Sample Questions –
1. Deccan queen moves for Pune from Mumbai at 5:00 a.m. and it reaches Pune at 9:00 a.m. .Shatabdi starts at 7:00a.m. from Pune and reaches Mumbai at 10:30 a.m.. What time did the 2 trains meet.
2. Ajay and Vijay are at a distance of 100 mts., when 3rd time they meet ,they are at a distance of 20mts from Vijay’s side and each of them have completed at least 100 mts., what are the ratio of the speed of Ajay and Vijay.
3. One car sets off at 8:00 a.m. at 60kmph, at 11:00 a.m. another car starts at 100kmph. At what distance from the starting point both will meet.
4. Mumbai to Pune local starts at 5:00 a.m. and they end at 12:00in the night. They take 4 hrs .And every 15 mins. one local is initiated from each station. – a)A 5:00a.m. local will meet how many locals in its journey. b) at what intervals it will meet the local.
5. On a highway12 trucks cross in 1hour at the equal intervals, if I move from opposite directions at double the speed of the truck , in one hr. I will cross how many trucks?
6. Vijay and Pallavi went for 100, mts. ski race. Initially Pallavi’s speed was 1m/smore so Pallavi gave Vijay some lead in terms of time, when Pallavi caught up with Vijay, then Vijay increased his speed by 2m/s and he was the winner by 7 minutes and 8 seconds. Had the race been 500mts longer, he would have won by 25 more seconds. A) at what point Pallavi caught up with Vijay b.) what was the lead given to Vijay. C)speed of Pallavi, speed of Vijay.
Ans. for each question.
1. 7:56 a.m.
2. ratio-14:11
3. 450kms.
4 a)17 trains
5 36 trucks.
6 A)1440 mts. C)V-3m/s P-4m/s.
Some more Questions :
7. On a republic a day a 10 KM convoy has to cover 30km distance. Convoy moves at 10kmph. A motorcyclists starts from back of the convoy, moves in front , again goes back and from back again goes to the front, and in the mean time the convoy has completed its journey.
a. What is the speed of the motorcyclists?
b. If he increases his speed by double, then how many rounds will he take ?
8. A,B,C had to go 100 kms. A had a motorcycle by which he could go@25 kmph. Walking is done @5kmph. A picks up B, while C walks, after sometime A drops B , B moves on , A comes back picks up C and all of them reach at the same time.
a. At what distance B was dropped
b. Motorcyclists traveled how many kms?
c. Journey is of how many hours?
d. A picked up C at what distance?
9. Robbery took place at 5:00a.m. and robbers took at speed of 60kmph at 9:00 a.m. police went after the chase @80kmph . A helicopter moved @120 kmph which used to go to the robbers and come back to police and again go back. Ultimately when robbers were caught, helicopter had moved how many kilometers toward the robbers.
10. A,B,C can finish the work in 10,12,15 days. A,B started working, then B left after 2 days. In how much time the work will be completed, if C joined after 4 days.
11. A can do a work in 15 days, A& B started, but after 4 days B left and the work was completed in 10 days. How much time will B take to complete the whole work.
12. A can finish a work in 30 minutes , B in 45 Minutes, but C was disturbing them and breaking the work ,They could finish the work in 3 hours. How much time c can break the work.
13. ( use data form above question also) If C is a destroyer and talks 10 days to destroy the work and order being A,B, C. In how much time work will be completed.
14. A can do a work in 20 days , B in 10 days and C in 25 days. 1 day before the work was to be completed C left, then half day before the work was scheduled to be completed B left and now A completed the work.
a. In how many days the work will get over?
b. How much extra time was taken?
Thursday, September 6, 2007
DI AND QUANT TIPS COMPILATION
Sample Question. 5 kg of rice and 2 kg of tea cost Rs/- 35, prices of rice grew by 10% and tea by 35% and together I could purchase it for Rs.420. What is the price of tea.
(in these type of questions, whatever is asked take reverse of that, here tea is asked so work on rice.)
Method
350+10% of 350=385
420-385=35
There is a difference of 25%(35%-10%)
This is Rs. 35
25% corresponds to Rs. 35
therefore 100%=140
2 Kg=Rs 140. so 1kg =70
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Example.- I hired a servant for Rs. 300 per month and a cycle if he works for a year. After 8 months I threw him out and paid him Rs. 50 for that month and the cycle. How much does the cycle cost?
Method- In 8 months the servant has earned 2/3rd (8/12) of the cycle. So he is left with just 1/3rd of the cycle, which we will cut in place of 300 we gave him only 50.
1/3 corresponds to (300-50)=250
therefore 1=750. so the cost of the cycle is Rs. 750.
(in these type of questions, whatever is asked take reverse of that, here tea is asked so work on rice.)
Method
350+10% of 350=385
420-385=35
There is a difference of 25%(35%-10%)
This is Rs. 35
25% corresponds to Rs. 35
therefore 100%=140
2 Kg=Rs 140. so 1kg =70
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Example.- I hired a servant for Rs. 300 per month and a cycle if he works for a year. After 8 months I threw him out and paid him Rs. 50 for that month and the cycle. How much does the cycle cost?
Method- In 8 months the servant has earned 2/3rd (8/12) of the cycle. So he is left with just 1/3rd of the cycle, which we will cut in place of 300 we gave him only 50.
1/3 corresponds to (300-50)=250
therefore 1=750. so the cost of the cycle is Rs. 750.
COIN CONCEPT
When 2 quantities are sold as a group together .
Example- A horse and a carriage were bought for Rs. 12000. the carriage was sold at a loss of 10% , horse was sold at a profit of 20%. Together I received Rs.13500. what is the C.P. and S.P. of each.
Method-Assume everything to be a horse, so I shud have sold everything at 20% profit.20% of 12000+12000= 14400.But I received Rs. 13500 only that makes a difference of 900 or Rs. 900 are less. This also makes a difference of 30% coz we calculated 40% profit (20+20%), but we had [+20%+(-10%)]=10%
I calculated 30% more on carriage.
30% or carriage=900
therefore 100%=3000
so now we have the individual cost of the horse, the carriage is for 9000/-and the S.P. can b calculated now.
Example- A horse and a carriage were bought for Rs. 12000. the carriage was sold at a loss of 10% , horse was sold at a profit of 20%. Together I received Rs.13500. what is the C.P. and S.P. of each.
Method-Assume everything to be a horse, so I shud have sold everything at 20% profit.20% of 12000+12000= 14400.But I received Rs. 13500 only that makes a difference of 900 or Rs. 900 are less. This also makes a difference of 30% coz we calculated 40% profit (20+20%), but we had [+20%+(-10%)]=10%
I calculated 30% more on carriage.
30% or carriage=900
therefore 100%=3000
so now we have the individual cost of the horse, the carriage is for 9000/-and the S.P. can b calculated now.
