If you want to score high in CAT 2025, aim get full makrs in Quantitative Aptitude as it is the only section where you can get a perfect 100. Shiksha brings to you six key strategies to keep in mind while preparing for CAT Quantitative Aptitude section.
CAT Quantitative Aptitude is the most scoring section of the exam. However, to crack this section one needs to be a master of Marhematics. The Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT carries about 22 questions from Arthmetic, Algebra, Mensuration, Trigonometry and Modern Maths. These are the topics that we all have studied in school so most of us have the conceptual knowledge, but we may not be in touch with all of them after that. In CAT, the questions are of advanced level. Candidates need to learn these topics all over again. Not only that, to crack CAT Quantitative Aptitude section, a good amount of practice of sample questions is required.
MBA aspirants appearing for CAT 2025 must follow topci based preparation, focused on handling of the question paper in the limited time frame. As per the chronology of the CAT question paper, aspirants will have to start from Section 1, which is, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, then move on to Section 2, which is, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning and then Section 3, which is, Quantitative Aptitude. There are few things that you can include in your CAT 2025 preparation plan for a better outcome. Shiksha brings to you six key strategies for CAT Quantitative Aptitude preparation.
Also Read:
- Six Strategies for Quantitative Aptitude Preparation for CAT 2025
- CAT Quant Preparation: No New Strategy Required
- CAT Quant Preparation: On-Screen Calculator
- CAT Quants Strategy: Select CAT Quant Questions Carefully
- CAT Quant Preparation: Practice Mock Tests
- CAT Quant Preparation: Learn Quant Shortcuts & Tricks
Six Strategies for Quantitative Aptitude Preparation for CAT 2025
As per the latest CAT exam pattern Quants sections has 22 questions to be solved in 40 minutes. The difficulty level of the CAT is usually high and CAT 2025 will not be any different. Arithmetic will be the dominant topic so you need to be thorough with each chapter of it. Now, lets look at the six strategies for CAT Quants preparation.
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CAT Quant Preparation: No New Strategy Required
According to MBA expert Pratik Gaur, “The student should continue with the preparation but with a focus on the test taking strategy. He/she should devise a plan for the sections which are now time bound.” Thus, channelise your energies in practicing within the time limit allotted to QA section (40 minutes) rather than working upon new exam strategy for CAT exam.
CAT Quant Preparation: On-Screen Calculator
As CAT 2025 will be conducted in online mode, aspirants taking the exam should be well-versed with computer based mode of the examination. Aspirants cannot carry their own calculator but will be provided on-screen calculator. Although the CAT QA section is calculation centric, aspirants are advised to use calculator only when required. Don’t rely on it. Develop mental calculation skills and keep practicing numerical problems through shortcuts and tricks.
CAT Quants Strategy: Select CAT Quant Questions Carefully
The unfortunate part of CAT Quantitative Aptitude section is that there are rarely non-MCQs so there is a danger of chances of more negative marking in this section as compared to VARC & DILR sections. So, CAT 2025 test takers are advised to develop the skill of choosing the right questions to answer. This can be done by practicing sectional CAT mock tests. Note the type of questions that are your strength and choose only such questions to solve in CAT 2025 exam.
Check out free PDFs of CAT question banks, section wise:
| Free VARC Questions with Answers for Practice | Free Quantitative Aptitude Questions with Answers for Practice | Free DILR Questions with Answers for Practice |
CAT Quant Preparation: Practice Mock Tests
CAT mock test plays a vital role in exam preparation. It helps the candidate in getting familiar with the CAT exam pattern and structure and at the same time, help them develop speed and accuracy. CAT aspirants are advised to start attempting at least one QA sectional test every week. This will help them in getting exposure of different types of Quants questions and get into the exam mode. The official CAT mock test is also released a month before the exam. Aspirants must attempt the official CAT mock test at least once to get the hang of the actual exam.
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CAT Quant Preparation: Learn Quant Shortcuts & Tricks
Even though calculator will be available to the students in the CAT 2025, they must still learn shortcuts and tricks for quant section to save precious time. Remember, CAT is a speed based test where you are racing against time. Since, Quantitative Aptitude is the last section of the exam, one is bound to get exhausted which will affect their speed. So instead of relying on calculator, use your brain. But for that, you’ll need to develop shortcuts and tricks to arrive at accurate answers without actually doing the calculation. So, one thing every candidate must do is memorise Tables up to 20, Square, Square Roots, Cube, Cube Root and other such Mathematical values.
Mentor at coaching centres also provide key tips and shortcuts for getting correct answers faster than the normal way of solving it. You can also check for these in online study forums and communities.
Also Read:
- How to approach Quant section of CAT
- How to prepare for QA section of CAT 2025
- Master the secret of acing in Quantitative Ability in CAT
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Books other than Coaching Material
After completing prescribed books, practice from a few other CAT study material and CAT mock test from other resources. This will help in strengthening the basics in quant and further improve problem solving skills. Here’s a list of popular Quantitative Aptitude books for CAT preparation:
- NCERT Mathematics books (Class 9-10)
- How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT by Arun Sharma
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by Abhijit Guha
- Quantitative Aptitude Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Verma
- Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Nishit Sinha
- Quantitative Aptitude by RS Aggarwal
Also Read:
It is difficult but not impossible. If you give yourself a good enough time to improve English comprehension, grammar and vocabulary, you will be able to do it. Yes, a non- English medium student will require longer time for CAT preparation as they will have to start reading and improving English comprehension. So, may be they need to start English preparation for CAT in the second year of graduation, instead of final year (much earlier than English medium students). They may also need two attempts to crack CAT with high percentile. But that's not true for all. If you work hard and study smartly, you will be able to crack it.
The best way to prepare for DILR section is through practice. Before starting the preparation, aspirants should check previous years’ question papers. Since there is not much conceptual understanding required in this section, practice is important.
Some of the most popular books on DILR section that you can refer are How to Prepare for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Arun Sharma, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT by Nishit Sinha, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning for CAT by Pearson, to name a few.
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CAT is a speed based test of analytical aptitude, logical reasoning skills, data interpretation and English comprehension. Now, it may sound tough, but these are the skills which we are taught in school so there is nothing new to learn. What is required is to learn these subjects at advanced level. If you are an average student but have studied Science or commerce in Class-12 and graduation, you will find a lot of familiar topics in Data Interpretation, Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. All you will need is brush up the basics and practice the concepts on advance level problems.
However, since the competition is so high in CAT and less than 95 percentile can break your dream of joining a top college like IIM, the preparation for CAT requires a lot of focus, dedication, discipline and diligence. If you can do that, despite being an average student, you can crack the CAT exam.
While candidates belonging to Science and Engineering background do have an edge over Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), it is not impossible for students from non-Science background to crack this section of an MBA entrance exam. They do need to prepare harder which includes going back to study fundamentals of Mathematics such as Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Mensuration.
With regular practice and understanding of the question types and topics, candidates, irrespective of the educational background, can crack this section. Aspirants must note that it is important to identify the weak areas and improve on them to get a stronghold on this section. For Logical Reasoning, a good amount of practice of sample questions will be enough.
Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8
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Yes, CAT syllabus is difficult to crack if you do not have enough time. There are three subjects in CAT- VARC, DILR and Quantitative Aptitude. Most of the candidates find RC passages tough to crack. In Quants, Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry pose significant challenge during preparation. In DILR, Reasoning questions often turnout to be tricky and confusion.