BkzssrkGMAT机考FAQ.doc

生命是永恒不断的创造，因为在它内部蕴含着过剩的精力，它不断流溢，越出时间和空间的界限，它不停地追求，以形形色色的自我表现的形式表现出来。－－泰戈尔 CAT FAQ I’ve received a number of inquiries from the community about the GMAT algorithm, so I thought it best to reply in article form. 1. What’s an algorithm? An algorithm, generally, is a usually efficient set of well-defined steps the following of which results in the solution to some pre-defined problem. In the case of a CAT algorithm, the problem is to reliably and efficiently estimate a student’s ability in a reasonable amount of time. Some CAT algorithms seek to solve this problem by selecting one question at a time, each subsequent question selected based on all of the student’s prior responses. Other algorithms look only at the most recently-answered question. Still others evaluate responses to specific groups of questions. CAT algorithms also vary with regard to the explicit criteria they use to select the next question (or sets of questions) to administer. Some try to minimize total measurement error. Others try to maximize the precision and accuracy of measurement for each question administered. Still others try to select questions that will most refine the current ability estimate. As a consequence, CAT algorithms can vary greatly from one another, depending on the specific implementation of the algorithm, and the intent of the algorithm developers. 2. Why does the GMAT use an algorithm when the linear LSAT seems to be a pretty decent gauge of proficiency? One of the common goals in using a CAT algorithm is to reduce the number of questions a student needs to answer in order to establish, to a specified level of reliability, an estimate of the student’s ability. CATs are often more efficient than linear tests, and so fewer questions are needed to reach a desired level of reliability. The LSAT needs over 100 items to reach that level, while the GMAT needs fewer than 80 to reach a comparable level. 3. Is the entire GMAT adaptive? Almost all large-scale standardized tests contain som