Interview tips
PREPARATION FOR INTERVIEWS
Because communication skills are such an integral part of effective management, some schools include personal interviews as part of the admissions process. Some tips to help you prepare for an interview:
o Review your application; the interviewer is likely to ask specific questions about it.
o Be ready to provide examples and specifics and to elaborate on info on your resume and application.
o Be open and honest.
o Ask questions, since the interview is as much an opportunity for you to learn about the school as for the school to learn about you.
o Follow proper business decorum.
o Watch your nonverbal clues, such as eye contact, posture, and fidgeting.
o Be courteous to the administrative staff, since how you treat them can have an impact (positive or negative).
Some Frequently Asked Questions on Interviews :
"Tell us about yourself"?
In an interview how does one handle the question "Tell us about yourself?".
An often asked opening question. Perhaps the most frequently asked question across interviews. Your opening statement needs to be a summary of your goals, overall professional capabilities, achievements, background (educational and family), strengths, professional objectives and anything about your personality that is relevant and interesting. This question represents an opportunity to lead the interviewer in the direction you want him to go e.g., your speciality or whatever else you may wish to highlight.
Your intention should be to try subtly convincing the interviewers that you are a good candidate, you have proved that in the past and have a personality that fits the requirement.
Remember that the first impression you create will go a long way in the ultimate selection. Keep in mind, most candidates who are asked this question just blurt out their schooling, college, marks and qualifications. All this is already there in the CV. Why tell the interviewer something he already knows?
A final word on approaching this question. Once you have said what you have to say - shut up. Don't drone on for the sake of speaking for you just might say something foolish. Sometimes interviewers don't interrupt in order to give the candidate the impression that he has not spoken enough. This is just a stress/error-inducing tactic. Don't fall for it, especially if you feel you have spoken enough. In case the pause gets too awkward for your liking, just add something like, "Is there something specific that you wish to know about me?"
Is it better to have a longer selection interview or a shorter one?
The length of an interview in no way is an indicator of how well an interview went. This is especially so when there are a number of candidates to be interviewed, like in the Civil Services interview or the MBA entrance interview. In the past, a number of candidates have reported varying lengths of interviews. Nothing positive or negative should be read into this. An interview is only a device whereby the panel seeks information about the candidate. Information that will help the panel decide whether or not the candidate should be selected. If the panel feels that it has gathered enough information about the candidate in 15 minutes of the interview commencing and that it has no further questions to ask the interview will be terminated in 15 minutes. If on the other hand the panel takes an hour to gather the information required to take a decision the interview will last for an hour. In either case the decision could be positive or negative. It is a fallacy to believe that interview panels take longer interviews of candidates whom they are more interested in. No panel likes to waste its time. If an interview is lasting longer than usual then it only means that the panel is seeking more information about the candidate in order to take a decision.
In the MBA entrance interview how do I justify my decision to pursue the MBA programme?
When you are asked this for God's sake don't tell the panel that you are looking for a"challenging job in a good firm with lots of money, status and glamour". That is the first answer that most candidates think of. Unfortunately, it is the last answer that will get you admission. In the answer to a direct question on this subject you must convey to the interview panel that you have made a rational and informed decision about your career choice and your intended course of higher study. There are broadly four areas which your answer could touch upon:
Career Objectives : You could talk about your career objectives and how the two year MBA programme will help you achieve them. This implies that you have a clear idea of what your career objectives are and how you wish to achieve them. For example, you may want to be an entrepreneur and wish to set up your independent enterprise after doing your MBA and then working for a few years in a professionally managed company. You could explain to the panel that the MBA programme will provide you with the necessary inputs to help you run your business enterprise better. But then you must be clear about what the inputs you will receive in the MBA programme are.
Value Addition : That brings us to the second area that your answer should touch upon. What is the value you will add to yourself during your two year study of management. Value addition will essentially be in two forms knowledge and skills. Knowledge of the various areas of management e.g. marketing, finance, systems, HRD etc. and skills of analysis and communication. You will find it useful to talk to a few people who are either doing their MBA or have already done it. They will be able to give you a more detailed idea of what they gained from their MBA.
Background : Remember, there must be no inconsistency between your proposed study of management and your past subject of study or your past work experience. If you have studied commerce in college then management is a natural course of higher studies. If you are an engineer this is a tricky area. You must never say that by pursuing a career in management you will be wasting your engineering degree. Try and say that the MBA course and your engineering degree will help you do your job better in the company that you will join. But then you should be able to justify how your engineering qualification will help.
Opportunities and Rewards : You could also at this stage mention the opportunities that are opening up in organizations for management graduates. Highlight with examples. At the end you may mention that while monetary rewards are not everything they are also important and MBAs do get paid well. You must not mention these reasons as your primary motivators even if that may be the case.
What to Expect ?
In general, B-school interviews are not formulaic. The focus can range from specific questions about your job responsibilities to broad discussions of life. Approach the interview as a conversation to be enjoyed, not as a question-and-answer ordeal to get through. You may talk more about your hobbies or recent cross-country trip. This doesn't mean that it won't feel like a job interview. It just means you're being sized up as a person and future professional in all your dimensions. Try to be your witty, charming, natural self. Interviews are conducted by students, faculty, admissions personnel and alumni. Don't dismiss students as the lightweights; they follow a tight script and report back to the committee. However, because they're inexperienced beyond the script, their interviews are most likely to be duds. You may have to work harder to get your points across.
How to Prepare ?
Prepare for the interview in several ways: Expect to discuss many things about yourself. Be ready to go into greater depth than you did in your essays (but don't assume the interviewer has read them). Put together two or three points about yourself that you want the interviewer to remember you by. Go in with examples, or even a portfolio of your work, to showcase your achievements. Practice speaking about your accomplishments without a lot of "I did this, I did that." Finally, be prepared to give a strong and convincing answer to the interviewer's inevitable question: "Why here?"
