XAT aspirants must check this page by Shiksha for a preparation strategy for the Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation section of the entrance exam. Get XAT 2027 important topics in QA, topic-wise weightage and prep books.
XAT Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation Preparation 2027: Students looking for admission to MBA Business Management or MBA Human Resource Management courses at XLRI, Jamshedpur, through XAT entrance exam must know the sections and syllabus based on which questions will be asked. According to the exam structure of the entrance exam, there are four sections in XAT exam and Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation is one of them. The XAT question paper for the QA-DI section will include questions from Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Interpretation. Candidates need good calculation skills and mathematical understanding for this section.
Check out this page for XAT Quantitative Aptitude strategy and books list to prepare well for the examination. The exam conducting agency will conduct XAT exam in online mode.
- Important Topics in XAT Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation
- XAT QA & DI 2027 Topic-Wise Weightage
- Best Books for XAT Preparation 2027: QA & DI Section
- Preparation Tips for XAT QA & DI 2027
- XAT Exam Pattern 2027
Important Topics in XAT Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation
Refer to the table below for the list of important topics included in the Quantitative Aptitude & Data Interpretation Section as per the XAT syllabus.
| Important Topic |
Description |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic |
Fundamental mathematical domain covering percentages, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, averages, time and work, and speed, time, and distance. |
| Algebra |
Mathematical domain including linear and quadratic equations, functions, progressions, logarithms, and inequalities. |
| Geometry |
Mathematical domain including shapes, spatial problems, lines, circles, polygons, and trigonometric applications like heights and distances. |
| Mathematical domain focusing on 2D and 3D figures, covering area, volume, and related geometric calculations. |
|
| Modern Math |
Mathematical domain including topics such as probability, permutations and combinations, set theory (Venn Diagrams), and binomial theorem. |
| Number System |
Mathematical domain covering number properties, surds and indices, and other foundational numerical concepts. |
| Bar Diagrams |
Specific data visualisation type using rectangular bars to compare different categories through visual representation and analysis. |
| Pie Charts |
Specific data visualisation type using circular statistical graphics divided into slices to illustrate numerical proportions and data distribution. |
| Tables |
Specific data visualisation type where data is presented in rows and columns, requiring insightful analysis, summarisation, and comparison. |
| Graphs and Charts |
Specific data visualisation types, including line graphs, scatter plots, and data charts used for insightful analysis and observation-based sets. |
Commonly asked questions
XAT syllabus includes all important topics related to Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge. You can check below subject wise important topics included in the XAT syllabus. Majority of the questions are asked from these topics.
XAT Verbal and Logical Ability syllabus: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Analogy, Antonym/Synonym, Parajumble, Para Completion, Grammar, Critical Reasoning, Series Completion, Fill in the Blanks, etc.
XAT Decision Making syllabus: Data Arrangement, Conditioning, Grouping, Complex Arrangement, Caselets, Assumptions, Premises, Conclusions, etc.
XAT Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation syllabus: Arithmetic, Geometry, Mensuration, Percentage, Surds and Indices, Algebra, Mensuration, Bar Diagrams, Pie Charts, Tables, Data Interpretation, etc.
XAT General Knowledge syllabus: Science, Economy, Business, Politics, Static GK, Sports, Prize and Award, World, Government, Constitution of India, etc.
XAT syllabus includes all important topics related to Verbal and Logical Ability, Decision Making and Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and General Knowledge.
XLRI, Jamshedpur, releases XAT syllabus every year with the exam notification. Candidates can find XAT syllabus PDF on the official website.
Major topics under XAT and CAT syllabus are similar. Common sections include Quantitative Aptitude, Data Interpretation, and Verbal Ability. While the sections are same the syllabus is not identical. XAT also includes unique sections, namely Decision Making and General Knowledge.
XAT QA & DI 2027 Topic-Wise Weightage
The Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section of XAT exam includes 28 questions, making the sectional weightage of the Quantitative Aptitude Section as 28%. Below is the expected topic-wise weightage for XAT QA & DI section based on past papers:
| Type of Question |
No. of Questions |
|---|---|
| 2 |
|
| Quadratic Equation |
1 |
| Logarithm |
1 |
| Time, speed, distance |
1 |
| Profit and loss |
1 |
| 1 |
|
| Geometry |
2 |
| Number system |
3 |
| Data Sufficiency |
1 |
| PnC |
1 |
| Polynomials |
1 |
| set theory |
2 |
| DI 1: T-20 Match |
3 |
| DI 2: Statistics - Hinge No. |
3 |
| DI 3: Discount Coupon |
3 |
| DI 4: Aman Buy Vegetables |
2 |
| Total |
28 |
Check Out:
XAT Sample Question Papers with Solutions
Best Books for XAT Preparation 2027: QA & DI Section
Candidates preparing for QA & DI section of XAT exam can refer to the following books:
| XAT Preparation Books |
Author Name |
|---|---|
| Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations |
RS Aggarwal |
| How to Prepare for Data Interpretation |
Arun Sharma |
| Quantitative Aptitude For Competitive Examinations |
Abhijit Guha |
| Data Interpretation for the CAT |
Nishit K Sinha |
Preparation Tips for XAT QA & DI 2027
Below are some efficient tips to prepare well for the Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation section of XAT exam 2027.
