CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is the gateway to the world of management for a student in India. The question paper is prepared by the top IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) of the country every year. CAT exam easily creates a niche for itself among the top admission tests of the country’s academia. In this article, you’ll find some CAT Quantitative Aptitude shortcut methods that will be helpful for those preparing for the CAT 2024 exam.

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This Story also Contains

1. CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods
2. CAT 2024 Exam Pattern
3. CAT Quantitative Aptitude section: An overview
4. Why are shortcut methods important for the CAT exam?
5. CAT Number System Shortcut Tricks
6. CAT Arithmetic Shortcut Tricks
7. CAT Algebra Shortcut Tricks
8. CAT Geometry Shortcut Tricks
9. CAT Mensuration Shortcut Tricks
10. CAT Trigonometry Shortcut Tricks
11. CAT Shortcut Tricks For Other Topics
12. CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Method: Trick to Find the Number of Factors of Any Factorial
13. CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Method: Assumption Technique
14. CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Method: To Find the Squares of Numbers from 30 to 70
15. Additional CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods
16. CAT Quantitative Aptitude Important Topics
17. CAT Shortcut Tricks: Importance of regular practice
18. Conclusion
19. Download Free Practice Questions with Detailed Solutions for CAT Exam - MCQ PDFs

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods

Using quant shortcut methods can increase the chances of getting a good score in the Quantitative Aptitude section of the CAT 2024 exam. These CAT Quantitative Aptitude shortcut methods save time by making candidates rely less on the on-screen calculator and long-drawn calculations. In this article you'll find CAT number system shortcut tricks, arithmetic shortcut tricks, algebra shortcut tricks, and shortcut tricks from other CAT QA topics.

So make use of the CAT shortcut methods given in the article and don’t forget to practice questions daily.

CAT 2024 Exam Pattern

There are basically 3 sections in CAT Examination, which are:

Each correct answer fetches 3 marks. Hence the total marks of the examination are 66 x 3 = 198. To achieve a good score in this section, it is important to solve questions quickly and accurately, and CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods or Shortcut Tricks for CAT Quant 2024 are quite helpful.

CAT Quantitative Aptitude section: An overview

CAT QA Syllabus

The syllabus of CAT exam is only what we have studied in our schools till the tenth standard. However, no specific syllabus exists. But for a better understanding of the CAT Quantitative Aptitude syllabus, we can refer to the following table:

Why are shortcut methods important for the CAT exam?

The Quantitative Aptitude section’s weightage is 66 marks out of a total of 198 marks. For good percentiles, score must be as follows (as per a review of previous exams):

1. Score > 33 = 99+ percentile {Attempts must be at least 14 with high accuracy}

2. Score > 24 = 95+ percentile {Attempts must be at least 10 with high accuracy}

3. Score > 18 = 80+ percentile {Attempts must be at least 7 with high accuracy}

The total time for this section is 40 min., so if the target score is more than 99 percentile, then for each question we get less than 3 min. and if the target score is more than 95 percentiles then we get around 4 min. for each question. In this time, we have to read, understand, and solve the question which is impossible to do without using the right approach and shortcut methods. Let’s understand how we can save time using Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Techniques for CAT Exam:

CAT Number System Shortcut Tricks

Generally, 2-3 questions are asked from this section directly in the CAT Exam, but concepts of the number system are important to solve questions related to other sections i.e. algebra and arithmetic. Some CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods related to the number system are as under:

Divisibility rules

Understanding Divisibility rules is important to know whether any number is divisible by a divisor or we are wasting time in simplification, for ex: N= 37895; N/9; the rule of divisibility of 9 is that if the sum of digits of the dividend (N) is divisible by 9 then the number is also divisible by 9. In this example, sum of digits of N is 3+7+8+9+5 = 32, 32 is not divisible by 9 so there is no need to divide the number.

Let’s understand another shortcut method out of Shortcut Tricks for CAT Quant 2024:

? If ‘abcabc’ / 1001 then ans is ‘abc’. If a number is in the form of ‘abcabc’ then we can say that the number is definitely divisible by 1001 and its factors which are 3,7 & 11.

Ex: N = 325325 / 1001 = 325.

Prime factorization technique

Prime factorization is important while solving questions related to LCM & HCF and basic numbers questions related to the divisibility rule and classification of numbers. Let’s understand a shortcut method out of Shortcut Tricks for CAT Quant 2024:

? While factorization, always break the no. in big numbers.