Self Awareness
1. How would you describe yourself ?
2. Tell me about yourself ?
3. How do you think a friend or professor who knows you would describe you?
4. What motivates you to put forth your best effort ?
5. How do you determine or evaluate success ?
6. What academic subjects did you like best ? Least ?
7. What led you to choose the career for which you are preparing ?
8. What personal characteristics are necessary for succeeding in the career that you are interested in ?
9. What is your philosophy of life ?
10. Why have you switched career fields ?
Weaknesses / Negatives
1. What major problems have you encountered and how have you dealt with them ?
2. What have you learnt form your mistakes ?
3. What do you consider to be your greatest weakness ?
4. Did you ever have problems with your supervisor ?
Skills / Abilities / Qualifications
1. What do you consider to be your greatest strength ?
2. Are you creative ? Give an example.
3. What qualifications do you have that makes you think you will be successful ?
4. In what way do you think you can make a contribution to society?
5. Why should we take you ?
6. What are your own special abilities ?
7. Why should we take you over another candidate ?
8. What is your managing style ?
9. Why do you want to join this institute ?
10. What do you know about our institute ?
Values
1. What is your attitude towards working hard ?
2. What part does your family play in your life ?
3. What are the most important rewards you expect in your career ?
4. What is more important to you : money offered, or the type of job ?
5. Do you enjoy independent research ?
6. In what kind of a work environment are you most comfortable ?
7. How would you describe the ideal job for you ?
8. What two or three things are most important to you in your job ?
9. Do you prefer working with others or all by yourself ?
10. How do you like to work ?
11. Under what conditions do you work best ?
12. What is the highest form of praise ?
Experience
1. In what part-time or summer job have you been most interested ?
2. Tell me about your experience.
3. What jobs have you held ?
4. How did your previous employer treat you ?
5. What have you learnt from some of the jobs that you have held ?
6. What jobs have you enjoyed most ? Least ? Why ?
7. What have you done that shows initiative and willingness to work ?
8. Describe your current job.
9. What did you like least about your last job ?
10. What did you like most about your last job ?
Goals / Objectives
1. What are your short-term and long-term goals and objectives ?
2. What specific goals other than those related to your occupation have you chosen for yourself for the next 10 years ?
3. What do you see yourself doing 5 years from now ?
4. What do you really want to do in life ?
5. How do you plan to achieve your career goals ?
Education
1. How has your education prepared you for a career ?
2. Describe your most rewarding college experience.
3. Why did you select your college or university ?
4. If you could, would you plan your academic study differently ?
5. Do you think grades are a good indication of your academic achievement ?
6. What have you learnt from participation in extracurricular activities ?
7. Do you have plans for continuing your studies ?
8. Why did you pick your programme ?
9. What courses did you like best and why ?
10. What courses did you like least and why ?
11. How has your college experience prepared you for this job ?
12. How did you pick your dissertation ?
13. Describe your dissertation process.
Salary
1. What do you expect to earn in 5 years ?
2. What did you earn in your last job ?
Interests
1. What are your outside interests ?
2. What do you do with your free time ?
3. What are your hobbies ?
4. What types of books do you read ?
5. How interested are you in sports ?
6. How did you spend your vacations in school ?
General
1. What qualities should a successful manager possess ?
2. Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and a subordinate.
3. What 3 accomplishments have given you the greatest satisfaction ?
4. If you were taking a graduate for this institute, what qualities would you look for ?
5. What can I do for you ?
6. Tell me a story.
7. Define cooperation.
Stress Questions
1. What causes you to lose your temper ?
2. How often have you been absent from school, work or training ?
3. Have you ever had trouble with other people on the job ?
4. Can you take instructions without getting upset ?
5. Don't you feel you are a little to old/young for this job ?
6. How does your family like you being away on business trips ?
7. With your background, we believe that you are overqualified to join this institute.
8. You haven't had sufficient experience in this field.
9. Our experience with women on this job has not been good.
10. What would irritate you most if I as a manager did it ?
Influencing Others
1. Tell me about the time you were most persuasive in overcoming resistance to your ideas or point of view.
2. Tell me about the last time someone made an unreasonable request of you.
3. Describe the most disappointing and frustrating experience in gaining the support of others for an idea or proposal.
Interpersonal Skills
1. Describe a situation where it was most important for you to display tact and diplomacy.
2. Tell me about the last time you had a clash or disagreement with someone at school/college/workplace.
3. Tell me about a time when you felt most frustrated and disappointed at a person with whom you had worked.
Personal Adaptability
1. Tell me about the last time you were criticized by a supervisor or a professor.
2. Tell me about the time when you felt most pressured or stressed at work/ school/internship.
3. Tell me about the time when you felt most frustrated at your school/workplace.
4. In what aspects of your work/internship do you have the most confidence in your abilities.
Communication Skills
1. Tell me about the time when you felt best about your ability to draw out or solicit information from another person.
2. Tell me about the time when you had to work your hardest in order to fully understand what another person was saying to you.
3. Describe the last time when someone at school/work misunderstood what you were trying to communicate.
Motivation
1. Tell me about the most long term, sustained extra hours of effort that you put into your work/college/internship.
2. Describe a time when you felt most frustrated or discouraged in reaching your goals or objectives.
3. What do you feel has been your most significant work/school/internship related achievement within the past year or so ?
4. Describe the last time you did something well which went beyond the expectations in your work/internship.
Administrative Skills
1. Tell me how you go about organizing your work and scheduling your own time.
2. What do you do to ensure that your goals and objectives are met in a timely way ?
3. Describe the most extensive planning that you have ever done.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
1.Tell me about the most difficult problem that you faced in your work/school/internship ?
2.Tell me about the last time you made a decision that backfired.
3.Tell me about the time when you regretted most not getting advice before you went ahead ?
Conflict Management Skills
1. Tell me about the last significant crisis situation that you faced in your work.
2. Tell me about a time when you were most persuasive in overcoming resistance to your ideas.
3. Tell me about the time when you had a disagreement with someone at work.
Because communication skills are such an integral part of effective management, some schools include personal interviews as part of the admissions process. Some tips to help you prepare for an interview:
o Review your application; the interviewer is likely to ask specific questions about it.
o Be ready to provide examples and specifics and to elaborate on info on your resume and application.
o Be open and honest.
o Ask questions, since the interview is as much an opportunity for you to learn about the school as for the school to learn about you.
o Follow proper business decorum.
o Watch your nonverbal clues, such as eye contact, posture, and fidgeting.
o Be courteous to the administrative staff, since how you treat them can have an impact (positive or negative).
Some Frequently Asked Questions on Interviews :
"Tell us about yourself"?
In an interview how does one handle the question "Tell us about yourself?".
An often asked opening question. Perhaps the most frequently asked question across interviews. Your opening statement needs to be a summary of your goals, overall professional capabilities, achievements, background (educational and family), strengths, professional objectives and anything about your personality that is relevant and interesting. This question represents an opportunity to lead the interviewer in the direction you want him to go e.g., your speciality or whatever else you may wish to highlight.
Your intention should be to try subtly convincing the interviewers that you are a good candidate, you have proved that in the past and have a personality that fits the requirement.
Remember that the first impression you create will go a long way in the ultimate selection. Keep in mind, most candidates who are asked this question just blurt out their schooling, college, marks and qualifications. All this is already there in the CV. Why tell the interviewer something he already knows?
A final word on approaching this question. Once you have said what you have to say - shut up. Don't drone on for the sake of speaking for you just might say something foolish. Sometimes interviewers don't interrupt in order to give the candidate the impression that he has not spoken enough. This is just a stress/error-inducing tactic. Don't fall for it, especially if you feel you have spoken enough. In case the pause gets too awkward for your liking, just add something like, "Is there something specific that you wish to know about me?"
Is it better to have a longer selection interview or a shorter one?
The length of an interview in no way is an indicator of how well an interview went. This is especially so when there are a number of candidates to be interviewed, like in the Civil Services interview or the MBA entrance interview. In the past, a number of candidates have reported varying lengths of interviews. Nothing positive or negative should be read into this. An interview is only a device whereby the panel seeks information about the candidate. Information that will help the panel decide whether or not the candidate should be selected. If the panel feels that it has gathered enough information about the candidate in 15 minutes of the interview commencing and that it has no further questions to ask the interview will be terminated in 15 minutes. If on the other hand the panel takes an hour to gather the information required to take a decision the interview will last for an hour. In either case the decision could be positive or negative. It is a fallacy to believe that interview panels take longer interviews of candidates whom they are more interested in. No panel likes to waste its time. If an interview is lasting longer than usual then it only means that the panel is seeking more information about the candidate in order to take a decision.
