Mental Math for Consulting (2024)

Math practice for consulting is a must. All management consulting roles require a comfort with statistics, quantitative data, and data-based facts and recommendations. Since management consultants spend so much time working with numbers, analyses, charts, calculations and other math work, you will be tested on your mental math skills!

What Math Do I Need?

The written and mental math needed for consulting applications and case interview math examples will include:

  • Standard math, such as fractions, divisions, multiplication, percentage and other basic concepts. The math you encounter will involve business contexts, but accuracy and speed matter. Consulting case interviews do not permit the use of calculators, however. This is why practice is crucial!
  • Word problems. These may be similar to the word-based problems you encountered on the GMAT and other standardized tests. These may or may not include a business-based context.
  • Mental math, requiring you to do math on the fly. Often one of the most challenging components of the interview for candidates, this requires you to be able to answer math questions quickly and spontaneously, without turning to paper and pen.
  • Full-case questions. In these cases, you will be asked to review a more complex example with multiple types of data, and to answer different business math questions based on the one example.
  • Questions based on charts. You will be given charts or data in different forms and be asked to interpret the data.

How Can I Master Case Interview Math?

Simply practicing math problems at home may not give you the robust and comprehensive review of math you need for case interviews. Luckily, there is a resource ready for you to tap into: Management Consulted. Management Consulted is the global leader in helping talented candidates review resumes, prepare for case studies and interviews, and land management consulting jobs.

Management consulting jobs are extremely competitive, and working with Management Consulted can mean the difference between landing your dream position and barely missing the cut. When it comes to math, our Black Belt Deluxe package includes everything you need to master not just this area, but all parts of consulting interviews and case studies. With eight hours of 1:1 interview coaching included, as well as video courses, resume editing and more, Black Belt Deluxe is the personalized program you need to land that dream consulting offer.

Or, if you wish to focus only on math, Mental Math for Consulting is for you, with example questions, quizzes, hours of video lessons, and more. Tailored just for the kind of math you’ll need to navigate in a consulting interview, this stand-alone resource helps you practice real-world examples you’ll see in case studies and interviews. Don’t waste your time with general math problems when you can practice with exactly the types of math problems interviewers and firms employ.

If you want the most comprehensive and applicable guidance for consulting mental math so you can leave your calculator behind, contact Management Consulted today to find out why talented candidates choose us when they need consulting prep services.

Mental Math for Consulting (2024)

FAQs

How to improve mental math for consulting? ›

  1. 1 Review the basics. Before you dive into advanced mental math techniques, you need to master the basic arithmetic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. ...
  2. 2 Simplify the numbers. ...
  3. 3 Use estimation. ...
  4. 4 Learn shortcuts. ...
  5. 5 Practice with real cases. ...
  6. 6 Build your confidence. ...
  7. 7 Here's what else to consider.
Aug 16, 2023

What math is needed for consulting? ›

Standard math, such as fractions, divisions, multiplication, percentage and other basic concepts. The math you encounter will involve business contexts, but accuracy and speed matter. Consulting case interviews do not permit the use of calculators, however. This is why practice is crucial!

Do you need to be good at maths for consulting? ›

Furthermore, math skills are crucial for financial analysis, which is another critical aspect of the consulting job. Consultants must be able to analyze financial data, create financial models, and make informed decisions based on quantitative analysis.

Why is mental math so hard for me? ›

The main difficulty in mental math is needing to hold several digits in your mind without writing them down. For example, when solving 34 × 8, you might calculate 30 × 8 = 240 and 4 × 8 = 32. But the final addition of 240 + 32 must be performed purely mentally, as these numbers are not written.

How can I make my mental math strong? ›

6 Mental Math Strategies | Tips and Tricks for Students
  1. Rounding up to the nearest ten. ...
  2. Work from left to right. ...
  3. Use multiplication hacks. ...
  4. Bump the decimal over to easily find a percentage. ...
  5. Make guesstimates. ...
  6. Break down the problem.
Nov 9, 2020

Can you make 7 figures as a consultant? ›

The first key to hitting six or seven figures in your business without a large audience comes down to how you price your services. Take the number that you want to make, say it's $250,000, and then calculate how much of your services you're going to need to sell in order to hit that number.

Does McKinsey hire math majors? ›

However, McKinsey, BCG and Bain tend to favor Business and Economics degrees and STEM majors (i.e. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

What degrees do McKinsey consultants have? ›

Other ways to get a job at McKinsey & Company

Meanwhile, associate roles are offered to MBA degree holders, while those who have a law, medical, or non-business master's degree or a doctorate may be hired as associates, business analysts, or junior associate consultants.

Can consultants make 6 figures? ›

Tech isn't the only six-figure industry to work for—consulting jobs pay an average $103,000 a year.

How much math do consultants use? ›

In general, though, the kind of math, and the conceptual level it's pitched at, will remain the same as for case interviews. Nothing will be more complicated than basic high school math, with the focus still very much falling on things like percentages, charts, multiplication etc.

Do consultants need to be attractive? ›

It is important, however, to note that physical appearance (not necessarily attractiveness as much as how you present yourself) matters. Not only do you feel more confident when you are professionally put together, you deliver the impression consulting firms want to convey.

What is the fastest mental math method? ›

Vedic math is the world's fastest mental algebraic mathematics system. It was invented in India by Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha between 1911 and 1918 and is still used today to calculate numbers rapidly. Vedic Mathematics is comprised of 16 wonderful sutras (math formulae) and 13 sub-sutras.

What is an example of mental math? ›

For example, what is 47 + 65? It's easier to do this in your head if you break the numbers down into their digits' values: 40 + 60 = 100 and 7 + 5 = 12. Add those two totals and you get the answer of 112. Doing mental math requires strong memory skills.

Is mental math worth it? ›

The brain, like the muscles, gets stronger and more efficient with use. Mental math also greatly improves a person's number sense, the ability to understand the relationships between quantities. There are many great strategies for improving mental math abilities.

How do you develop a consulting mindset? ›

Developing a consulting mindset as a leader
  1. Take time to frame the challenge. To truly solve a business challenge, leaders must identify its root cause, says Fitzgibbons. ...
  2. Look at the business challenge from every possible angle. ...
  3. Engage the right people in the right way. ...
  4. Learn more.

How do you solve problems like a consultant? ›

Interpersonal Skills Self-Assessment
  1. Communication Skills.
  2. Effective Decision Making.
  3. Decision-Making Framework.
  4. Introduction to Problem Solving.
  5. Identifying and Structuring Problems.
  6. Investigating Ideas and Solutions.
  7. Implementing a Solution and Feedback.
  8. Creative Problem-Solving.

How do I gain confidence in consulting? ›

Here are 4 ways to bolster your consulting confidence:
  1. You don't have to be perfect. Don't let yourself get frozen into thinking everything you do has to be perfect. ...
  2. Dress the part. ...
  3. Look your client in the eye when you're talking to them. ...
  4. Relax.

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