Testing Using Irodov's Problems in general physics for PGRE

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Irodov's "Problems in General Physics" is recognized for its challenging problems, but its suitability for GRE Physics preparation is debated. While some believe that tackling difficult problems can enhance conceptual understanding, others argue that simpler resources, like Halliday's textbook, are more effective for achieving a high score, emphasizing the importance of foundational knowledge. Practice exams are highlighted as the best preparation tool, with many questions resembling those on the actual GRE. A key strategy discussed is careful reading of questions to avoid misinterpretation, especially under time constraints. Timing practice is also recommended, suggesting a structured approach to simulate exam conditions. Overall, while Irodov can be beneficial for deeper understanding, focusing on GRE-specific materials and practice exams is crucial for success.
bill2018
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Hello ,
I'm preparing for the GRE subject test in Physics.
I have Irodov's Problems in general physics. I think that this book contains a large number of very interesting and somewhat challenging collection of problems. Is this book suitable for GRE study ? My goal is to get 900+ on the test.
 
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Those problems are longer and more involved than the GRE problems.
 
bill2018 said:
Hello ,
I'm preparing for the GRE subject test in Physics.
I have Irodov's Problems in general physics. I think that this book contains a large number of very interesting and somewhat challenging collection of problems. Is this book suitable for GRE study ? My goal is to get 900+ on the test.
You don't need a book with challenging problems to do well on the gre. I learned mainly from Halliday and I scored low 800's. I did that with almost no upper division quantum. Take the practice gre, find your weaknesses from your first year of physics and patch them up with Halliday, that works well I think.
 
I did not know that Irodov has been translated into English. Another tear-roof-down Russian book of problems is by Savchenko :)
 
The best resources are the prior exams. Many questions are very similar to the ones on the current test. There is also this book called conquering the physics gre which came out only 2-4 years ago.

One big piece of advice I have is to read the questions on the test very carefully. It can be tempting to go as fast as you can given the time limit, but this is extremely important as you can easily misinterpret questions if you go too fast.
 
These problems are definitely harder ( and are not designed to take 1.7 minutes or less to do), but I think it will be good to go through them to develop any conceptual understanding.

My problem was timing on the pgre, so I think that should be your main focus if you are good with the physics. Use the earliest to exams to go through by timing in sections or untimed. Like I gave myself 17 minutes for 10 questions etc. Then use the more recent exams for timing in a more exam setting.
 
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