In the MBA entrance interview how do I justify my decision to pursue the MBA programme?
When you are asked this for God's sake don't tell the panel that you are looking for a"challenging job in a good firm with lots of money, status and glamour". That is the first answer that most candidates think of. Unfortunately, it is the last answer that will get you admission. In the answer to a direct question on this subject you must convey to the interview panel that you have made a rational and informed decision about your career choice and your intended course of higher study. There are broadly four areas which your answer could touch upon:
Career Objectives : You could talk about your career objectives and how the two year MBA programme will help you achieve them. This implies that you have a clear idea of what your career objectives are and how you wish to achieve them. For example, you may want to be an entrepreneur and wish to set up your independent enterprise after doing your MBA and then working for a few years in a professionally managed company. You could explain to the panel that the MBA programme will provide you with the necessary inputs to help you run your business enterprise better. But then you must be clear about what the inputs you will receive in the MBA programme are.
Value Addition : That brings us to the second area that your answer should touch upon. What is the value you will add to yourself during your two year study of management. Value addition will essentially be in two forms knowledge and skills. Knowledge of the various areas of management e.g. marketing, finance, systems, HRD etc. and skills of analysis and communication. You will find it useful to talk to a few people who are either doing their MBA or have already done it. They will be able to give you a more detailed idea of what they gained from their MBA.
Background : Remember, there must be no inconsistency between your proposed study of management and your past subject of study or your past work experience. If you have studied commerce in college then management is a natural course of higher studies. If you are an engineer this is a tricky area. You must never say that by pursuing a career in management you will be wasting your engineering degree. Try and say that the MBA course and your engineering degree will help you do your job better in the company that you will join. But then you should be able to justify how your engineering qualification will help.
Opportunities and Rewards : You could also at this stage mention the opportunities that are opening up in organizations for management graduates. Highlight with examples. At the end you may mention that while monetary rewards are not everything they are also important and MBAs do get paid well. You must not mention these reasons as your primary motivators even if that may be the case.
What to Expect ?
In general, B-school interviews are not formulaic. The focus can range from specific questions about your job responsibilities to broad discussions of life. Approach the interview as a conversation to be enjoyed, not as a question-and-answer ordeal to get through. You may talk more about your hobbies or recent cross-country trip. This doesn't mean that it won't feel like a job interview. It just means you're being sized up as a person and future professional in all your dimensions. Try to be your witty, charming, natural self. Interviews are conducted by students, faculty, admissions personnel and alumni. Don't dismiss students as the lightweights; they follow a tight script and report back to the committee. However, because they're inexperienced beyond the script, their interviews are most likely to be duds. You may have to work harder to get your points across.
How to Prepare ?
Prepare for the interview in several ways: Expect to discuss many things about yourself. Be ready to go into greater depth than you did in your essays (but don't assume the interviewer has read them). Put together two or three points about yourself that you want the interviewer to remember you by. Go in with examples, or even a portfolio of your work, to showcase your achievements. Practice speaking about your accomplishments without a lot of "I did this, I did that." Finally, be prepared to give a strong and convincing answer to the interviewer's inevitable question: "Why here?"
Self Awareness
1. How would you describe yourself ?
2. Tell me about yourself ?
3. How do you think a friend or professor who knows you would describe you?
4. What motivates you to put forth your best effort ?
5. How do you determine or evaluate success ?
6. What academic subjects did you like best ? Least ?
7. What led you to choose the career for which you are preparing ?
8. What personal characteristics are necessary for succeeding in the career that you are interested in ?
9. What is your philosophy of life ?
10. Why have you switched career fields ?
Weaknesses / Negatives
1. What major problems have you encountered and how have you dealt with them ?
2. What have you learnt form your mistakes ?
3. What do you consider to be your greatest weakness ?
4. Did you ever have problems with your supervisor ?
Skills / Abilities / Qualifications
1. What do you consider to be your greatest strength ?
2. Are you creative ? Give an example.
3. What qualifications do you have that makes you think you will be successful ?
4. In what way do you think you can make a contribution to society?
5. Why should we take you ?
6. What are your own special abilities ?
7. Why should we take you over another candidate ?
8. What is your managing style ?
9. Why do you want to join this institute ?
10. What do you know about our institute ?
Values
1. What is your attitude towards working hard ?
2. What part does your family play in your life ?
3. What are the most important rewards you expect in your career ?
4. What is more important to you : money offered, or the type of job ?
5. Do you enjoy independent research ?
6. In what kind of a work environment are you most comfortable ?
7. How would you describe the ideal job for you ?
8. What two or three things are most important to you in your job ?
9. Do you prefer working with others or all by yourself ?
10. How do you like to work ?
11. Under what conditions do you work best ?
12. What is the highest form of praise ?
Experience
1. In what part-time or summer job have you been most interested ?
2. Tell me about your experience.
3. What jobs have you held ?
4. How did your previous employer treat you ?
5. What have you learnt from some of the jobs that you have held ?
6. What jobs have you enjoyed most ? Least ? Why ?
7. What have you done that shows initiative and willingness to work ?
8. Describe your current job.
9. What did you like least about your last job ?
10. What did you like most about your last job ?
Goals / Objectives
1. What are your short-term and long-term goals and objectives ?
2. What specific goals other than those related to your occupation have you chosen for yourself for the next 10 years ?
3. What do you see yourself doing 5 years from now ?
4. What do you really want to do in life ?
5. How do you plan to achieve your career goals ?
Education
1. How has your education prepared you for a career ?
2. Describe your most rewarding college experience.
3. Why did you select your college or university ?
4. If you could, would you plan your academic study differently ?
5. Do you think grades are a good indication of your academic achievement ?
6. What have you learnt from participation in extracurricular activities ?
7. Do you have plans for continuing your studies ?
8. Why did you pick your programme ?
9. What courses did you like best and why ?
10. What courses did you like least and why ?
11. How has your college experience prepared you for this job ?
12. How did you pick your dissertation ?
13. Describe your dissertation process.
Salary
1. What do you expect to earn in 5 years ?
2. What did you earn in your last job ?
Interests
1. What are your outside interests ?
2. What do you do with your free time ?
3. What are your hobbies ?
4. What types of books do you read ?
5. How interested are you in sports ?
6. How did you spend your vacations in school ?
General
1. What qualities should a successful manager possess ?
2. Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and a subordinate.
