CAT is one of the most important management entrance exams for those who want to get into IIMs and other colleges that offer MBA courses. The CAT question paper is divided into 3 sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
Out of all the sections, Quantitative Aptitude is the most important section. Moreover, it is also considered to be one of the toughest sections and consists of the highest marks.
If you want to clear the exam, you need to know the syllabus and important topics in detail. Here in this post, we have given the CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus in detail.
What is Quantitative Aptitude?
Quantitative aptitude is a section in the CAT examination which tests the quantitative capabilities of a candidate. This includes algebra, number systems, basic maths, etc. It is the most scoring section as it carries the highest weight.
Important Highlights
| Pattern | Details |
| Total Questions in CAT Quantitative Aptitude Section | 34 |
| Total Marks in Quantitative Aptitude For CAT Section | 102 |
| Type of Questions in Quantitative Section | MCQs and TITA(non-MCQ) |
| Total MCQs in Quant for CAT Section | 24-26 |
| Total Non-MCQs (TITA) in QA Section | 8-10 |
| Difficulty in Quantitative Aptitude For CAT Section | Moderate |
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus
| Partnerships | Averages | LCM and HCF |
| Percentages | Speed, Time, and Distance | Time and Work |
| Compound Interest | Simple Interest | Progressions and Series |
| Trigonometry | Permutation and Combination | Algebra |
| Number Systems | Probability | Mixtures and Alligations |
| Ratio, Proportion, and Variation | Profit, Loss, and Discount | Geometry |
| Set Theory & Function | Logarithm & Surds and Indices | Complex Numbers |
| Coordinate Geometry | Mensuration | Quadratic and Linear Equations |
CAT Topics Wise Syllabus
| Quantitative Ability | Arithmetic, Modern Maths, Number System
Algebra, Mensuration, Trigonometry, Geometry |
34% |
| Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) | Data Charts, Data Tables, Bar Graphs,
Venn Diagrams, Seating arrangement, Team formation, Clocks & Calendars |
32% |
| Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) | Long & Short Passages
Jumbled Paragraphs; Para-summary Picking the Out of context sentence from a jumbled paragraph |
34% |
CAT Exam Pattern
| Section-1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension | 26 | 18 | 8 |
| Section-2: Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning | 24 | 18 | 6 |
| Section-3: Quantitative Ability | 26 | 18 | 8 |
| Total | 76 | 54 | 22 |
Quantitative Aptitude Weightage and Number For CAT Exam
| Number System, Basic Arithmetic | 5-10 Questions | Moderate |
| Geometry & Mensuration | 7-8 Questions | Moderately Difficult |
| Algebra | 6-7 Questions | Moderate |
| Permutation & Combination | 1-2 Questions | Easy |
| Probability | 1-2 Questions | Moderate |
| Time, Speed, and Distance | 1-2 Questions | Moderately Difficult |
| Trigonometry, Logarithms, and Sets | 1-3 Questions | Easy |
| Profit, loss, and Discounts | 1-2 Questions | Moderately Easy |
| Interests (SI, CI) | 1-2 Questions | Moderately Difficult |
| Time and Work | 1-2 Questions | Difficult |
Best CAT Quantitative Aptitude Books
There are many books available, but some of the Best Quantitative Aptitude Books might be:
- Math book of NCERT ( class 6-10)
- How to prepare for quantitative for cat by Arun Sharma
- Quantitative aptitude quantum cat (Sarvesh Sharma)
- Quantitative aptitude for cat by Nishit Sharma
Common Mistakes During CAT Quantitative Aptitude Preparation
Some mistakes to avoid while prepping for the quant section will be as follows:
- Never attend a question for more than 1.5 minutes
- Always double-check to avoid errors
- Identify strengths and weaknesses
- Decide early as to when to leave the question
Tips For CAT Quantitative Aptitude Preparation
Some CAT exam tips for students who are preparing are
- Keep your basics always clear
- Follow a timetable
- Do as many mock tests as possible
- Allot time to each section
- Work on weak areas
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Cutoff for IIM
The qualifying cut-off for the general category in IIM is usually between the ranges of 99-100 percentile and the ranges for shortlisting are 80 percentile.
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Paper Analysis (2020/2019/2018)
| Number System | 5 | 3-4 |
| Algebra | 8 | 5-6 |
| Arithmetic | 10 | 7-8 |
| Modern Math | – | – |
| Geometry & Mensuration | 3 | 1-2 |
Conclusion
Quantitative aptitude consists of a very important section in cats as it affects a great part of the score. Hence to avoid any mistakes students must practice this section seriously and do as many mocks as they can.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Question: Is the quantitative section of CAT difficult?
Answer: This depends on the preparation of students, but generally this section gets most of the students, it can be hard to deal with but also very scoring
Question: What are some of the crucial topics In QA
Answer: Some of the important topics are
- Time and work
- Probability
- Mensuration
- Permutation and combination
- Profit and loss
- Averages
- Time speed distance
- Number system
- Calendar
- Ages
- Simple and compound interest
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