Ex: N= 240 = 2 x 120 = 2 x 2 x 60 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 30 [ This is time taking]

Or N = 240 = 16 x 15 = 24 x 3 x 5

Simplification techniques

To simplify the calculation while solving questions related to the CAT Exam, simplification by short methods can save a great amount of time, let’s understand this with the help of the following example:

Simplification of fractions or how to cancel out -

ex: (50 x 35 + 28 x 25) / (75x30 + 60 x 15)

M-1

(1750+ 700) / (2250+900) = 2450/3150 = 245/315 = 49/63 = 7/9

M-2 [Take common if possible- it will save time or effort]

25 x 7 (2 x 5 + 4 x1) / 15 x 30 (5 x1 + 2 x 1) = 25 x 7 x 14 / 15 x 30 x 7 = 7/9

(Cancel out as much as possible rather than multiplication, this will make calculation easy)

Squaring and cubing numbers

Vedic Mathematics Tricks are most important to make the calculation part easy. One should learn squares from 1-25 (at least) and cubes from 1-12 (at least) which are helpful to find the squares and cubes of greater numbers. We can understand this from the following general approaches which are out of shortcut methods to find squares and cubes.

Square of 2-digit numbers:

To find the square of a two-digit number you can use the following method which is a general method for all such numbers:

N = ‘ab’ [ wherein b-unit digit and a-tens digit]

N2 = a (‘ab’ + b) / b2

Ex: (i) 312 = 3(31+1)/ 12 = 3(32)/1 = 96/1 = 961

(ii) 472 = 4(47+7)/ 72 = 4(54)/ 49 = 216/49 = 216+4/9 = 220/9 = 2209

[Note: If there are 2 digits in the second part then the ten’s digit will be added to the first part]

Square of 3-digit numbers:

To find the square of a 3-digit number you can use the following method which is a general method for all such numbers:

N = ‘abc’ [ wherein c-unit digit, b-tens digit and a-hundreds digit]

N2 = a (‘abc’ + ‘bc’) / ‘bc’2

Ex: (i) 3012 = 3(301+1)/ 012 = 3(302)/01 = 906/01

= 90601

Note: [There must be only two digits in the second part, if we get only one digit after squaring then we have to write zero before digit i.e.1 as 01 and if we get more than two digits then we have to add hundreds digit in the first part like following example]

(ii) 1172 = 1(117+17)/ 172 = 1(124)/ 289 = 124+2/89 = 126/89 = 12689

This approach will save time if the numbers are close to multiples of hundred like 301, 407, 119 etc. For different type of numbers, we use different approaches to save time.

CAT Arithmetic Shortcut Tricks

The arithmetic section is basically the combination of three basic concepts (Percentage, Ratio & proportion, Average) and their applications in different ways. In the CAT Exam, out of 22 questions, generally, 8-9 questions are asked from the arithmetic section. The basics of simple equations and calculations are the base for solving arithmetic questions. Following are some shortcut methods related to arithmetic section:

Addition and subtraction shortcuts:

Addition and subtraction are the base of the calculation part. To improve our calculation, we can work over some basic techniques related to addition and subtraction, let’s understand this with the help of some examples (practice these without pen and paper):

Addition Techniques:

1. If we have to add 8 or 9 in any number, then we can use 8 as 10-2 and 9 as 10-1 because addition of 10 in number is very simple.

Ex: (i). 28+8 = 28+10-2 = 38 -2 = 36

(ii). 36+9 = 36+10-1 = 46 -1 = 45

2. If we have to add 2-digit number in any number then break the number and add in two parts.

Ex: (i). 87 + 65 = 87+ 60 + 5 = 147 + 5 = 152

[now after breaking the number, adding 60 to 87 is easy as we have to add tens digit i.e. 6+8 = 14]

Subtraction Techniques:

1. If we have to subtract 8 or 9 from any number, then we can use 8 as 10-2 and 9 as 10-1 because subtraction of 10 from any number is very simple.

