Quantitative Aptitude preparation plan | Syllabus | Tips & Strategies.

MBA Exams has tested aspirants on four basic aptitude skills:

1. Quantitative Aptitude
2. Data Interpretation
3. Logical Reasoning
4. Verbal Ability.

Quantitative Aptitude has been occupying 1/3^rd of the test paper, year after year. Though we are still awaiting clarity, if it remains a 100 Question test paper, Quant Section having 30% questions is a safe assumption. We have tried to suggest a preparation plan keeping all facts in mind. Let’s start with the understanding of this subject.

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Syllabus:
Any institute has never shared the syllabus of quant officially. But the fact that aspirants targeting exams come from diverse backgrounds, a syllabus of Mathematics till 10^th Standard is a safe assumption. Barring an exception or two, the last 10 years’ question papers have followed this syllabus.

1. Number Systems	2. LCM and HCF
3. Percentage	4. Profit and Loss
5. Simple and Compound Interest	6. Speed, Time, and Distance
7. Time and Work	8. Average
9. Ratio and Proportion	10. Linear Equations
11. Quadratic Equations	12. Complex Numbers
13. Logarithm	14. Progressions
15. Binomial Theorem	16. Surds and Indices
17. Inequalities	18. Permutation and Combination
19. Probability	20. Functions
21. Set Theory	22. Mixtures and Allegations
23. Geometry	24. Co-ordinate Geometry
25. Trigonometry	26. Mensuration

Many of the chapters have a good size of theory portion. But most of the time, the theory is used for application in problems, only. A question directly asking a property is a rarity.

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Difficulty Level:
If we look at the last 10 years’ question papers of all the exams, They have done all the experiments. The number of questions in a Quant section has varied from 20 questions to 50 questions. But by looking at the last two years’ trends, Quant should be more or less of a moderate difficulty level.

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Tips and strategies for cracking Quant Section:

A question paper is not about how much an aspirant knows, but about how much can he apply in the given time limit with the given constraints of sectional partitions. Some of the points to be taken care of are:

1. Practice chapter by chapter:
There is a difference between being able to solve a problem and solving the same problem effortlessly. Depending on the difficulty level of the test paper, 60% of questions are easy to moderate level. The practice of easy to medium Questions of all the chapters would enable an aspirant to sail through the questions easily.

Our Advice: Know basic theories and varieties of problems of all chapters. 

2. Short methods and Group Studies:
Nothing boosts the confidence of an aspirant more than a question that he can solve without lifting the pen in an ongoing test. More such questions, better the score. This can be achieved by improving mental calculation and by discussing unconventional methods with a focused study group. Many times it involves the use of options to get the correct answer.
Our Advice: Two is more than one. Three is even better. Do a regular discussion of short methods among your focused study group.

3. Building Stamina: 
Building stamina till the last minute of the exam is challenging.  An aspirant who hasn’t developed stamina for the last would be challenged to deliver his regular performance.
Our Advice: Study for 3-4 hours at a stretch while doing practice.

4. Testing Skills Development: 
Having 10 to 30% of the problems as speed-breakers is an expected situation in a Quant section. Being able to find them without wasting time in solving them is the key. It’s a skill that can be achieved by sufficient practice of the huge number of problems and by going through a sufficient number of mock papers.
Our Advice: Plan to write approximately 20-25 Mock papers.

5. Mental Calculation:
Only the CAT has an on-screen calculator. This will still not reduce the importance of mental calculation. Since it’s an on-screen calculator, the mental calculation will win against the calculator in time consumption in most cases.
Our Advice: Do enough practice of basic summation, subtraction, tables, and fractions.

Remember, solving the chapters for the first time teaches you Mathematics. The second time, it brings speed in solving. The third time build your confidence. Aspirants are advised to solve all the chapters thrice to get the advantage of speed and confidence in the exam.

All the best.