If you're reading this, you probably already know that the GMAT® doesn't let you use a calculator on the Quant section. You know you'll be doing math by hand.
But a lot of students stop there. They know they'll have a scratch pad. They don't think much about how to use it.
Here's the thing: your scratch pad is one of the most important tools you have on this test. Not because it's fancy. Because how you organize your work affects how fast and accurately you solve problems.
Poor scratch work is one of the biggest score killers on the GMAT®. Not because students don't know the material. Because they can't track their own thinking. Numbers get lost. Steps get mixed up. Room runs out and work starts cramming into corners.
This guide covers what you'll be writing on, how to organize it, and what to practice with before test day.
What You'll Write On
The scratch materials depend on where you take the exam. The setup is different for test center and online.
Test Center: Laminated Scratch Pad
At a Pearson VUE test center, you'll receive a laminated scratch pad and a fine-tip dry-erase pen. The pad is spiral-bound — about 10 sheets front and back of laminated 8-by-14 graph paper. That gives you graph lines, which can help with geometry questions.
You can have only one pad at a time in the testing room. But you can swap it for a fresh one as many times as you need. Raise the pad above your head to signal the proctor, and they'll bring a replacement.
You're not technically supposed to erase the laminated pad. If you run out of space, swap it. Don't waste time trying to wipe it clean.
The pen is fine-tip, similar to writing on a whiteboard but thinner. Test the pen before you enter the testing room. If it's dried out or barely writing, ask for a replacement right away. You don't want to discover a dead pen mid-section.
Online: Physical Whiteboard
For the online GMAT®, you provide your own whiteboard materials. GMAC's requirements are specific:
- One dry-erase whiteboard, white background only, no larger than 12 by 20 inches (30 by 50 cm)
- No grid lines, no markings, no colored backgrounds
- Up to two dry-erase markers (any color or size)
- One dry-erase eraser
The whiteboard cannot be attached to a wall or surface. It sits on your desk.
You'll also have access to an on-screen whiteboard tool built into the exam interface. You can use either one or both. But most students find the physical whiteboard much faster for scratch work, especially on Quant.
The on-screen whiteboard lets you type notes and draw shapes with your mouse or trackpad. It works better for Verbal, where some students prefer typing notes. For math, it's clunky. We recommend using the physical whiteboard as your primary tool.
Before your online exam, the proctor will ask to see your whiteboard on camera. Both sides must be clean. Have it ready.
Why Scratch Work Matters So Much
This might seem like a small detail. You write stuff down. You solve problems. What's the big deal?
Here's why it matters: the GMAT® is a timed exam where every minute counts. And one of the biggest drains on your time isn't hard questions. It's disorganized work.
When your scratch work is messy, you lose track of what you've calculated. You re-do work you already finished. You misread your own handwriting. You forget what a number represents — was that the radius or the diameter?
Each of those mistakes can cost 20 or 30 seconds. Across a 45-minute section, that adds up to minutes of lost time. Minutes you could spend on questions you know how to do.
Good scratch work isn't about neatness for its own sake. It's about creating a clear record of your thinking so you can move fast without losing accuracy.
How to Organize Your Scratch Work
Here's a system that works. You can adapt it, but the principles stay the same.
Write One Problem Per Area
Don't spread a single problem across three corners of the pad. Give each problem its own space. When you finish a problem, draw a light line under your work and start the next one below it.
This does two things. First, it keeps your work legible. Second, if you need to go back and check a calculation, you can find it fast.
Label Your Variables
When you set up a problem, write down what each variable represents.
= width = length = the unknown
This takes two seconds. It saves you from staring at your own work 90 seconds later, wondering which letter was which. It also helps when you're plugging numbers back into the original equation to verify.
Show Every Step
Don't skip steps in your scratch work. Even if you can do a calculation in your head, write it down.
The reason isn't about showing your work to anyone. It's about giving yourself a trail to follow. If you get a wrong answer and you've skipped steps, you can't find where you went wrong. If every step is on the pad, you can scan back and spot the error in seconds.
This matters most on Data Sufficiency. When you're testing numbers or working through logic, the scratch pad is where you keep track of what you've tried and what it told you.