3. What 3 accomplishments have given you the greatest satisfaction ?
4. If you were taking a graduate for this institute, what qualities would you look for ?
5. What can I do for you ?
6. Tell me a story.
7. Define cooperation.
Stress Questions
1. What causes you to lose your temper ?
2. How often have you been absent from school, work or training ?
3. Have you ever had trouble with other people on the job ?
4. Can you take instructions without getting upset ?
5. Don't you feel you are a little to old/young for this job ?
6. How does your family like you being away on business trips ?
7. With your background, we believe that you are overqualified to join this institute.
8. You haven't had sufficient experience in this field.
9. Our experience with women on this job has not been good.
10. What would irritate you most if I as a manager did it ?
Influencing Others
1. Tell me about the time you were most persuasive in overcoming resistance to your ideas or point of view.
2. Tell me about the last time someone made an unreasonable request of you.
3. Describe the most disappointing and frustrating experience in gaining the support of others for an idea or proposal.
Interpersonal Skills
1. Describe a situation where it was most important for you to display tact and diplomacy.
2. Tell me about the last time you had a clash or disagreement with someone at school/college/workplace.
3. Tell me about a time when you felt most frustrated and disappointed at a person with whom you had worked.
Personal Adaptability
1. Tell me about the last time you were criticized by a supervisor or a professor.
2. Tell me about the time when you felt most pressured or stressed at work/ school/internship.
3. Tell me about the time when you felt most frustrated at your school/workplace.
4. In what aspects of your work/internship do you have the most confidence in your abilities.
Communication Skills
1. Tell me about the time when you felt best about your ability to draw out or solicit information from another person.
2. Tell me about the time when you had to work your hardest in order to fully understand what another person was saying to you.
3. Describe the last time when someone at school/work misunderstood what you were trying to communicate.
Motivation
1. Tell me about the most long term, sustained extra hours of effort that you put into your work/college/internship.
2. Describe a time when you felt most frustrated or discouraged in reaching your goals or objectives.
3. What do you feel has been your most significant work/school/internship related achievement within the past year or so ?
4. Describe the last time you did something well which went beyond the expectations in your work/internship.
Administrative Skills
1. Tell me how you go about organizing your work and scheduling your own time.
2. What do you do to ensure that your goals and objectives are met in a timely way ?
3. Describe the most extensive planning that you have ever done.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
1.Tell me about the most difficult problem that you faced in your work/school/internship ?
2.Tell me about the last time you made a decision that backfired.
3.Tell me about the time when you regretted most not getting advice before you went ahead ?
Conflict Management Skills
1. Tell me about the last significant crisis situation that you faced in your work.
2. Tell me about a time when you were most persuasive in overcoming resistance to your ideas.
3. Tell me about the time when you had a disagreement with someone at work.
Multiplication of Numbers in the range of 10,100,1000
Suppose you get to calculate the square of 9997 . Even the thought of approaching the question will run a chill up your spine.
But hey, don't worry. In 2 minutes, you'll be wishing that such calculations DO come in the CAT.
Heres how to approach them :
General Method :
Calculate 104 x 103 :
1.Add the digits exceeding or lesser than 10 or 100 or 1000 , as the case may be :100 +4 + 3 : 107
2. Now, add 'z' zeroes to the above number. where z= 1 , if number is in range of 10's
= 2 , if number is in range of 100's
= 3 , if number is in range of 1000's
So, in this case we add 2 zeroes : 10700
3. Now multiply the numbers 4 and 3 [ in the above case] : 12
4. Add 10700 and 12 : 10712
Hence the answer is 10712
Some more examples :
1.) Calculate : 1000 -3 - 3 = 9994
2.) Add 3 zeroes : 9994000
3.) Multiply 3 and 3 = 9
4.) Add em : 9994009
2) Add 2 zeroes : 10800
3) Multiply 12 and 4 : 48
4) Add em : 10848
Got it? Wasn't it simple? Now, practice some more so that you get the hang of it. HAPPY MULTIPLICATION!!!
But hey, don't worry. In 2 minutes, you'll be wishing that such calculations DO come in the CAT.
Heres how to approach them :
General Method :
Calculate 104 x 103 :
1.Add the digits exceeding or lesser than 10 or 100 or 1000 , as the case may be :100 +4 + 3 : 107
2. Now, add 'z' zeroes to the above number. where z= 1 , if number is in range of 10's
= 2 , if number is in range of 100's
= 3 , if number is in range of 1000's
So, in this case we add 2 zeroes : 10700
3. Now multiply the numbers 4 and 3 [ in the above case] : 12
4. Add 10700 and 12 : 10712
Hence the answer is 10712
Some more examples :
- Find the square of 9997
1.) Calculate : 1000 -3 - 3 = 9994
2.) Add 3 zeroes : 9994000
3.) Multiply 3 and 3 = 9
4.) Add em : 9994009
- Multiply 112 and 96
2) Add 2 zeroes : 10800
3) Multiply 12 and 4 : 48
4) Add em : 10848
Got it? Wasn't it simple? Now, practice some more so that you get the hang of it. HAPPY MULTIPLICATION!!!
Fractions of 1 to 30
Time is golden. So, Im going to give you the tips to save time during calculations in data interpretation and quantitative analysis.
Beginning with fractions from 1/1 to 1/30 :
Till 1/1 to 1/5, its easy. You probably have these on your tips already.
For convenience purposes, ill deal the fractions as percentages. [ The actual fraction is the answer divided by 100]
1/1 : 100
1/2 : 50
1/3 : 33.33
1/4 : 25
1/5 : 20
Now let's begin the tough ones. Ill try to make you understand the patterns here :
1/6 : 16.67 and 1/15 : 6.67 [ Got it? ]
1/7 : 14.2856 [ 7x2=14 ; 7x4=28 ; 7x8=56 ]
TIP : The fractions of the multiples of a number can be calculated by just dividing the source fraction by the multiplication factor .
Eg. : 1/2 : 50 ; 1/4 : 25 ; 1/8 : 12.5 ;
So, by this way, we get the following fractions :
1/8 : 12.5
1/10 : 10
1/12 : 8.33 [ 1/6 =16.67 remember??]
1/14 : 7.14
1/16 : 6.25
1/20 : 5
1/24 : 4.16
1/25 : 4
1/30 : 3.33
Now, something goes in pairs :
1/9 : 11.11
AND
1/11 : 9.09
So, once you get 1/9 and 1/11 . Therefore you get
1/22 : 4.545 [ forty five forty five]
1/18 : 5.56
Now, some weird, but easy to learn patterns :
1/13 : 7.69 [ 13 square =169 ; just replace the one by seven ]
Hence ; 1/26 : 3.84
1/28 : 3.56 [ 28x2=56 ]
1/27 : 3.7 [ twenty seven is thirty seven ]
The last few :
1/17 : 5.88
1/19 : 5.26
1/21 : 4.76
1/23 : 4.34
1/29 : 3.44
You can make your combinations too. Post a comment here, if you come up with something.
Just have a look at these fractions for 2 or 3 times a day, and in a week, you'll remember them all. This surely will save you lot of time in the CAT .
Beginning with fractions from 1/1 to 1/30 :
Till 1/1 to 1/5, its easy. You probably have these on your tips already.