Ex: (i). 29 - 8 = 29-(10-2) = 29-10+2 = 19+2 = 2 [ for 8 firstly subtract 10 and then add 2 ]

(ii). 36-9 = 26 + 1 = 27 [ for 9 firstly subtract 10 and then add 1]

(iii). 57-8 = 47 + 2 = 49

Multiplication techniques (Vedic Mathematics, Grid Multiplication)

Multiplication is the most used part during calculation, if we can multiply greater numbers easily then we can save time and energy, for this let’s understand a shortcut method for multiplication by using Vedic Maths:

Column II I step1: Multiply column I step 2: cross multiplication

4 2 2 4 2

X 6 3 X3 6 3

----------- -----------

6 (4 x 3) + (6 x 2) + add carry from column 1 if

any = 24 {carry forward 2}

step3: Multiply column II – 4

x 6

------------

24 + add carry from step 2 if any = 24 + 2 = 26

Now start writing result of every step (after removing carry) from step-3 to step-1

= 26/4/6 = 2646 ans.

Division shortcuts

Division is the most hectic part of the calculation. By using some shortcut techniques, we can save effort. For eg: 1/5 = 2/10; 1/25 = 4/100; 1/125 = 8/1000, let’s understand how we can use these fractions:

(i) 523/5 = 523 x 2 / 10 = 1046 / 10 = 104.6

[As we can experience that multiplication of 2 is much easier than division by 5]

(ii) 728 / 25 = 728 x 4 / 100 = 2912 / 100 = 29.12

[As we can experience that multiplication of 4 is much easier than division by 25]

(iii) 523 / 125 = 523 x 8 / 1000 = 4184 / 1000 = 4.184

[As we can experience that multiplication of 8 is much easier than division by 125]

Percentage calculations

To solve the percentage questions efficiently by using shorter methods for saving time, focus on the following points:

1. Learn and practice the ready reference of conversion which are asked frequently, for ex: 25% = ¼, 33.33% = 1/3 (simplest conversion) but for exam like CAT we have to learn some difficult ones for ex: 1/19 = 5.26%, 18.18% = 2/11 etc. [ Don’t worry about these, by proper techniques we can learn these in 1 day but for efficiency we have to keep revising these].

2. We have to learn 3 concepts

a. Multiplication factor (M.F.)

Ex: A has 200 Rs. And B has 30% more than A, then B = 200 x 1.3 = 260 Rs.

b. Successive % change

c. Reverse percentage comparison.

Time, speed, and distance shortcuts

Time, speed and distance (T.S.D) is basically the application of percentage and ratio (using variation). In this section, most of the questions require shortcut methods and good knowledge of percentages and ratio. Let’s understand this with the help of a shortcut method:

Ex:

Que: If a person drives with the speed of 7 km/hr. from his house to office then he reaches 10 min late but if he starts at the same time from his house with the speed of 8 km./hr. then he reaches to the office 5 min. early. Find the distance between his house and office.

Ans: If we solve it by basic method then it will take around 5-6 min. but with the help of a formula we can solve this within 30 sec.-

Let S1 = 7 km/hr. and S2 = 8 km/hr.; Given: Time difference of both conditions = 15 min. = ¼ hr.

Then D = S1 x S2 x time difference / speed difference = 7 x 8 x 1/ 4 x 1 = 14 km.

Time and Work problem-solving methods

Time and Work is also an application of ratio. In this section, most of the questions are solved by using the LCM method which is a shortcut method for these types of questions which is less time taking than basic arithmetic approach. Let’s understand this with the help of a shortcut method:

Ex: A can do a piece of work in 8 days. B can do the same in 14 days. In how many days can the work be completed if A and B work together?

Solution: TA = 8 days; TB = 14 days

Let total work to be done= LCM (TA, TB) = LCM (8,14) = 56

W = 56 units

A can do = ⁵⁶⁄₈ = 7 units/day

B can do = ⁵⁶⁄₁₄ = 4 units/day then, (A + B) together can do = 11 units per day

So, no. of days taken by (A + B) to complete the same work is = ⁵⁶⁄₁₁ days

CAT Algebra Shortcut Tricks

In Algebra section basically, we deal with variables and their properties. In Quantitative Aptitude section out of 22 questions 7-8 questions are asked from this section. Some CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods related to algebra section are as under:

Simplification of algebraic expressions

To simplify the algebraic equations, you must learn algebraic identities. Let’s understand how to use identities as shortcut methods to solve the questions easily.

Ex: (x2 – 3) (x2 + 3) [ We can use identity to solve that i.e. (a-b) (a+b) = a2 – b2]

= (x4 - 32) = (x4 - 9)

Factorization techniques

A quadratic equation typically takes the form ?2+??+?=0; where a,b,c are constants, and ?≠0. The goal of factorization is to express the quadratic as a product of two linear factors. Let’s understand a shortcut method rather than basic factorization method:

? If, in a quadratic equation ?2+??+?=0, (b/2)2=c then factors are (x + b/2)2= 0.

