CAT

Reading Comprehension

• Different categories of passages
• Writing Styles
• Tone of writing
• Types of questions
• Reading skills
• Types of passages
• Accuracy in RC

Grammar

• The articles - A, An, The
• Parts of speech in English
• Sentence Construction in English
• Punctuations
• Modifiers
• Subject-Verb Agreement
• Verbs Tenses
• Sentence Correction
• Word Usage

Verbal Reasoning

• Logical Deduction
• Sentence Exclusion
• Courses of Action
• Parajumbles
• Para Completion
• Statements & Assumptions
• Fact Inference Judgment

Critical Reasoning

• Basic Assumption and Inference
• Strengthen and weaken and argument
• Paragraph summary
• Method of reasoning and Boldfaced
• Flawed and Paradox
• Parallel, further application, evaluate
• Fallacies and strong-weak arguments

Level 1 topics of CAT syllabus for LRDI section

• Coding – Decoding
• Number Series
• Letter Series
• Symbol Series
• Symbol based Logic
• Number & Alphabet Analogies
• Odd one out
• Direction Sense
• Blood Relations and Family Tree
• Cryptarithmetic (Verbal Arithmetic)
• Inequalities and Conclusions – Coded Inequalities
• Data Sufficiency
• Approximation of Values

Level 2 topics of CAT syllabus for LRDI section

• Bar Graphs
• Pie Charts
• Tables
• Binary Logic – True / False statements based questions
• Pan Balance / Spring Balance
• Linear and Circular Seating Arrangements
• Matrix and Grid based Arrangements
• Games and Tournaments (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
• Sequential Output / Input-Output
• Logical Conditions (If this, then that)
• Logical Grouping – Questions based on Team Formation
• Critical Path
• Cubes based problems
• Matchstick / Coin picking based problems
• Dice Related Problems
• Order and Ranking
• Quant Based LR Puzzles

The Quantitative Aptitude section is the most well defined. One sometimes ends up spending more than 75% of one’s time preparing for just the quantitative aptitude section ignoring the others. Given below is the structure of the Quantitative Aptitude section. The Quant syllabus has been further divided into 5 sup-parts:

• Number System
• Algebra
• Arithmetic
• Geometry
• Modern Math

The numbers given in the picture are based on the average pattern of the CAT exam over the last 4-5 years.

Number System

Given below are some of the topics that one should cover in Number System

• Basics of Numbers
• Properties of Numbers
• Divisibility Rules
• Divisibility and Factors
• Highest Common Factor and Lowest Common Multiple
• Finding Out Last Digit
• Finding Out Last Two Digits
• Number of trailing zeroes
• Special cases of Factorials – Highest Power in a prime, rightmost non zero digit

Finding out Remainders

• Based on basic divisibility rules
• Based on Binomial Theorem
• Based on Simplifying the Dividend (Single and / or Multiple Divisors)
• Fermat's Theorem
• Euler's Theorem
• Pattern Recognition and cyclicality of remainders
• Wilson's Theorem

Base Systems

• Conversion of Bases
• Addition / subtraction / multiplication in different bases

Arithmetic

Arithmetic syllabus can be divided into 3 parts.

Part 1 – Basic concepts from the syllabus that you need to solve any question

• Averages
• Mean Median Mode
• Percentages
• Ratio and Proportion
• Simple and Compound Interest

Part 2 – High probability areas of CAT syllabus on which questions can be asked in the CAT exam

• Installments
• Profit and Loss
• Mixtures and Alligations

Time Speed and Distance

• Basic Concepts
• Linear and Circular Races
• Boats and Stream
• Relative Speed
• Escalator Based Questions

Time and Work

• Pipes and Cisterns

Part 3 – Concepts from CAT syllabus that you should know but are unlikely to be asked in the CAT

• Calendars
• Clocks
• Stocks and Shares

Algebra

Algebra is probably the most neglected portion of Quantitative Aptitude in CAT syllabus for the simple reason that people do not know what to do in it and where to practice for it. Some students think that they can skip topics like Basic Algebraic Equations and Inequalities because you rarely get direct questions on those in CAT. While it is technically correct, it is still a bad idea to skip these chapters. The reason being that the other questions that are asked in the CAT exam are based on these concepts.

Given below are some of the topics that you can and should go through to get a good grasp on the Algebra section.

• Basics Algebraic Formulae

Linear Equations

• Problems on ages
• Number of integer solutions

Quadratic Equations

• Finding out roots
• Maxima and Minima

Higher Degree Equations

• Descartes Rule of Signs

• Inequalities
• Logarithm

Functions

• Modifications of graphs
• Smallest value in a maximum function

Functions is the most important chapter in Quantitative Aptitude.

Geometry

Over the years, Geometry has proven to be the most scoring part of the Quantitative Aptitude section. It is the only topic where one can hope for a direct application of a concept or formula without thinking too much about it. Often, one can just draw a diagram or even assume a value to get to the answer fairly quickly. The topics and syllabus for Geometry is listed below:

• Lines and Angles

Triangles – Basic Concepts

• Area, Angles
• Similar Triangles
• Special Triangles (30-60-90, 45-45-90, 30-30,120)

• Polygons
• Circles
• Solids / Mensuration – 3D Geometry
• Trigonometry

Among the above topics, Co-ordinate Geometry and Trigonometry are low priority areas. If one can spend even an hour on Trigonometry to understand the basic concepts and simple applications of those basic concepts – it should be enough for the CAT exam.