For convenience purposes, ill deal the fractions as percentages. [ The actual fraction is the answer divided by 100]
1/1 : 100
1/2 : 50
1/3 : 33.33
1/4 : 25
1/5 : 20
Now let's begin the tough ones. Ill try to make you understand the patterns here :
1/6 : 16.67 and 1/15 : 6.67 [ Got it? ]
1/7 : 14.2856 [ 7x2=14 ; 7x4=28 ; 7x8=56 ]
TIP : The fractions of the multiples of a number can be calculated by just dividing the source fraction by the multiplication factor .
Eg. : 1/2 : 50 ; 1/4 : 25 ; 1/8 : 12.5 ;
So, by this way, we get the following fractions :
1/8 : 12.5
1/10 : 10
1/12 : 8.33 [ 1/6 =16.67 remember??]
1/14 : 7.14
1/16 : 6.25
1/20 : 5
1/24 : 4.16
1/25 : 4
1/30 : 3.33
Now, something goes in pairs :
1/9 : 11.11
AND
1/11 : 9.09
So, once you get 1/9 and 1/11 . Therefore you get
1/22 : 4.545 [ forty five forty five]
1/18 : 5.56
Now, some weird, but easy to learn patterns :
1/13 : 7.69 [ 13 square =169 ; just replace the one by seven ]
Hence ; 1/26 : 3.84
1/28 : 3.56 [ 28x2=56 ]
1/27 : 3.7 [ twenty seven is thirty seven ]
The last few :
1/17 : 5.88
1/19 : 5.26
1/21 : 4.76
1/23 : 4.34
1/29 : 3.44
You can make your combinations too. Post a comment here, if you come up with something.
Just have a look at these fractions for 2 or 3 times a day, and in a week, you'll remember them all. This surely will save you lot of time in the CAT .
Common Admissions Test (CAT) to the Indian Institutes of Management PGPM
Exam: CAT
Cost of Form: Rs. 1,100
Website: http://www.catiim.in
Important Dates:
Start of Form Sale: 16 July 2007
End of Form Sale (Banks): 16 August 2007
End of Form Sale (IIMs): 20 August 2007
Last Date of Forms Receipt: 08 September 2007
Date of Exam: 18 November 2007
K J Somaiya PGDBM
Name of Institute: K J Somaiya Institute of Mgmt. Studies & Research PGDBM
Examinations Accepted: CAT
Website: http://simsr.somaiya.edu
Important Dates:
End of Form Sale & Last Date of Form Receipt: 15 December 2007
FORE School of Management - PGDM & PGDM-IBM
Name of Institute: FORE
Examinations Accepted: CAT
Cost of Form: Rs. 1,300 (for PGDM) and Rs. 1,350 (for PGDM-IBM)
Website: http://www.fsm.ac.in
Important Dates:
Start of Form Sale: 13 August 2007
End of Form Sale: 14 November 2007
Last Date of Form Receipt: 17 November 2007
Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management
Name of Institute: LBSIM
Examinations Accepted: CAT
Cost of Form: Rs. 1,350
Website: http://www.lbsim.ac.in
Important Dates:
Start of Form Sale: 17 August 2007
End of Form Sale & Last Date of Form Receipt: 17 November 2007
IM, Nirma University
Name of Institute: Institute of Management, Nirma University
Examinations Accepted: CAT
Cost of Form: Rs. 1,100
Website: http://www.imnu.ac.in
Important Dates:
Start of Form Sale: 25 August 2007
Last Date of Form Receipt: 30 November 2007
IMT - Ghaziabad & Nagpur
Name of Institute: IMT
Examinations Accepted: CAT
Cost of Form: Rs. 1,600
Website: http://www.imt.edu
Important Dates:
Start of Form Sale: 31 August 2007
End of Form Sale & Last Date of Form Receipt: 30 November 2007
Last Date of Online Application: 02 December 2007
BMA Admissions 2007
Name of Institute: BMA
Examinations Accepted: CAT, XAT, MAT
Cost of Form: Rs. 1,000
Website: http://www.bmaindia.com
Important Dates:
Last Date of Online Application: 10 September 2007
Course Commencement: 18 October 2007
MDI Gurgaon
Name of Institute: MDI
Examinations Accepted: CAT, GMAT (for Foreign/NRI candidates only)
Cost of Form: Rs. 1,500
Website: http://www.mdi.edu & http://www.mdi.ac.in
Important Dates:
Start of Form Sale: 10 August 2007
End of Form Sale: 09 November 2007
Last Date of Form Receipt: 14 November 2007
Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP)
Exam: SNAP
Cost of Form: Rs. 800
Website: http://www.snaptest.org
Important Dates:
Last Date of Online Application: 25 November 2007
Date of Exam: 16 December 2007
Amrita School of Business
Name of Institute: Amrita School of Business
Examinations Accepted: CAT, GMAT (Foreign/NRI candidates only)
Cost of Form: Rs. 1,000
Website: http://www.amrita.edu
Start of Form Sale: 01 September 2007
Last Date of Form Receipt: 31 December 2007
Examinations Accepted: CAT, GMAT (Foreign/NRI candidates only)
Cost of Form: Rs. 1,000
Website: http://www.amrita.edu
Start of Form Sale: 01 September 2007
Last Date of Form Receipt: 31 December 2007
Institute of Rural Management, Ahmedabad (IRMA)
Institute: IRMA
Exam Undertaken: IRMA
Cost of Form: Rs. 100 + Exam fee : Rs 750
Website: http://www.irma.ac.in
Important Dates:
Last Date of Submission of Form: 08 October 2007
Date of Exam: 11 November 2007
XAT 2008 and XLRI - Jamshedpur forms out
The Xavier's Admissions Test (XAT) 2008 for admission to 43 B-schools including XLRI - Jamshedpur, XIM - Bhubhaneswar and Goa Institute of Management will take place at 31 cities on January 6, 2008. Registration for the test has begun.
The test will be held between 10 am and 12:30 pm. Registration has begun at www.xlri.edu. Besides, the prospectus is available at 112 branches of the State Bank of India.
Exam: XAT
Cost of Form: Rs. 700
Website: http://www.xlri.edu
Important Dates:
Start of Form Sale: 01 September 2007
End of Form Sale & Last Date of Form Receipt: 30 November 2007
Date of Exam: 06 January 2008
Registering for XAT, however does not automatically make you apply to XLRI - Jamshedpur or other XAT affiliated institutes. One has to buy the forms of and apply to individual B-schools.
Name of Institute: XLRI
Examinations Accepted: XAT
Cost of Form: Rs. 800 (for one programme only) & Rs. 1,300 (for more than one programme, max 3 programmes only)
Website: http://www.xlri.ac.in
Important Dates:
Start of Form Sale: 01 September 2007
Last Date of Online Application: 30 November 2007
How do you handle an unpredictable CAT pattern?
