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The CAT exam for MBA admissions 2025-2027 is scheduled for November 24, 2024. In this 60-day CAT 2024 preparation guide series by Careers360, we’ll discuss strategies for tackling permutation and combination problems on Day 37, helping you prepare effectively and succeed in the CAT entrance test.
This article covers permutation and combination problems, syllogism questions with answers, and tips for understanding comparison in VARC. Permutation and combination problems are often considered challenging, and many aspirants struggle with them. To aid your preparation, we've included permutation and combination examples with answers, as well as previous years' questions (PYQs) for practice.
Free Study Material: VARC | Chapter-wise Practice MCQs
Practice Questions: DILR | Quant | Most Scoring Concepts
Test: 20 Free Mock Test | 10 Year PYQs
Factors:
CAT number system questions based on factors are regularly asked in the CAT exam and other MBA entrance examinations.
Questions about factors are of the form of
To find the number of all factors
To find the number of even factors
To find the number of odd factors
To find the number of factors of multiple of some value (Value will be given)
To find the number of factors which are perfect squares/perfect cubes etc
To find the number of Co-prime factors
To find the sum of factors
To find products of all factors etc.
Number of ways of writing a number N as a product of two numbers?
Important Formula for CAT number system questions
Number of factors:
Do Prime factorization first
N = pa × pb × rc × … where p, q, r are prime numbers; a, b, c are positive integers
The number of factors of N= (a+1)(b+1)(c+1)…
Sum of factors
Do prime factorisation first.
N = pa × qb × rc × … where p, q, r are prime numbers; a, b, c are positive integers
Sum of factors = (pa+1-1/p-1) (qb+1-1/q-1) (rc+1-1/r-1)
Trailing Zeroes and Exponent of a prime number:
Trailing zeroes give the number of zeroes at the end of the number.
For example, 54600 has two trailing zeroes.
In a product, a pair of 2 and 5 forms one trailing zero. This concept is used to find the number of trailing zeroes.
From this topic following types of questions were asked:
The two previous year CAT questions as per the number system CAT Syllabus are given below:
Q1. How many factors of 24 × 35 × 104 are perfect squares which are greater than 1? [TITA- CAT Question Paper 2019]
Solution:
N = 24 × 35 × 104 = 24 × 35 × 24 x 54 = 28 × 35 × 54
Perfect square factors will be formed only for even (including 0) powers of prime factors.
Powers of 2 for which perfect square factors will be found for = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 (5 ways)
Powers of 3 for which perfect square factors will be found for = 0, 2, 4 (3 ways)
Powers of 5 for which perfect square factors will be found for = 0, 2, 4 (3 ways)
Total number of perfect square factors will be = 5 x 3 x 3 = 45
Total number of perfect square factors greater than 1 will be = 45 – 1= 44
So, the answer is 44.
Q2. What is the highest power of 12 that divides 54!
[Based On CAT Question Paper ]
25
26
30
4
Solution: A
12 = 22 x3, so we need to count the highest power of 2 and highest power of 3 that will divide 54!
The highest power of 2 divides 54! = [54/2] + [54/4] + [54/8] + [ 54/16] + [54/32]
= 27 + 13 + 6 + 3 + 1 = 50, where [x] ? greatest integer function.
Highest powers of 4 that divides 54! = 50/2 = 25
Highest power of 3 that divides 54! = [54/3] + [54/9] + [54/27] = 18 + 6 + 2 = 26, where [x] ? greatest integer function.
So, the highest power of 12 that divides 54! = min (25, 26) = 25.
Prerequisite:
To prepare for the number system for CAT exam according to the number system CAT syllabus, a student must have knowledge of
Tips On CAT Preparation For Number System (Factors and Trailing Zeroes)
In previous articles, we have covered DI based on Bar graphs, Pie charts and Line graphs. In this article, we will deal with data represented in the form of a table for the CAT exam. Data interpretation is a must-come topic in the CAT Exam and other management entrance exams.
In this section, we will discuss the basics of a table chart. The boxes of the table consist of different types of information such as the population of a town, marks of a student, expenses of a company, production data of any industry etc. Table Chart questions are extremely important and have a good weightage as well. Many students sometimes find it difficult to solve these types of questions. Therefore, its recommended for students to practice these questions rigorously.
Sample:
Average marks of students of class 10 of different schools of a city are represented subject wise as shown in table:
Maths | Science | English | Social Science | Hindi | |
St. Marry | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 |
Elite | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 |
Romex | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 |
DPS | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 |
Questions On the Line Graph From CAT Previous Year Papers
Answer the questions on the basis of the information given below. A study was conducted to ascertain the relative importance that employees in five different countries being assigned to five different traits in their Chief Executive Officers. The traits were compassion (C), decisiveness (D), negotiation skills (N), public visibility (P), and vision (V). The level of dissimilarity between two countries is the maximum difference in the ranks allotted by the two countries to any of the five traits. The following table indicates the rank order of the five traits for each country. [ CAT Question Paper 2015]
Q1. Which of the following pairs of countries are most dissimilar?
China and Japan
India and China
Malaysia and Japan
Thailand and Japan
Ans: (4)
Difference in ranks skills-wise is shown as below:
C | N | D | V | P | |
China and Japan | 3-2 =1 | 2-1 =1 | 4-1 =3 | 5-4 =1 | 5-3= 2 |
India and China | 2-1= 1 | 3-1 =2 | 5-4 = 1 | 5-4 = 1 | 3-2 =1 |
Malaysia and Japan | 4-3 =1 | 5-2 =3 | 2-1= 1 | 4-1 = 3 | 5- 3 =2 |
Thailand and Japan | 3-2 =1 | 3-2 =1 | 5-1 =4 | 4-1 =3 | 5-4=1 |
Thailand and Japan should be the answer since these countries show the maximum difference in ranks (i.e., 4) on the basis of decisiveness.