Ex: ?2+6?+9= 0; we can notice that (b/2)2=c then factors are (?+3)2=0.

Algebraic identities

Algebraic identities are useful to solve not only quadratic questions but also for calculation. Let’s understand this with a simple identity which is (a-b) (a+b) = a2 – b2 .

Ex: 42 x 38 = (40 + 2) (40 – 2) [This method is very useful for solving such multiplication]

= 402 – 22 = 1600 – 4 = 1596

CAT Geometry Shortcut Tricks

Geometry section is basically all about the properties related to different shapes. In Quantitative Aptitude section 3-4 questions are asked out of 22 questions from this section. Some CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods related to geometry are as under:

Pythagorean triplets and their applications

Pythagoras theorem states that, in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the square of the other two sides i.e. H2 = Base2 + Height2.

Pythagorean triplet is a shortcut method out of Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Techniques for CAT Exam where we can find side without using Pythagoras theorem. There are some fix pairs which defines the sides of right-angle triangle i.e. (3,4,5- 5 is hypotenuse and 3,4 are other two sides), (6,8,10), (8,15,17) etc.

[Note: Greatest side in triplets is hypotenuse]

Ex: If base = 15, height = 8 (given), then we can say that hypotenuse = 17 without using Pythagoras theorem

Tricks for solving geometry problems quickly

Geometry questions are lengthy and time-consuming. To solve these questions, we require shortcut methods. Let’s understand a shortcut method out of CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods:

Ex: If side of an equilateral triangle ABC is 6 cm. then find the circumradius(R) of triangle ABC.

Solution:

M-1

Formula to find circumradius of a triangle is R= product of sides of triangle / 4x area of triangle

M-2

But we can directly find the circumradius of equilateral triangle with this shortcut:

R = side/ √3 = 6 / √3 = 2 √3 Ans.

CAT Mensuration Shortcut Tricks

Mensuration section is related to area and volumes of 2D and 3D shapes. At least 1 question is asked from this section in all competitive exams including CAT. Let’s understand some basics and Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Techniques for CAT Exam related to this section as under:

Formulas for calculating area and volume of basic shapes

Knowledge of basic formulas is must to solve the questions and to apply shortcut methods properly. Some basic formulas which are used as shortcut methods are as under:

1. Area of parallelogram = Base x Height

Ex: In a parallelogram, base = 10 and height = 6 then area = 10 x 6 = 60

Shortcut methods for complex shapes

Polygons more than 4 sides are considered as complex shapes. Out of polygons, regular hexagon is mostly asked in the CAT Examination. Let’s understand some shortcut formulas to solve problems related to complex shapes:

Ex: If side of a regular hexagon is 8 cm. then find area and circumradius of the shape.

Solution: Area = 3√3 x square of side = 3√3 x 8 = 24√3 square cm.

Circumradius (R) = 2 x side = 2 x 8 = 16 cm.

Surface area and volume calculation tricks

To find the area and volume of 3D shapes is bit lengthy than that of 2D shapes. But the base formula for some 3D shapes are same. For Cube, Cuboid and Cylinder (these shapes come under prism shapes) we can use a general formula to find area and volume which is as under:

Area = Perimeter of Base x Height

Volume = Area of Base x Height

Let’s understand how we can make formulas by using this single formula. In Cylinder, base is circular, let the radius of circular base is r and height of cylinder is h, then:

Area = Perimeter of Base (Circle) x Height = 2πr x h = 2πrh

Volume = Area of Base (Circle) x Height = πr2 x h = πr2h

CAT Trigonometry Shortcut Tricks

Trigonometry is all about measurements related to triangles. Trigonometry is used to find sides using ratios and angles in any polygon by breaking the shape in triangles. Let’s understand some shortcut techniques out of Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Techniques for CAT Exam:

Shortcut methods for trigonometric ratios

To remember the trigonometric ratios is difficult but we can learn that using a shortcut method which we used to learn in tenth class.

