Chemistry Calculations

[RxTech]

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How in-depth are the calculations on the DAT? Figuring you can't use a calculator on the DAT, how complicated do they make them?
Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Mo007]

Complicated enough for you to do it, nothing to extreme.

I think you need to memorise the formulas, or be familiar with them at least, and be able to use them for the right "Word Problems".

Always use the information provided to recall the formulas, you dont have to invent anything.

 

[Woodsy]

chemistry is by far in my humble opinion the easiest section of the DAT unless they are trying to make it hard. It's the most straight forward because you either understand that concept or you don't.

Usually it's pretty straight forward.

 

[dprice121]

I agree with what's been said. The calculations are fairly easy and basic. Basic stoichiometry and a few other calculations, i.e. PV = nRT. P1V1 = P2V2. d = m/v, ph stuff, etc. All of the necessary formulas are in the Kaplan book. Because you can't use a calculator, it's pretty easy--most of the time you don't even need the final answer, simply the formula (how you WOULD get the answer).

 

[toothache]

pretty much straight foward... lot of general stuff

 

[Blackstars]

Toothache.

Fellows the above named individual is guilty of

What should be his punishment?

 

[dprice121]

Originally posted by owusu-dentist
Toothache.

Fellows the above named individual is guilty of

What should be his punishment?

Off with his head!

 

[dprice121]

Seriously though--I've seen his posts and it's obvious what he's trying to do. His posts are not helpful..... to say the least. The guy needs a life. No one's going to think you're cool just because you've posted a lot of times, especially if they've read what you've posted.

 

[PERFECT3435]

this was the section that iwas most scared of.

i had 2-3 questions that required some very basic calculains. everything else was conceptual.

 

[jj786]

Regarding the general chemistry calculations I thought they were fairly basic. They seemed to give you easier numbers to deal with on the real one compared to kaplan and topscore.

 

[sxr71]

Originally posted by jj786
Regarding the general chemistry calculations I thought they were fairly basic. They seemed to give you easier numbers to deal with on the real one compared to kaplan and topscore.

Yes this is true. Some of those Top Score question require you to deal with some really crazy divisions in your head - in fact you sometimes need to resort to long division to get the right answer.

The real DAT gives you multiples of 5 or 10 to deal with in your head. Besides one of the best test taking strategies is to know how to approximate a result. This does not mean you guess, but that you get the right number of zeros in your answer and a rough estimate such as "between 4000 and 5000." Many times this will get you only one correct choice. This is a skill that many of us mastered for our SATs and that many of us forgot (myself). I wish I still had this skill at the same level I had for my SATs and I surely would have gotten 4 more points on my QR and 2 more points in GC. If you have the time practice your estimations skill well and you will see the results. I guarantee it.