How do you overcome the Common Admission Test (CAT) exam, an adversary, which changes colour, size and characteristics at will: essentially a chameleon? The answer is obvious: by becoming a chameleon yourself! Mercifully, even in these uncertain times, the old adage ‘diamond cuts diamonds’ still holds. In layman terms, this implies that no preconceived, static, iron clad, watertight strategy can ensure that you sail through the CAT storm. You need to be as agile, as flexible and as nimble footed as this strange CAT.So, the best rule to follow is 'throw all the rules out' for none is holy enough to hold universally. Let me justify how all this makes sense. Consider the following:
- CAT in 2003 was what I would call a plain-vanilla CAT with English, DI (data interpretation) and Quantitative aptitude (QA), with 50 questions in each section and two hours' duration. To crack it, you needed to be great in one section and above average in other two, ideally giving 40 minutes to each section as a rule of the thumb. Questions were predictable in the sense that they were of the three standard types, viz. easy, medium and difficult and your task was simple to solve the easy ones and skip the difficult ones. Speed was a critical competency both in the sections of DI and English. Since, many questions were easy, so the faster you could read, the faster you could solve was the winning mantra.
- Come 2004, and CAT went for differential marking and the total number of questions were reduced to 123. Now the simple strategy of 40 minutes to each section held no longer. Further, the sitter questions were presented in a disguised manner, hidden in a maze of 2-mark questions, while many of the one-mark questions were literal brainteasers. Hence, selection of right questions and rejection of difficult questions was becoming a critical competency to succeed in CAT. Speed was still at a premium.
- CAT further reduced its size to a mere 90 questions in 2005, thereby highlighting the significance of the 'art of filtering' further. However, with only 90 questions in all, and a time limit of 2 hours, speed was quickly losing its premium value, more so since the simple calculation-based DI questions were metamorphosising into LRDI (Logical reasoning based data interpretation) puzzles, coupled with English becoming increasingly inferential in nature, with passages turning into cryptic crosswords. For example, consider an excerpt from a passage that appeared in CAT 2005.
| In response to logocentrism, deconstruction posits the idea that the mechanism by which this process of marginalization and the ordering of truth occurs is through establishing systems of binary opposition. Oppositional linguistic dualisms, such as rational/irrational, culture/nature and good/bad are not, however, construed as equal partners as they are in, say, the semiological structuralism of Saussure. Rather, they exist, for Derrida, in a series of hierarchical relationships with the first term normally occupying a superior position. Derrida defines the relationship between such oppositional terms using the neologism différance. This refers to the realization that in any statement, oppositional terms differ from each other (for instance, the difference between rationality and irrationality is constructed through oppositional usage), and at the same time, a hierarchical relationship is maintained by the deference of one term to the other (in the positing of rationality over irrationality, for instance). It is this latter point, which is perhaps the key to understanding Derrida’s approach to deconstruction. |
Further, there was no section, which could be called easy. Instead of speed, comprehension was at a premium. Ironically, while it is much easier to increase reading speed, increasing comprehension is an altogether different ballgame, so ‘faster you read better you are’ was irrelevant. However, the ability to eliminate wrong answer choices was becoming an important skill, as it was easier to strike out wrong options than to figure out the correct one.
It was in 2006 that CAT went global and moved into an era of five option choices on the lines of GMAT. Further, the English section also became more GMAT-like, and hence nightmarishly difficult. It had even tougher reading comprehension passages and a whole gamut of critical reasoning questions, and an easier QA section. The similarities betwee CAT and GMAT did not end here. The number of questions further shrank to a mere 75, while the overall time limit was raised to 2.5 hours. This sounded the death knell to the once reverred strategy of speed coupled with the ability to filter out sitter questions. Now sitter questions had become extinct save in the Quant section. The ability to comprehend, infer and logically extrapolate was of prime importance now, irrespective of the section.
Further, the strategy of eliminating options which till CAT 2005 was extremely useful, became a less important tool because with five option choices, it was an arduous task to eliminate four wrong answers instead of the earlier three, which was not an easy task. Lastly, differential marking also ended.
From a student’s perspective, the clear moral of the story is, 'stop wasting time and energy' to predict the future CAT patterns. It is futile to do that, for essentially it is a hidden adversary, which will reveal itself only on the D-day (November 18, in 2007). The CAT 2007 could be a 60-mark, six-option exam, or a 200-questions, four-section paper or a 100-question sectionless paper, or a paper with differential negative marking or an essay-type paper at its weirdest most. The bottomline is that you can’t know, so stop trying to predict the colour of a chameleon.
The million-dollar question that you as a student should ask is, if I cannot predict CAT 2007, and if there is no sure strategy to tame it, then what should I do, other than visiting a temple daily and praying?
Ironically, the answer is very simple yet again! If you can’t know your adversary, then know yourself well! My advice is a very simple strategy of the following two golden rules:
a) Know thyself. That is, know your strengths and weaknesses in a thorough and comprehensive manner. What are you really good at? LRDI, critical reasoning, geometry or algebra or whatever. You need to identify your strengths by grinding your nose in your subject theory books and sharpening your mental acumen to the level that irrespective of the nature of question thrown at you in those areas, objective or subjective or five options or differential marking. The format, marking scheme or overall time should not bother you. Play as per your strengths and not as per any anticipated weaknesses of CAT.
b) Second is the rule, a very popular one in contemporary management practices: situational leadership. It implies that the tactic (and not strategy) which will work best in any particular CAT has to be decided by you there and then while sitting in the examination hall, depending on how the paper looks and and what your strengths are. This decision has to be taken right there in the first five to seven minutes of the exam. The ownership, risks and rewards for this decision will be completely yours. This may prove to be the most critical decision separating you from the IIMs.
The silver lining is that you can use several mock CATs to hone your tactics and test your mettle.
The author, Harpreet Dhody is Senior Manager - Academics at Career Launcher. Career Launcher (CL) is Asia's leading education service provider catering to the needs of more than 50,000 students annually in its 100+ study centers located across India and the Middle-East. It currently offers test-prep programs for careers in Engineering, Law, Services sector (Hospitality, IT) and Management.
A guide to scoring well in quantitative aptitude of B-school entrance exams
Before the 2006 incarnation of CAT, with an English section that might make many a Shakespeare turn in their graves, quantitative aptitude was the section which was notorious of tormenting MBA aspirants the most!
The author, Harpreet Dhody is Senior Manager - Academics at Career Launcher. Career Launcher (CL) is Asia's leading education service provider catering to the needs of more than 50,000 students annually in its 100+ study centers located across India and the Middle-East. It currently offers test-prep programs for careers in Engineering, Law, Services sector (Hospitality, IT) and Management.
In fact, there is still a general notion in the world of MBA wannabes that there are two kinds of MBA aspirants. Those who are poor at quant and those who are very poor at quant. People who are good at quant and DI stay on Mars. However, I dare to make a tall claim that this notion is a misconception and an over-hyped phobia. Mastering quantitative aptitude is just another task, which can be fulfilled with focused strategy in preparation and sustained hard work.
