Click on the right aptitude

Pradeep Pandey

A common apprehension among most CAT aspirants is that the Quantitative Aptitude is probably the most challenging section to crack. 

Most students have a good grasp of the fundamentals but when an application-based question comes, they are all at sea. Most students also have a problem with time management. Some don’t have the raw speed of formulation and calculation. Whatever be your tale of woe, remember that your percentile score depends only on your ability to segregate the doable questions along with the optimisation of speed and accuracy.

 One should draw a line between QA and maths. CAT demands only basic mathematical skills learnt till Class X. No fancy mathematical theorems are tested in this. The only pre-requisite is that you should be very clear with the concepts. This essentially means that your knowledge of basic arithmetic and proportionality tools, numbers, time speed distance, elementary combinatorics, algebra and geometry are more than enough to help you crack the test. Most of the students get carried away and focus more on ‘glamorous’ concepts while neglecting the simpler ones. Many of the CAT problems are low-flying objects and usually not detected by the radar of those students whose learning is a lot more than the required.

Steps to good attempt

Always remember that basic mathematical skill is just one dimension of the QA section. The other dimensions are rather more important. These are: the ability to perform under pressure, observation skills, decision making, adaptability/ flexibility and finally an ability to comprehend the questions. 

Solving a CAT quant problem is a step-wise process and the basic algorithm is step-I: Comprehension of question; step-II: Interpretation i.e. what is given and what is required etc.; step-III: Problem solving (If required). 

Before moving to step -III, one should explore all possibilities of answer option elimination through various approaches like observation or through finding out the range of guesstimate values after analysing the extreme cases. 

Observation skill works when you bring your relaxed brain to the examination and there are some really easy questions you just need to be patient with. To inculcate the above set of skills one needs to practice hard. Keep improving with each passing day and focused hard work will bear you fruit sooner or later.

Moving on is a must

The quant section will definitely contain difficult problems, there are good chances that you might start solving them and get stuck somewhere, only to realise eight minutes or so later that you aren’t making any headway. So what should you do? Leave it right there and move on to the next question. This is the most common trap — getting literally into a “fight” with the problems, where solving one problem becomes more important than getting an overall good sectional score. This is a definite way of losing good time that can be utilised productively elsewhere.

Be word wise 

Read the questions carefully to avoid comprehension mistakes. Be extra-careful towards words and phrases like — at least, at most, some/all, and/or, not less than, distinct, integer, positive/negative, not positive/not negative, from/to /in between, etc. Incorrect interpretation of these words may change your answer.

Don’t attempt the questions at face value. For example, if you are good at numbers then it might be possible that the question at your screen is the toughest question of this section. 

On the other hand, if you think that you are weak in geometry and the question on your screen is one of the easiest questions of QA section. Keep the emotions away while you scan the doable questions!

Avoid silly errors by being patient and just slow down while you are finally clicking the option. 

Do not leave too many questions for the end. Doing so will only make you more nervous. 

You need to concentrate well for the entire duration of the test and be alert throughout. 

The writer is Academic Head, T.I.M.E.