Don't Cram
If a problem takes a lot of space, let it. Don't try to squeeze three lines of arithmetic into half an inch of pad space. You'll make a transcription error, and that's a question you knew how to do.
If you're running low on room, swap the pad. At a test center, raise the pad to signal the proctor. Online, erase a section you don't need anymore.
The time cost of a pad swap is small. The time cost of misreading your own cramped handwriting is bigger.
Online vs Test Center: Strategy Differences
The scratch materials are different, so your strategy should adjust.
Test Center Strategy
At a test center, you get graph paper and a fine-tip pen. The graph lines help with geometry — you can sketch figures more accurately. The spiral-bound format means you flip pages instead of erasing.
Swap your pad at each break. Start each section with a fresh one. You probably won't need more than one pad per section, but if you do, raise it above your head early — while you still have room to finish the current problem.
If you know you write large or use a lot of space, tell the proctor before the exam starts. Let them know you may need a swap mid-section. Most proctors are happy to accommodate if you give them a heads-up.
Online Strategy
Online, you have one whiteboard and one eraser. You'll be erasing during the section — probably every one to three problems.
Get a fine-tip dry-erase marker. Thick tips eat up space fast on a 12-by-20 board. Fine tips let you fit more work per erasure cycle.
Practice erasing efficiently. Wipe in one direction, not back and forth. Keep your eraser within reach.
The proctor will ask you to erase the whiteboard before each break. Plan for that — don't have critical notes on the board when break time approaches.
What to Practice With Before Test Day
This is one of the most common questions we hear: should I practice with the actual scratch pad?
The short answer is no — for most of your prep, use regular pen and paper.
Here's why: when you're reviewing practice tests, you need to go back and look at your scratch work. You need to see what you wrote, where you made errors, and how your thinking progressed. The laminated pad smears easily and is hard to review after the fact.
Regular pen and paper gives you a clean, readable record. That's what you want during the learning phase.
For Your Last 2-3 Practice Tests: Switch Over
For the final few practice exams, switch to the real thing. You want the feel of the actual materials to be familiar on test day.
If you're testing at a center, you can buy a simulation pad on Amazon for about $12. Search "GMAT® simulation pad" — Manhattan Prep makes one of the better options. It won't be identical to what your test center provides, but it's close enough to get used to the pen, the smear, and the graph paper.
If you're testing online, buy the whiteboard you'll use on test day. Use it for your last few practice exams. Get used to the erasing rhythm and the space management.
The goal isn't to change your scratch work system. It's to make the physical feel of the materials familiar so that on test day, you're not thinking about the pen or the pad. You're thinking about the math.
Scratch Work for Each Section
Quantitative
This is where scratch work matters most. Every calculation, every variable, every elimination — write it down.
For Problem Solving, your scratch pad should show:
- The setup (variables and what they represent)
- The equations you're working with
- Each arithmetic step
- The answer you got
For Data Sufficiency, your scratch pad should show:
- What the question is asking
- What each statement tells you
- What you tested and what you found
- Whether the answer is sufficient or not
Don't try to do DS in your head. The whole point of DS is tracking logic across two statements. That's a scratch pad job.
Verbal
Yes, you need scratch work for Verbal too.
For Critical Reasoning, write down the conclusion and the key premise. A few words each. You don't need a full diagram. But writing the argument structure helps you see the gap.
For Reading Comprehension, jot down the main idea of each paragraph. Three or four words per paragraph. This helps you locate answers fast without re-reading the whole passage.
Data Insights
Data Insights involves tables, charts, and multi-source reasoning. Your scratch work here is about tracking numbers across displays.
Write down what each table or graph shows. When you calculate a value, label it. When you compare two data points, write both numbers down so you don't mix them up.
The on-screen calculator is available during DI, but your scratch pad is where you keep track of what the numbers mean.
Common Scratch Pad Mistakes
Writing Too Small
Some students try to write tiny to save space. The problem is that tiny writing is hard to read under pressure. You'll squint at your own numbers and waste time.
Write at a normal size. If you run out of room, swap the pad or erase. Don't shrink your handwriting to fit.
Not Labeling Units
You calculate 42. Is that dollars? Miles? Percent? Minutes?
Write the unit next to the number. It takes one second. It prevents the kind of error where you plug the right number into the wrong place.