Since I have made this loud declaration that quant may be wild but is definitely tamable I ought to substantiate it. For this, I need you to look at the quant section (CAT 2006 notwithstanding) of B-school admission tests as divided into the following two functional categories:
- Quant that appears in CAT or XAT
- Quant that appears in other exams (SNAP, IRMA, MAT, NMIMS, etc)
However, the so called ‘syllabus’ for both types of tests remains the same, and roughly comprises of the following:
- Questions on properties of numbers, divisibility, LCM, HCF, remainder theorem and their applications.
- Basic arithmetic and its applications like calculating simple and compound interest, ratio and proportion, profit, loss and discount, mixtures and work-time or time-speed based problems, essentially commercial mathematics.
- Basic algebra and its applications like simple and quadratic equations, series, exponents, polynomials, functions.
- Geometry and mensuration. Comprising of primarily two dimensional figures, and application of basic theorems.
- Modern maths: Set theory, Venn diagrams, permutation, combination and probability.
Although the syllabus and breadth of areas remain the same in both types of exams, there is a huge difference in types of questions that are asked and hence the approach to prepare and attempt questions also varies.
Let us look at quant in non-CAT exams. The quant in these exams (SNAP, IRMA, etc) is what could be primarily called a Speed and Accuracy Test. The number of questions is large, but most of the questions are either direct formula-based questions or direct application of a basic concept. The premium is on speed. Those who can solve questions quickly rule the roost. Consider few sample questions:
A trader bought two watches for Rs 2,000 each. One he sold at 5 per cent profit and the second at 7 per cent loss. Calculate net profit/loss.
This is a simple question of calculating a percentage (2 per cent) on Rs 2,000, which is 40.
Consider another question. If today a father is four times as old as his son and five years ago he was five times as old as his son, find their present ages. This again is a simple application of algebra, or substituting the given options.
For this type of quantitative aptitude (non-CAT), the following preparation strategy is suggested:
- Leave no area unprepared, as coverage is more important than depth. Even dreaded topics like probability and permutation and combinations should not be left.
- Cram and make yourself familiar with all basic formulae (for mensuration, algebra, logarithms and modern maths) and theorems (for geometry) as a starting point. Practise them well to the extent that you become well-versed with their application in basic questions.
- Each functional area in quant has five to 10 standard sub-areas associated with it and each such sub-area has two to three basic concepts involving standard questions related with it. For example in work-time and time-speed questions, the sub-areas are relative speed, pipes and cisterns, boats, circular motion, clocks and work efficiency. You should familiarise yourself with each sub-area and standard questions. Again, practise well so as to solve any similar question quickly, efficiently and correctly. Remember, this will potentially comprise 80 per cent of quantitative aptitude section. You have to ensure 100 percent accuracy in them.
- Many questions require nothing but faster calculation; hence it is sine qua non that you have complete mastery over the multiplication tables of first 30 natural numbers and the squares, cubes and square roots of the first 20 numbers. Memorising reciprocals of the first 30 numbers is also helpful in dividing faster. You will find it extremely useful in arithmetic problems like computing compound interest.
- While attempting questions, divide your attempts into multiple rounds (at least two). In round one, attempt only those questions, of which you are 100 percent sure, and solving them is just a matter of time. The prime test of this ‘doability’ is that you should not have one iota of doubt that you can solve the question. If there are certain questions that you have solved earlier and hence know are doable but time-consuming, put a circle over them and return to them if time permits in the second round. Similarly, questions where nothing strikes your mind in first 10 to 15 seconds are best left. Put a different symbol — say a sign of interrogation — over all such questions and you can return to them in your third round. For questions about which you have no clue in first five seconds, put a cross in front of them and leave. They are a potential round four questions, subject to availability of time.
The big challenge
Now let’s move to the big league, the CAT and XAT exams. The syllabus of quantitative aptitude sections of these exams as mentioned earlier is same as for other exams. The difference lies in nature of questions. Here not merely the width but the depth and clarity of basic concepts, along with complete mastery over first principles, is an absolute necessity.
Although the questions derive from basic concepts, application is of a high degree. For example, although in geometry the basic theorems involved are the same (around a dozen), a single question may involve application of multiple theorems or a single theorem will only become applicable when some further construction is done in the question. Mere familiarity with the topic and basic formulae is not going to help you score well here. Nevertheless, there are always a few sitters, and most of the suggestions given for other exams also hold water for CAT and XAT. However, one needs to go that proverbial 'extra mile' to tame the quantitative ability section of CAT and XAT.
Let’s see what extra must be done. Following guidelines will be helpful:
- You need to identify your ‘areas of strength’. Areas of strength are those areas where your grip over the first principles is very clear, you are psychologically at ease even with the difficult questions and can easily comprehend and solve newer type questions. Typically this will be the area where you were ahead of your friends, either from day one, or were able to grasp fundamentals swiftly. You probably invest maximum time in solving problems in this area, and also enjoy it. Statistically, your accuracy is also highest for such topics. Your mock test scores will also indicate that. Everyone has few of these areas. It could be number system or geometry or algebra. You really need to introspect and cogitate to discover your areas of strength and further groom them to become your ‘milch cows’.
- The larger trick lies in picking the sitters from other areas, and scoring heavily in areas of strength. Invest more time in solving difficult questions from these areas of strength. Go through previous CAT papers to find out how many questions are coming from that area. If the number is consistently 10 to 15, then you are on the right track. If it is lesser then you need to identify another such area of strength. The logic is simple, and can be explained using an analogy drawn from cricket. Every batsman has few pet shots, using which he scores most of his runs, say a pull, flick and cut. He is only average with other shots, but the mastery over these few shots is such that he rarely leaves an opportunity to score using them. You also need to identify, develop and hone your areas of strength in the same way.
- People who are really good at quantitative aptitude are those who have got a larger number of areas of strength and keep on adding more to their repertoire. To further bolster your areas of strength, start modifying and altering questions from them after solving them. Better still, try to frame your own questions in areas of strength. The exercise of framing one's own questions is very helpful in further mastery.
- Now again, while attempting the actual paper or mock tests, the operating logic is simple. The surface-level questions, if any, should be done in round one. Then one should invest time in questions from one’s areas of strength. However there is a caveat: no matter how good you are in one particular sphere, there still could be questions, which you cannot solve, so the criterion of reasonable time investment per question has to be kept in mind. As per this criterion, if you are clueless about a question after investing two minutes even in your area of strength, the chances are that it is beyond you at that point. Leave it; there are other battles to be fought.
In the end, at the cost of sounding clichéd, I may add that mastering quantitative aptitude is not a fixed rigid goal but a process, which can be refined to no end. Applying patience and perseverance can help you in achieving this task. Moreover, you never know, maybe the quant of CAT 2007 also turns out to be like CAT 2006! Amen.
The author, Harpreet Dhody is Senior Manager - Academics at Career Launcher. Career Launcher (CL) is Asia's leading education service provider catering to the needs of more than 50,000 students annually in its 100+ study centers located across India and the Middle-East. It currently offers test-prep programs for careers in Engineering, Law, Services sector (Hospitality, IT) and Management.
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