No other countries show a difference of 4.
Q2. Which of the following countries is least dissimilar to India?
Ans: (1)
Difference between the ranks on the basis of given traits of other countries with India is calculated.
Traits | China | Japan | Malaysia | Thailand |
C | 2-1=1 | 5-1=4 | 4-1=3 | 2-1=1 |
P | 3-2=1 | 4-2=2 | ||
N | 3-1=2 | 3-3=0 | ||
V | 5-4=1 | 4-2=2 | ||
D | 5-4=1 | 5-5=0 |
India and China show a maximum difference of 2 for 1 time.
India and Japan show a difference of greater than 2 (Compassion), so it cannot be least dissimilar and we need not to calculate differences for other traits.
Similar is the case with Malaysia.
With Thailand, the difference of 2 appeared twice. Therefore it can not be least dissimilar. The answer is China.
Q3. Which amongst the following countries is most dissimilar to India?
Solution: (2)
since China is the least dissimilar, as discussed in the previous question. So, China cannot be the answer, and we will not find the differences for China in this case.
Traits | Japan | Malaysia | Thailand |
C | 5-1=4 | 4-1=3 | 2-1=1 |
P | 5-2 =3 | 3-2=1 | 4-2=2 |
N | 3-2=1 | 5-3=2 | 3-3=0 |
V | 4-4=0 | 4-1=3 | 4-2=2 |
D | 3-1=2 | 5-2=3 | 5-5=0 |
Clearly, Japan shows the maximum difference in ranks, So Japan is most dissimilar in ranks with India
Prerequisite:
To prepare Data Interpretation (Line Graph) for the CAT exam, a student must learn
References to Study (Theory):
References to Study (Practice):
1. Sample Papers
2. Question bank from CAT-Holic
3. How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma
4. CAT previous year papers
Conjunctions are used to connect more than two words or phrases. It defines the connection between the joined sentences.
Examples:
He likes to eat both Noodles and Pizza.
The tulips and orchids are flowers.
Until next month, I can’t afford to travel.
Conjunctions are useful as well as convenient. Conjunctions are extremely common.
There are three types of English conjunctions:
Coordinating: for, not, yet, so etc
Subordinating: Although, though, while, if, until etc.
Correlative: Neither/ Nor, Whether/ Or, Either/ Or etc.
Interjections are used to express emotions in a sentence. Also, interjections are grammatically independent of the words around them.
Examples:
Greeting: Hey! After such a long time, I am seeing you.
Joy: Oh my gosh! What is happening there?
Surprise: Ah! Finally you clear your CAT Exam!
Approval: Yes! you are hired!
Attention: Listen, you are fired.
Sorrow: Oh dear, I really wanted to marry you.
Questions On Conjunction and Interjection from CAT Previous Year Papers/ CAT practice questions on conjunctions
Direction: Choose the part which requires correction. [Based on Previous Years Questions]
Q.1 As soon as (1) / he got the (2) / courier, at once (3) / he started. (4) / No Error (5)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Ans: C
The conjunction 'as soon as is used to show two simultaneous actions. So, in the third part, the use of ‘at once’ is incorrect
Q2. I will either (1) / go for an interview (2) / else play (3) / Cricket. (4) / No Error (5)
1
2
3
4
5
Ans: C
With “Either’, ‘Or’ comes.
So, (3) contains error. ‘else’ should be replace by ‘or’.
Q3. Be kind (1)/ not only in words (2) / and also (3) / in behavior. (4) / No Error (5)
1
2
3
4
5
Ans: C
The correct conjunction to be used is ‘but’ in place of ‘and’.
Prerequisite:
Use of the comma when a coordinating conjunction is joining two independent clauses.
When a conjunction joins two words in a sentence, then the sentence cannot be separated in two independent sentences.
Learn all the conjunctions and their uses separately with the help of examples.
References to Study (Theory):
Advanced English grammar by Wren and Martin
2iim YouTube Channel
References to Study (Practice):
Question Bank from iquanta.com
CAT previous year papers
How to Prepare for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension for CAT by Meenakshi Upadhyay and Arun Sharma (9th Edition)
We will be back with Day-6 strategy. Do practice and be focused.
Thank You
All the best.
CAT 2023 Official Question Paper and Answer Key (Slot 1) | |
CAT 2023 Official Question Paper and Answer Key (Slot 3) |
Hello aspirant,
The CAT authorities may initiate a verification process to ensure the accuracy of your caste information. This could involve contacting the issuing authority of your EBC certificate or requesting additional documents.
If the verification process confirms your EBC status, your category might be changed to EBC. This could potentially affect your eligibility for certain seats or scholarships.
If your EBC certificate is not accepted as proof of OBC status, you might be ineligible for OBC reservations. However, you would still be eligible to appear for the CAT exam as a General category candidate.
It's crucial to:
Remember: The final decision regarding your eligibility for OBC reservation will depend on the specific policies and procedures of the CAT authorities.
I hope this information helps you.
When filling out the CAT (Common Admission Test) application form, you typically need to provide the aggregate percentage of marks obtained in your graduation. This usually includes the average of all the years of your degree program, not just the final year.
Some universities mention 4 year aggregate on degree certificate. Some metions just final year aggregate.
So you just have to put the mentioned percentage of degree certificate.
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