Math Questions at Geico: What to Expect

Math questions at Geico aren’t about abstract calculus. They test the practical, analytical reasoning you’ll use daily in software and data roles. Geico’s technical screen includes 21 questions, with 2 dedicated to math. These problems assess your ability to translate a real-world scenario into logical steps and computations—a core skill for building algorithms, optimizing systems, and analyzing data at scale. Succeeding here signals you can think precisely under constraints.

What to Expect — Types of Problems

The two math questions are typically word problems grounded in practical scenarios. Expect topics like:

• Probability & Statistics: Calculating odds, expected values, or basic statistical measures.
• Combinatorics: Counting principles, permutations, or combinations applied to scenarios like scheduling or grouping.
• Basic Algebra & Arithmetic: Rate problems, work problems, or percentage changes relevant to business or system performance.
• Logical Deduction: Puzzles that require setting up equations from a described relationship.

The problems are designed to be solvable without advanced math, but they require careful parsing and systematic thinking. The difficulty is in the setup, not the computation.

How to Prepare — Study Tips with One Code Example

Focus on translating the word problem into a clear mathematical model before solving. Follow these steps:

1. Identify the Core Concept: Is it probability? A rate equation? A counting problem?
2. Define Variables and Relationships: Write down what you know and what you need to find.
3. Formulate the Equation or Logic: Create the formula or step-by-step logic.
4. Solve and Verify: Compute the answer and check if it makes sense in the context.

Practice is key. Work on fundamental problems from combinatorics and probability. Below is a common pattern: calculating combinations (nCr), which often appears in selection or grouping problems.

def nCr(n, r):
    # Compute n! / (r! * (n-r)!)
    if r > n:
        return 0
    # Use multiplicative formula for efficiency and to avoid large factorials
    res = 1
    for i in range(1, r + 1):
        res = res * (n - r + i) // i
    return res

# Example: Ways to choose 2 items from 5
print(nCr(5, 2))  # Output: 10

Recommended Practice Order

1. Review Fundamentals: Refresh basic probability, permutations, combinations, and algebraic word problems.
2. Practice Translation: Solve word problems by writing out your reasoning step-by-step before coding or calculating.
3. Code Common Patterns: Implement helper functions (like nCr above) so you can apply them quickly.
4. Simulate Test Conditions: Time yourself solving a small set of mixed problems to build speed and accuracy.

Practice Math at Geico