Erasing Too Aggressively (Online)
When you erase a dry-erase board, the ink can smear across the surface. If you erase too fast, you get a cloudy film that makes new writing hard to read.
Erase in one direction. Wipe the board clean with your hand or a cloth between sections. Keep the eraser dry.
Skipping the Scratch Pad on "Easy" Questions
Easy questions can become wrong questions when you try to do them in your head. You skip a sign. You misplace a decimal. You forget a condition.
Write it down anyway. ALWAYS. The 10 seconds you spend writing the setup for an easy question is insurance. It prevents the 2 minutes you'd spend re-doing the question after a careless error.
FAQ
Can I bring my own scratch paper to the GMAT® test center?
No. Personal scratch paper, notebooks, and pens are prohibited. The test center provides a laminated scratch pad and a dry-erase pen. You don't need to bring anything for note-taking.
What kind of whiteboard do I need for the online GMAT®?
You need a dry-erase whiteboard with a white background, no larger than 12 by 20 inches (30 by 50 cm). No grid lines, no colored backgrounds, no markings. You also need up to two dry-erase markers and one eraser. The whiteboard cannot be attached to a wall or surface.
Can I use the on-screen whiteboard instead of a physical one?
Yes. The online GMAT® includes an on-screen whiteboard tool. You can use it alone or alongside a physical whiteboard. Most students find the physical whiteboard faster for math. The on-screen tool can work for Verbal notes if you prefer typing.
How many scratch pads can I get at the test center?
You can have one at a time, but there's no limit on how many you can request. If you run out of room, raise the pad above your head to signal the proctor. They'll bring a fresh one. Plan to swap at each break so you start every section with a clean pad.
Should I practice with a simulation scratch pad?
For most of your prep, use regular pen and paper. You want to be able to review your scratch work after practice tests. For your last 2-3 practice exams, switch to the actual materials — a simulation pad for test center, or your real whiteboard for online. This gets you comfortable with the feel without sacrificing your review process.
Can I write on the scratch pad during the instruction screens?
Technically, you're not supposed to write anything during the instruction screens before each section. Wait until the section timer starts. Then set up your pad however you want — some students like to write a timing breakdown or a quick reminder before diving into question one.
What if my pen runs out of ink during the exam?
Raise your hand to get the proctor's attention. They'll bring a replacement pen. To prevent this, test your pen before you enter the testing room. Draw a quick line on the pad to make sure the ink flows.
Can I erase my scratch pad during the exam?
At a test center, you're not supposed to erase the laminated pad. If you run out of room, swap it for a fresh one. Online, you erase your whiteboard yourself — you'll need to erase during the section to make room for new work, and the proctor will ask you to erase the board before each break.
Does the scratch pad have graph paper?
At a test center, yes — the laminated pad has graph paper on it, which can help with geometry questions. For the online exam, your physical whiteboard must have a plain white background with no grid lines or markings.
How do I organize my scratch work for Data Sufficiency?
Write down what the question asks, what each statement tells you, and what you tested. Track whether each statement alone is sufficient, and whether they're sufficient together. Don't try to hold DS logic in your head — the whole point is tracking across two statements, and that's a scratch pad job.
Want to learn even more?
This article draws on guidance from two episodes of our podcast series. "Test Day — What to Do and What to Avoid to Optimize Your Performance," Episode 7 of Season 2, covers the scratch pad in detail — including when to swap pads and how to handle the test center materials. "At-Home/Online GMAT® Basics and Recommendations" walks through the online whiteboard setup and why the physical whiteboard is worth using. Search for both on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, or browse all episodes on our podcast page.
If your exam is coming up soon, our guide on what to bring to the GMAT® covers the full test day checklist — ID, snacks, layers, and everything else you need.
For advice on managing your time across each section, read our GMAT® timing strategy guide. Good scratch work and good timing go hand in hand.
If you're deciding between test center and online, our GMAT® online vs test center comparison breaks down the differences — including how the scratch materials change.
And if you're still building your study plan, our complete guide on how to study for the GMAT® walks through everything from day one through test day.
You can also reach out to us anytime. We're @thegmatstrategy on social channels, or email contact@thegmatstrategy.com. We're here to help.