Common Admission Test 2025 ( CAT )
Exam On - 30 Nov '25
Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT exam is a combination of Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry. Maximum questions are asked from these three topics. Here's expert advice on how to prepare for Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT 2025. By Deekshant Sehrawat
CAT Quant preparation requires sharp memory, deep understanding and a lot of practice. Candidates planning to appear for CAT 2025 must have already started off with the preparations. In this article, I'll share some micro-level CAT preparation tips for Quantitative Aptitude.
As CAT exam 2025 will get closer, the value of every single day and every single hour being invested will go up drastically. Having a clear plan of action will certainly enable you to make better use of the time, and also increase the chances of deriving far better returns on this invested time.
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.
CAT syllabus is vast. It has numerous topics from Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation. Covering the CAT syllabus also includes practicing a variety of sample questions on the topics included. Thus, it requires a lot of time. Candidates must given themselves atleast 3-4 months to cover CAT syllabus and keep in mind the following:
· Check the previous years' CAT papers to know topics which carry more weightage so that you can focus on those topics more.
· List down topicsin order of easy, moderate and tough and allot time to them accordingly.
· Make sure to study about 6-8 hours per day to complete the syllabus 2-3 months before the exam.
· After studying every topic, practice sample questions. Balance theory with practical.
Since the CAT question paper has Quantitative Aptitude as the third section, by the time it will appear, you will most likely be exhausted by VARC and DILR. Good part is that now CAT Quantitative Aptitude section has only 22 questions to be solved in 40 minutes. Ensuring a good start to CAT will help you feel more confident in solving the last section.
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Let’s assume that you intend to invest around 100 hours (this number could differ for different students and the rest of the things will proportionately alter) of your CAT preparation time in the QA section between now and the CAT 2025 exam day. This excludes the hours spent in your classroom coaching, CAT mock tests and their analyses. This simply is the time you spend by yourself on improving the various topics in the specific section – CAT Quantitative Aptitude.
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CAT Quantitative Aptitude syllabus can be seen as a combination of Arithmetic (excluding Number Systems, which can also be seen as a separate entity), Algebra and Geometry. An indicative breakup among the four areas could be as follows:
| CAT Quants Topics |
Hours to Devote |
|---|---|
| Number Systems |
12 |
| Arithmetic |
28 |
| Algebra |
30 |
| Geometry |
30 |
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.
But the above assumes an equal proficiency across all four areas, which is unlikely to be true for most of you. Hence, you can possibly take away around 10 hours from two of your strongest areas and invest them in one/two of your weakest area(s) among the four. So, if you are weak in Arithmetic, just about average in Number Systems, strong in Geometry, and very strong in Algebra, the break-up could be tweaked to look something like:
You can check the table below for estimated time taken for each topic of CAT quantitative aptitude syllabus. You can make a time table for quant preparation on the basis of this estimation. This can be a reference point and you should adjust the timing depending on your weak and strong areas.
| CAT Quatitative Aptitude Topics |
Hours |
|---|---|
| Number Systems |
15 |
| Arithmetic |
35 |
| Algebra |
24 |
| Geometry |
26 |
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This is just an example of how best to plan your time investment in CAT preparation. It is also advisable not to use the entire quota for any specific area in one go and use the same in tranches. For example, you could break the total time into roughly three phases, using around one-third of the allotted hours in each while moving across areas in sequence and then return to the first one again and so on. This will ensure that you stay in touch with all the areas through to the end. A smart way also would be to keep the last iteration for revision. Alternatively, you could account for that in your overall time and keep 15 per cent of total hours as blocked for revision at the end. In that case, you can plan for only 85 per cent of the time in that section in the manner suggested above.
| Free DILR Questions with Answers for Practice | Free VARC Questions with Answers for Practice | Free Quantitative Aptitude Questions with Answers for Practice |
Do not ignore tough topics of Quantitative Aptitude: The general tendency is to do more in areas that you are already comfortable in. If you are more interested in Arithmetic, for example, chances are you will spend more time on it, despite being relatively better placed in it. On the other hand, you will keep avoiding areas/topics that you are relatively weaker in (and they are also likely to be the ones you are less interested in). Proceeding in that way, you will never improve in areas that you really need to improve in.
Don't overspend time on strong areas: It is also argued by some that you should invest more in your strengths to make them stronger. But the point is that if you are already at say 90 (on a scale of 100) in a given area/topic, there is no point in investing more time. You simply need to do more questions that are in the top 10 per cent. Practicing more questions at levels lower than 90 in that area/topic will be a waste of time.
Strike a balance between strengths and weaknesses: Within each of the four areas also, you should spend more time on topics you are weaker in, and less time on topics you are stronger in – doing questions only at levels higher than your current levels. This approach will enable you to derive maximum output from your time/efforts invested in the preparation. Having a clear idea of the time you need to invest in each topic in CAT Quantitative Aptitude in front of you will also ensure urgency apart from pushing you to be more consistent in your efforts.
How to identify and be able to spend that time according to your needs, is where your coaching/mentors/guidance needs to adapt to your needs! Increasingly, across all levels of education, one-size-fits-all approach is being abandoned for its inefficiency and ineffectiveness.
Rigidness is passé. Plan your CAT 2025 preparation according to your needs. For any given level of ability and preparation, how well you adapt your preparation and invest your time according to your own specific needs will decide how superior a return are you able to achieve.
About the Author
Deekshant Sehrawat is a man of many facets. An IIT Delhi, IIM Calcutta alumnus Deekshant, is the founder of a top MBA preparation online coaching. Deekshant is also a lyricist and has co-authored a number of songs with Dr. Palash Sen, lead singer of Hindi rock band Euphoria.
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