a triangle’s interior angles sum to 180 degrees, a right angle is 90 degrees, each angle in an equilateral triangle is 60 degrees, and a quadrilateral’s interior angles sum to 360 degrees.

Original worked example

A rectangular garden is 14 m long and 9 m wide. A straight diagonal path is drawn from one corner to the opposite corner. A triangular flower bed uses one corner of the rectangle: its two sides along the rectangle are 6 m and 4 m, meeting at a right angle. What is the area of the rectangle not covered by the flower bed?

Rectangle area = 14 × 9 = 126 square metres. The flower bed is a right triangle, so its area is 1 ÷ 2 × 6 × 4 = 12 square metres. The uncovered area is 126 − 12 = 114 square metres. The diagonal path is extra information; it does not affect area unless a width or region is described.

Common error: using the diagonal as if it splits off the flower bed. Only the stated triangular bed dimensions matter.

Action drill

• List all given lengths and angles.
• Write the target: angle, perimeter, area, or volume.
• Do 5 problems where you deliberately cross out one irrelevant detail.

Data interpretation

Data interpretation questions test whether you can read a table, choose the correct comparison, and avoid doing unnecessary calculations. Start by asking: is the question about a total, a difference, an average, a ratio, or a percent?

Original worked example

The table shows books borrowed from a school library during one week.

Question: What percent of all Tuesday borrowings were literature books?

Tuesday total = 26 + 16 + 34 = 76. Literature on Tuesday = 34. Percent = 34 ÷ 76 × 100. Since 34 ÷ 76 = 17 ÷ 38, this is about 0.447, or 44.7%. If answer choices are rounded, choose the closest value, such as 45%.

Common error: using all literature books from the whole table as the denominator. The phrase “of all Tuesday borrowings” makes Tuesday the base.

Action drill

• Underline the denominator phrase: “of Tuesday,” “of total,” or “increase from.”
• Estimate before exact calculation.
• Create 3 questions from any table: one total, one percent, one largest difference.

Verbal relationships

Verbal relationship practice builds the habit of naming the exact connection between two words or ideas. The GAT includes verbal ability within its broader measure of reasoning, so do not rely on vocabulary alone. Ask what relationship is being tested: category, function, cause, degree, part-whole, sequence, synonym, or contrast.

Original worked example

Choose the pair with the same relationship as seed : tree.

• A. spark : fire
• B. page : book
• C. sand : glass
• D. lock : key

A seed can develop into a tree. The relationship is “early source or starting form becomes a later result.” A spark can develop into a fire, so A is the best match. B is part-whole, C is material-product, and D is tool-match. Those are related pairs, but not the same relationship.

Common error: choosing a pair that is merely familiar. A good analogy answer must preserve the direction and type of relationship, not just topic similarity.

Action drill

• For 12 word pairs, write a 3-to-6-word bridge: “X is used for Y” or “X becomes Y.”
• Reverse the pair and see whether the bridge still works.
• Invent one wrong option for each different relationship type.

Reading comprehension

Reading comprehension questions are usually less about speed reading and more about evidence. Read for the author’s main point, paragraph roles, tone, and the difference between stated facts and reasonable inferences.

Original passage and example

In many schools, students form online study groups before major exams. These groups can reduce confusion because one student’s question often reveals a gap that others also have. However, groups become less useful when members only exchange final answers. The strongest groups explain steps, compare methods, and keep a short list of unresolved questions for the teacher.

Question: Which statement is best supported by the passage?

• A. Online study groups are always better than individual study.
• B. Sharing only final answers can reduce the usefulness of a study group.
• C. Teachers should not answer questions from study groups.
• D. Students should avoid asking questions online.

The answer is B. The passage directly contrasts helpful explanation with the weaker habit of exchanging final answers only. A is too absolute, C contradicts the teacher-question point, and D contradicts the value of shared questions.

Common error: selecting a choice that sounds educationally reasonable but is not supported by the passage.

Action drill

• After each paragraph, write a five-word role label.
• Mark one sentence that proves your answer.
• For inference questions, reject answers that go beyond the passage’s evidence.

Suggested 14-day GAT study plan

This is an unofficial preparation plan, not an official requirement. The GAT serves high-school graduates from all tracks seeking admission to higher education, and it measures verbal and quantitative abilities involving analytical, deductive, and inferential reasoning. The topics on this guide are a practical preparation breakdown, not a claimed detailed official blueprint. For administration details, use the exam overview; for timed practice, use practice exams; for quick review, use the cheat sheet.

Days 1–4: diagnose and build foundations

• Day 1: Take a short mixed diagnostic. Record errors as calculation, reading, vocabulary, setup, or time pressure.
• Day 2: Ratios and percentages. Redo every missed percent question with the base written first.
• Day 3: Algebra and word problems. Practise one-variable equations and check by substitution.
• Day 4: Geometry and measurement. Review angle sums, area, perimeter, and unit conversions.

Days 5–10: rotate skills under light timing

• Day 5: Data interpretation: tables, percent of total, and largest-change questions.
• Day 6: Verbal relationships: analogies, category links, contrasts, and part-whole pairs.
• Day 7: Reading comprehension: main idea, evidence line, and inference limits.
• Day 8: Mixed quantitative set, then write a correction note for each miss.
• Day 9: Mixed verbal set, then explain why each wrong option is wrong.
• Day 10: Review checkpoint: compare Day 1 and Day 10 accuracy by error type.

Days 11–14: simulate, review, adapt

• Day 11: Timed mixed practice. Mark guessed answers separately from confident answers.
• Day 12: Target the two weakest categories from your log.
• Day 13: Full review: formulas, common traps, vocabulary bridges, and passage evidence.
• Day 14: Light final practice. Focus on accuracy, calm pacing, and sleep.

If your diagnostic shows quantitative weakness, shift two verbal sessions into ratio, algebra, geometry, or data practice. If verbal weakness is larger, shift one math session into analogies and one into reading. If timing is the main issue, keep the same topics but use shorter sets with strict review after each set.