Quantitative Aptitude Preparation Tips for MBA Exams

Some of the most important topics of Quantitative Aptitude are Line, Angles, Triangles, Quadrilaterals, Polygon, Circles, Ares, Volume, Height and Distance, Co-ordinate Geometry, Basic Trigonometry, Numbers, Percentage, Profit & Loss, Simple and Compound Interest, Ratio, Proportionality, Time-Distance, Time-Work, Mixtures, Averages, Partnership, Permutation and Combinations, Probability, Set Theory, Progression and Series, etc.

In all MBA entrance exams and most of the competitive exams, the questions of Quantitative Aptitude are asked from these topics. In CAT/XAT/NMAT/SNAP/CMAT and other exams, Mensuration, Arithmetic and Geometry topics dominate the test. If you are preparing for MBA entrance exams, then your main focus should be on these topics.

To score well in Quantitative Aptitude one needs to first master all the concepts and theorems. If you are good at Mathematics or studied it in Graduation, you can score well by just practicing a variety of sample questions for over a period of two to three months. Practice Mental Maths for quick calculation and memorise a minimum of Tables till 20, Squares up to 100, Square roots from 1 to 25, Cubes up to 30. These will help you immensely in cracking Quantitative Aptitude section as well as the Data Interpretation section.

Infact, in some exams Quantitative Aptitude and Data Interpretation are clubbed together as both have Mathematic based questions and require calculation to arrive at the answer. It is because similarity of the nature of the subjects, they are clubbed together in some MBA entrance exams.

One can say it is easier to crack Quantitative Aptitude as it all about concepts, theories and practice. If you have practiced enough, you’ll know the types of questions that will be asked in the exam. However, Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension, there is no guarantee that you would be familiar with the RC passage in the exam. In CAT, RC passages are inference based, in XAT some RC passages are in the form of poem and in SNAP/IIFT, the passages are facts based. The Quantitative Aptitude section of all the exams are of same type with only different difficulty levels. Thus, you need to put in extra effort in VARC.

CAT Quantitative Aptitude has the potential of 100 percentile if you prepare well. The Quantitative Aptitude topics of CAT are advance level Mathematic topics from Class 9 and 10. So, for any candidate, the foundation is already there, they only need to work on it further.

The important topics of CAT Quantitative Aptitude include Geometry,  Ratios and Proportion, Inequalities, Trigonometry, In-equations, Quadratic and Linear Equations, Work and Time, Algebra, Surds and Indices, Percentages, Mensuration, Time-Speed-Distance,  Logarithms, Partnership (Accounts), Number System, Square Root and Cube Root, Profit & Loss, Geometric Progression, Probability, Mean-Mode-Median, Binomial theorem, Simple interest and compound interest.

Maximum questions are asked from Arithmetic and Geometry so keep the main focus on these two topic. Understand and memorise the formulas and theorems well, and practice enough questions to be thorough with their application.

The key to improving score in Quantitative Aptitude section of CAT is practice, practice and more practice. Listed below are some tips you can apply while preparing for CAT.

• Practice Mental Maths to be less dependent on calculators
• Make short notes of formulae and sample questions to revise them on the go
• Develop the ability to choose which questions to answer in the exam
• Avoid negative marking. Don’t attempt questions you are not sure of
• Practice Quants questions in a time bound manner to be able to utilize maximum time in the main exam
• Solving a sample question is not enough. Practice the same set of questions multiple time

SNAP syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude includes topics of Data Interpretation as well. Candidates have to study Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Mensuration, Number System, Logarithm, Linear Equations & Quadratic Equations, Set Theory, Arithmetic, Progressions, Binomial Theorem, Surds and Indices, Inequalities, Permutation & Combination, Probability Functions, Mixtures & Alligations, Co-ordinate Geometry, Series, Graphs-Pie Chart, Bar Graphs and Tables as part of SNAP Quantitative Aptitude syllabus.

The SNAP Quantitative Aptitude section includes Data Interpretation and Data Sufficiency. The total number of questions in this section is 20 and the section is dominated by Arithmetic. Since the past two years, no Data Sufficiency questions have been asked. So, candidates must focus more on Quantitative Aptitude while preparing for the SNAP exam. This section is all about accuracy so have complete clarity of concepts and theorems.