Sin θ=P/H; Cos θ=B/H; Tan θ= P/B [ where P=perpendicular, B=base, H=hypotenuse]

To learn this, we can use a quote, “Pandit(P) Badri(B) Prasad(P) /Har(H) Har(H) Bole(B)” = PBP/HHB

sin θ cos θ tan θ

P B P

-----------------------

H H B

These trigonometric ratios and Pythagoras theorem are used to make trigonometric identities i.e. sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1; which are used to solve more questions quickly.

Trigonometric equations solving techniques

To simplify trigonometric equations, we can simply convert any trigonometric ratio in terms of sin θ & cos θ or we can use any other identity:

Ex: If tan θ + sec θ = 3 then find sin θ.

Solution:

M-1 tan θ = sin θ/ cos θ; sec θ = 1/ cos θ

From given equation? sin θ/ cos θ + 1/ cos θ = 3

sin θ. cos θ + 1 = 3 cos θ

Now we can further solve this question by using the basic identity sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1.

M-2 sec θ - tan θ = 1/ (sec θ + tan θ) [A result derived from identity sec2θ = tan2θ + 1]

Given: sec θ + tan θ = 3 …. Eq-1

So we can say sec θ - tan θ = 1/3 …...Eq-2

Now sin θ can be easily find out by solving both equations

Applications of trigonometry in geometry problems

Trigonometry is used to find sides and angles while solving geometry problems.

Ex: In triangle ABC, side AB= 10cm., BC= 7 cm. if angle B = 30 degree then find area of the triangle.

Solution: Area of the triangle = ½ x AB X BC X Sin B = ½ x10 x7 x sin 30 = ½ x 70 x ½ = 17.5

CAT Shortcut Tricks For Other Topics

Probability shortcuts techniques

Probability is occurrence chances of any event. The most important thing to keep in mind that the value of probability of any event can’t be more than 1 and less than 0.

Probability = Favorable outcomes of any event / Total possible outcomes of the event

Let’s understand some shortcut methods to find total possible outcomes of any event:

1. If n coins are tossed simultaneously then total no. of outcomes = 2n

Ex: If 3 coins are tossed simultaneously then total no. of outcomes = 23 = 8

2. If n dices are rolled simultaneously then total no. of outcomes = 6n

Ex: If 2 dices are rolled simultaneously then total no. of outcomes = 62 = 36

Permutation and combination shortcut techniques

Permutation and combination are somehow base of probability. In this section, we learn about finding all possibilities of any event. Let’s understand some shortcut methods to solve questions related to P & C:

Ex: In how many ways 5 letters can be posted in 3 letter boxes.

Solution:

Here letters have choice to choose in which letter box they will be posted as per address. So, no. of letters is considered as N and no. of letter boxes are considered as R.

So total no. of ways = RN = 35 = 243 ans.

Practice and Application

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Method: Trick to Find the Number of Factors of Any Factorial

To find the number of factors of a factorial, like n!, follow these steps:

1. Prime Factorization: First, find the prime factorization of n!. For this, you need to determine the highest power of each prime number that divides n!. For a prime p, this power can be calculated using the formula:
   Highest power of p in n! = (n/p) + (n/p²) + (n/p³) + …, where you stop when p^k > n.

2. Number of Factors: Once you have the prime factorization of n!, express it in the form p₁a₁ × p₂a₂ × … × pₖaₖ. To find the total number of factors, use the formula:
   Number of factors = (a₁ + 1) × (a₂ + 1) × … × (aₖ + 1).
   Here, a₁, a₂, …, aₖ are the powers of the prime factors.

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Method: Assumption Technique

The assumption technique is a method used in quantitative problems, especially in algebra and statistics, to simplify complex problems by making reasonable assumptions. Here’s how to use it:

1. Identify the Variables: Understand the variables involved in the problem and what you need to find.

2. Make an Assumption: Choose a reasonable value for one of the variables to simplify calculations. For example, assume a specific value for an unknown or a common value to test the feasibility of different options.

3. Solve the Simplified Problem: Use the assumed value to solve the problem and derive a solution or pattern. This helps in making the problem more manageable and often leads to insights about the real values.

4. Validate the Assumption: Check if the solution obtained with the assumption fits all conditions of the problem. Adjust the assumption if necessary and repeat the process.

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Method: To Find the Squares of Numbers from 30 to 70

For numbers between 30 and 70, you can use the following shortcuts to quickly find their squares:

1. Use the Formula: For numbers near 50, use the formula: (50 ± d)² = 2500 ± 2 × 50 × d + d². Here, d is the difference from 50. For example, to find 53², use:
   53² = (50 + 3)² = 50² + 2 × 50 × 3 + 3² = 2500 + 300 + 9 = 2809.