- The difficulty level of QA & DI questions is usually moderate to high. Thus, candidates need thorough preparation to solve questions on time.
- Focus on important topics like Algebra and Functions, Geometry, Co-ordinate Geometry, Arithmetic Sequences, Number System, Probability, Mixtures, Tables Chart, Multiple Graph, Percentage, Profit and Loss, Interest, Average, Logarithm, etc., for Quantitative Aptitude.
- Make notes for formulas and theorems and revise them daily.
- QA & DI section includes calculation-based questions, so candidates must know all required Mathematical formulae and theorems by heart. Knowing how to solve a question and forgetting the formula will be of no use on exam day.
- Arithmetic holds the maximum weightage in DI, so do not skip this topic and practice more and more.
- As per past years' trends, the good attempt for QA & DI is 14 to 16 questions. Work on this section so you can answer at least 16 questions with accuracy.
- Don't forget to take full length and sectional XAT mock tests to evaluate the preparation level and identify the topics that need more time and focus.
- For Data Interpretation section, solve as many sample questions as possible. Since there are no formulas or theorems for DI, solving questions is the way.
- Practice questions on Set Theory, Tables and Bar Graphs for XAT Data Interpretation.
- While practicing questions for QA & DI, start with easy ones first and then move on to difficult and lengthy questions to have a proper understanding of the topics and build confidence in yourself.
Free XAT Mock Test by Shiksha
Check out the free XAT mock test by Shiksha to know your preparation level.
| XAT_Mock_Test_1 | XAT_Mock_Test_1_Solutions |
| XAT_Mock_Test_2 | XAT_Mock_Test_2_Solutions |
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XAT Exam Pattern 2027
Check out the space below to know the XAT exam pattern 2027 before beginning their exam preparation.
- Number of Sections: Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal & Logical Ability, Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation and Quantitative Aptitude
- Exam Mode: Online
- Exam Duration: 3 hours
- Number of Questions: 95 questions
- Total Marks: 95 Marks
- Number of Answer Choices: 5
- XAT Marking Scheme:
- +1 mark for correct answer
- - 0.25 marks for incorrect answer
- - 0.10 marks for more than 8 consecutive unattempted questions
- No negative marking in GK section
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Student Forum
Answered Yesterday
The time required for XAT Verbal Ability depends on candidate's current level. A daily combination of reading, vocabulary revision and question practice can help build consistency.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
XAT VALR section has around 26 questions. Based on previous year trends, around 9 to 11 questions can be from Verbal Ability, although exact breakup can change in exam.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Yes. RC is an important part of XAT VALR section. It has contributed a significant number of questions in previous years. Candidates should practise factual, analytical, philosophical and abstract passages.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
The important topics for XAT Verbal Ability include Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Vocabulary, Grammar, Para Jumbles, Para Completion, Fill in the Blanks and Sentence Correction.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
XLRI Xavier school of managment XAT cutoff 2026 has been released. The cutoff for overall section was a score of 95 percentile that was minimum requirement for a candidate to be eligible for admissio.
R
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 6 days ago
Yes. IMT Ghaziabad accepts valid XAT scores for admission to its PGDM programmes.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
The expected XAT cutoff for IMT Ghaziabad is around 90-95 percentile for its major PGDM programmes.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
No. XAT score is the marks obtained by a candidate in the exam. XAT percentile shows the candidate's relative performance compared with other test takers.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes. XAT has negative marking. Candidates lose 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer. A penalty also applies to unattempted questions beyond the first eight.
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
The XAT score calculator formula is Correct Answers - (Incorrect Answers * 0.25) - Unattempted Question Penalty.
P
Contributor-Level 10

Nupur Jain started with a passion for educational content writing, which soon grew into a meaningful journey of helping students through reliable guidance. A commerce graduate from Delhi University, she has spent ov
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