The Quantitative Aptitude section in KMAT Kerala covers a range of mathematical topics to assess candidates' numerical and problem-solving skills. Here are the key topics covered in the Quantitative Aptitude section:

• Arithmetic
• Percentages
• Ratio and Proportion
• Averages
• Simple and Compound Interest
• Profit and Loss
• Time, Speed and Distance
• Algebra
• Equations
• Trigonometry
• Geometry
• Data Interpretation
• Number System
• Probability
• Permutations and Combination
• Functions

Candidates should focus on building a strong foundation in these topics. Regular practice, solving problems of varying difficulty levels, and reviewing fundamental concepts are essential for success in the Quantitative Aptitude section. Additionally, practicing with previous years' question papers and mock tests can provide insights into the exam pattern and types of questions asked.

Quantitative Aptitude section of IIFT entrance exam comprises all the topics of Geometry, Algebra, Number System, Arithmetic, Mensuration, Trigonometry and Modern Math, etc. that include Percentages, Number System, Binomial Expansion, Arithmetic Progression, Simple Interest, Ratios, HCF & LCM, BODMAS, Median, Compound interest, Arithmetic Mean, Co-ordinate geometry, Standard Deviation, Vectors, Set Theory, Instalments/ payments, Permutation & Combination, Mode, Trigonometry, Mensuration, Probability, Clocks & Calendar, Time, Speed, Distance, Logarithm, Geometric Progression, Averages, In- equations Quadratic, Profit & Loss, Venn Diagram, Geometric Mean, Ratios & Proportions, Linear Equations, Algebra, Geometry, Work & Time, Harmonic Mean.

Candidates must start preparation of IIFT Quantitative Aptitude section about 6-8 months in advance so as to be able to have enough time to complete the syllabus and practice sample questions.

This section also requires practice of sample questions as mere theoretical understanding is not enough. The need for speed and accuracy is critical for IIFT exam so candidates must focus on gaining conceptual clarity of every topic and correct application for the theorems and formulae. Having a mentor or guide will be helpful so join a coaching institute or online study groups.

One can imporve the quant skills while preparing for NMAT exam by following the steps below mentioned tips:

1. Identify the weak areas: Determine the specific topics in Mathematics that are causing trouble during preparation phase. Focus and prioritise the study plan accordingly.
2. Review the concepts: Start by getting the conceptual clarity to get the strong fundamentals. Understand and revise basic concepts, including number systems, geometry, algebra, statistics, etc. One must build a strong foundation before they move to advanced topics.
3. Seek mentorship: One must consider joinibg a coaching to prepare for the NMAT exam. A crash course specialising in MBA entrance exam preparation will help candidates understand the difficult concepts with a targeted practice.
4. Invest in good resources: Candidates must find the recommended study materials or textbooks that cover the NMAT Quantitative Skills syllabus for the MBA entrance exam. A good book for Quantitative Skills will have examples as well as practice questions to reinforce the understanding.
5. Practice regularly: Practise is the key to scale up the Quantitative Skills. One must allocate a specific amount of time each day to solve maths problems. Candidates must start with easy problems and gradually move towards more challenging questions.

To improve Mathematics skills, one must invest the preparation with consistent efforts and practice. With a structured study plan and determination, candidates can improve their performance in the maths section of any MBA entrance exam.

Yes, coaching is recommended for preparation for any competitive exam as the candidate gets best of aid such as books, study material and mentors. However, the candidates must join coaching if only they can follow the rigorous time-table and daily classes.

About six to eight hours daily is considered good enough duration for SNAP preparation. However, if you start exam preparation late (by October) then you need to devote 10-12 hours daily. SNAP is easy and if you are preparing for other MBA entrance exams, you may not need to work too hard on it. A good number of sample papers and mock tests will be good enough. 