2. Break Down Larger Numbers: For numbers further from 50, break them into simpler parts. For instance, to find 68², use:
   68² = (70 - 2)² = 70² - 2 × 70 × 2 + 2² = 4900 - 280 + 4 = 4624.

3. Direct Multiplication: For exact squares, use direct multiplication if you’re comfortable. For example, 34² = 34 × 34 = 1156.

4. Estimate and Adjust: For quicker estimates, find the nearest base (like 50 or 100), calculate the square, and adjust for the difference.

Using these tricks and techniques will help you tackle problems related to factorials, assumptions, and squares more efficiently.

Additional CAT Quantitative Aptitude Shortcut Methods

Percentages: To quickly find 15% of a number, calculate 10% and 5% separately and add them together. For example, 15% of 240 is 24 (10% of 240) + 12 (5% of 240) = 36.

Squaring Numbers Close to 50: For numbers close to 50, use (a+b)² = a² + 2ab + b². For example, to find 48², use (50 - 2)² = 50² - 2 × 50 × 2 + 2² = 2500 - 200 + 4 = 2304.

Multiplying Numbers Close to 100: For numbers like 97 and 98, use (100 - a) × (100 - b) = 10000 - 100(a + b) + ab. So, 97 × 98 = 10000 - 100(97 + 98) + (97 × 98) = 9506.

Percentage Increase/Decrease: To find a percentage increase, use (New Value - Old Value) / Old Value × 100%. For a decrease, the formula is (Old Value - New Value) / Old Value × 100%.

Finding the Average: To quickly find the average of a set of numbers, sum them up and divide by the number of items. For example, the average of 8, 12, and 15 is (8 + 12 + 15) / 3 = 35 / 3 = 11.67.

Simple Interest Calculation: Use the formula SI = (P × R × T) / 100, where P is the principal, R is the rate of interest, and T is the time in years.

Compound Interest Approximation: For compound interest, use the formula A = P × (1 + R/100)ⁿ, where P is the principal, R is the rate, and n is the number of periods. For quick approximation, use 1 + (R/100)ⁿ.

Ratios: To simplify ratios, divide all terms by their greatest common divisor. For example, 30:45 simplifies to 2:3 (since both 30 and 45 can be divided by 15).

Time and Work: If A can complete a job in x days and B in y days, their combined work rate is 1/x + 1/y. For example, if A can finish in 6 days and B in 12 days, their combined rate is 1/6 + 1/12 = 1/4, so they finish in 4 days.

Finding Percentages of Large Numbers: To find 8% of 1250, calculate 10% of 1250 (which is 125), and then subtract 2% (which is 25). Thus, 8% of 1250 = 125 - 25 = 100.

CAT Quantitative Aptitude Important Topics

CAT Shortcut Tricks: Importance of regular practice

The complexity and intensity of the exam demand a strategic and consistent preparation approach, where regular practice plays a critical role. The CAT exam not only tests your knowledge but also your ability to apply that knowledge quickly and accurately. Frequent practice enables you to increase your speed and improve your accuracy, reducing careless mistakes and enhancing your ability to solve problems under time constraints by using different shortcut methods that you have mastered with regular practice.

Solving previous years' CAT questions using shortcut methods

Solving CAT previous year question papers helps you to understand the type of questions and approach required to solve the questions. If you have the right approach and shortcut methods to solve the questions then a great score can be achieved in the exam. To achieve the desired score and dream IIM, you have to try to learn the shortcut methods as per the requirement of the exam and you have to practice them as much as you can in CAT mock tests and previous year questions.

CAT mock test practice with time management strategies

Through continuous practice, you can identify which types of questions you are strong or weak in, allowing you to develop personalized strategies. For example, deciding which questions to attempt first, and which ones to skip helps in time management. Time management is crucial in the CAT exam since all sections are timed, and you need to balance speed with the thoroughness of your answers. The length of the CAT exam requires mental stamina to maintain focus and concentration throughout the test. Regular practice sessions that mimic the length and intensity of the actual exam can help build this stamina.

Conclusion

To achieve a great score in an exam like the CAT you have to practice the Quantitative Aptitude Tricks & Shortcuts for the CAT exam, multiple times and have to understand the exam pattern so a specific strategy can be made. A smart approach is the key to clear the CAT Exam.

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