• Some of the most recommended books include:
• How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT
• How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT by Arun Sharma
• High School English Grammar & Composition by Wren & Martin

Common Management Admission Test is an online computer based test conducted by the National Testing Agency, India. It is a national-level admission test for facilitating institutions to select suitable students for admission in all management programmes approved by AICTE. According to the exam pattern, the CMAT syllabus for MBA admission is divided into five sections namely, Quantitative Technique and Data Interpretation, Language Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, General Awareness, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. If you plan to prepare for CMAT exam, then you have to at least put in four to six hours daily into studying. 345 to 350 marks are expected to secure the 100 percentile and those securing in the range of 285 to 340 marks will obtain 99 to 99.99 percentile. CMAT merit list will include names of all the aspirants scoring CMAT score vs percentile from 0.005 to 100 percentile. Speed is not an issue at all as you have ample time available. Solving 100 questions in 3 hours is quite easy; hence time is not as important as accuracy is. I have slept for 20 to 40 minutes after completing test every year! The range of topics covered has become very important.

Yes, XAT is slightly tougher for candidates with non-Engineering background as the Quantitative Aptitude section is of higher difficulty level. However, they can crack it if they work on the fundamentals of Math and practice questions of all difficulty levels. It will take time but they will be able to crack XAT's quant section if they dedicate extra hours to it. Aspirants can find XAT study material online in various online study groups. Students’ groups on Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. share study material with each other. One can also download MBA exam preparation apps to get relevant and useful study material.

The good part about XAT is that, it has different cut offs for candidates belonging to different academic backgrounds. As part of its commitment to academic diversity, the institute has lower cut offs for candidates from non-engineering background than candidates from engineering background.

MAH MBA CET is a moderately difficult exam. It’s difficulty level is lower than CAT but higher than MAT or ATMA. A major factor that makes MAH CET a difficult test to crack is that the questions are presented in random order and sectional weightage vary in every slot. So, candidates cannot anticipate or plan how many and which type of questions to get to their target score.

Also, the MAH MBA CET is dominated by Logical Reasoning questions and there are comparatively less Quantitative Aptitude questions. Since, there is no set pattern, candidates cannot pre-plan. They need to make a strategy and implement it as soon as they see the question paper. So, those who can think on their feet and can crack the exam better than others.

Aspirants should start practicing XAT mock tests after completing the syllabus. The ideal time duration to solve XAT mock tests is October to December. Avoid practicing mock tests before completing the syllabus. The official mock test is released a week before the exam, so candidates must attempt it at least once before the exam. The official and unofficial mock tests are same as the actual XAT exam so that the candidates can get familiar with the exam pattern, test structure of the question paper and get used to handling the exam pressure. It is important to practice XAT mock tests so that you have prior experience of XAT exam. Both official and unofficial XAT mock tests helps in improving accuracy of solving questions because in an exam like XAT all that matters is speed with accuracy.

XGMT exam has four sections, including Quantitative Aptitude that accesses the math skills and logic through:

• Basic math (percentages, averages)
• Algebra (equations, inequalities)
• Number properties (divisibility, prime numbers)
• Geometry (areas, volumes - less common)
• Data analysis (interpreting charts & graphs)
• Probability (arrangements, combinations)

The Quantitative Aptitude section is one of the main sections of any MBA exam. It usually has one 1/3 ^rd  (exams having three sections in total) or 1/4 ^th  (exams having four sections in total) weightage in the question paper. Check below the weightage of Quantitative Aptitude in top MBA entrance exams.

• CAT Quantitative Aptitude questions: 22 
• XAT Quantitative Aptitude questions: 27 
• CMAT Quantitative Aptitude questions: 25 
• SNAP Quantitative Aptitude questions: 20 
• IIFT Quantitative Aptitude questions: 25 
• MAT Quantitative Aptitude questions: 40 
• ATMA Quantitative Aptitude questions: 60 
• MAH CET Quantitative Aptitude questions: 50 

Quantitative Aptitude is the last section of CAT. By the time you reach this section, it is natural for fatigue to set it. Don’t get bogged down by fatigue. Stay energized and alert as this section requires Mathematical calculations. Read the questions calmly and then choose the ones you can solve with maximum accuracy. The CAT Quantitative Aptitude section is dominated by Mensuration and Arithmetic, so have a good control on those topics.

Do not spend too much time on any question that is posing a challenge to you. Do not get greedy and fall in the trap of negative marking.