Mba Preparation Guide For Cat 2013

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Self Study Guide for CAT 2013

CAT 2013 exam has two sections namely; Quantitative Ability and Verbal ability.
Quant section also comprises of Data Interpretation while Verbal section is paired with Logical Reasoning.
Quantitative Ability:
The quantitative ability section of CAT tests you primarily on three areas -- Arithmetic , Algebra and
Geometry . Even if you are weak in the section, you must ensure that you score enough marks that help
clear the requisite cut off.
The new pattern of CAT offers time-bound sections of 70 minutes each. The quantitative ability area will
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have 20 questions and 10 questions will be asked from the data interpretation area. So, you need to plan
accordingly.
Arithmetic:
Arithmetic is considered a weak area for many aspirants. Apart from algebra and geometry, arithmetic is
the area from which the maximum number of questions comes in CAT.
Topics under arithmetic:-
The arithmetic area comprises averages, profit & loss, ratio and proportion, percentages, time, speed &
distance, number systems, simple & compound interest, mixtures, progression, directions, etc.
Preparation strategy:-
Arithmetic is not only based on formulae, but can be identified with day-to-day life as well. You can relate
many of the problems on profit & loss, percentage, time & distance, etc with your daily activity. If you are
weak in arithmetic, take up one topic every day, revise the concepts and practice as many question as
possible from that topic
Speed is an important factor in solving questions in arithmetic. The faster you can read all the questions
and select the ones you think you should attempt; the better will be your chances of a good score.
Most CAT problems can be solved through multiple methods. So, make sure that you are not using long
methods. Lastly, practice speed calculation for 20 minutes a day.
Algebra:
Algebra is all about formulae and knowing which formula will be appropriate for a particular problem
Topics under Algebra:-
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The algebra section mainly consists of linear and quadratic equation, logarithm, progression, binomial
theorem, inequalities, permutation & combination, probability, function, set theory, percentages, ratio
proportion, profit & loss.
Preparation strategy :-
As algebra is mostly formula-driven word problems, you should be thorough with the basics and the
formula first. As the first step of preparation, you must know all the formulae by heart. Take a topic at a
time and solve more than 50 questions on it. This will put you in a good state.
Always make it a point to revise things that you have already covered, but do not exhaust yourself doing
all these in the last few days
Algebra is meant to be tackled through answer choices. To choose the right option in the questions, you
need to follow the process of elimination (POE). If you have a good grip over algebra, you can utilize the
techniques such as assumption and substitution .
Geometry:
Most of the test takers are perturbed with the Geometry section. It can be considered as a tough area for
many, if you are not clear conceptually or do not know the right application methods.
Topics of Geometry:-
Geometry part consists of the topics such as Lines, Angles, Triangles, Polygons, Circles, Mensuration,
Trigonometry and Co-ordinate Geometry. Equations (linear + Quadratic), Series & Sequences, functions,
Triangles, Circles, are more important of these.
Preparation strategy for Geometry:-
Like every other section, improvement in geometry section depends on practice. Geometry is about
shapes. The best way to handle Geometry is to draw the figure to scale and then visually analyze the
problem.
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One should focus only on geometry for a week. On Day 1, go through theorems on Triangles. On Day 2
and Day 3, solve all Geometry questions from study material first and then past CAT and XAT papers.
Study the theorems on circles and polygons on Day 4. On Day 5, 6 and 7, solve all problems from circles
and polygons
Books for Quantitative Ability :-
The NCERT Maths Books of Class 8 to 10
Any one of the following books by R.S. Agarwal: Objective Arithmetic, Mathematics for MBA,
Quantitative Techniques
How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT' by Arun Sharma
The Pearson Guide to Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT' by Nishit Sinha
Quantitative Aptitude for MBA Entrance Examinations' by Abhijit Guha
Verbal Ability:
Major areas in Verbal ability of CAT exam include Reading Comprehension , English Usage and Verbal
Reasoning . The exam pattern of CAT is designed so as to test whether the CAT takers are well versed in
the basic rules of the English so that he or she does not commit any grammatical or structural errors.
Six question types where the errors are most common in Verbal Ability:-
Corrections of underlined clauses which may or may not be grammatically incorrect

Re-writing of entire sentence
Marking the correct sentences
Marking the incorrect sentences
Marking the correct use of words in sentences
Marking the correct choice of similar sounding/confusing word, used in same sentence
Reading Comprehension:-
Reading Comprehension is an integral part of the Verbal Ability area. Reading Comprehension is given 35
to 45 per cent weight in among the other questions of this area.
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What does Reading Comprehension check?
The Reading Comprehension section basically checks your understanding of English language, word
power and how well you can comprehend a given passage. RC is the ability to read and understand
unfamiliar materials and to answer questions about them.
Expert Suggestion
Your focus while reading should be NOT to READ fast but to COMPREHEND fast. Understanding the
English language and its nuances can only be inculcated with regular reading. Read on a variety of
subjects and get comfortable with them; national and international dailies, the edit page, the finance
section, famous speeches, English literature, all should be given some amount of time.
Getting familiar with the type of questions and paragraphs is the key here. For Reading Comprehension,
increasing speed of reading by around 50 words per min from whatever the present state you are in should
be the target.
English Usage:
Root cause of weakness in Verbal Ability section of CAT exam is lack of proper knowledge in the
grammar. This eventually leads to wrong usage of words in sentences and incorrect usage of tense, articles
and punctuations .
How to prepare:-
Following are some of the rules of grammar which you must follow while preparing for grammar-:
Rules of Tenses
Concept and usage of Articles, Nouns, Pronouns
Usage of singular & plural number, Objective & possessive cases, Prepositions, various types of
phrases, Idioms
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While reading and practicing the various usages in grammar module, we have to remember to put the
correct word and its form at the right place. If the concept is fully understood and ample practice is done
on it, there is no point that you will miss it.
It is therefore, necessary to practice more and more. Grammar, like mathematics, enriches you with more
confidence, when it is practiced more.
Click on the link to Know the common errors in the Grammar questions & the ways to tackle :
CAT 2013: Tips on Time Zone prep for Verbal Ability

CAT Prep: Identify simple errors to boost Verbal Ability score
Verbal Reasoning:
For verbal reasoning, you need to have the ability to use logic. Verbal Reasoning is more about testing
your logical ability rather than English knowledge. Rather than mere English knowledge, for the sub
section of Verbal Ability, you need to enhance your logical skills.
Types of questions in Verbal Reasoning:-
The most common form of questions is that you will be given a paragraph where the sentences will be
jumbled. You will have to rearrange the sentences and make the paragraph meaningful. Another type of
question that is found in the Verbal Ability section of the CAT exam is paraphrasing a given paragraph.
This calls for your understanding of what is given and hence is somewhat similar to the Reading
Comprehension section of the CAT Exam and other MBA Exams .
How to prepare:-
Verbal Reasoning is more about having the logic and clear understanding rather than learning. When you
read an article or a chapter of a book, you will follow a pattern of the sentences. They will start with an
introduction, followed by that would be the main theme.
Similarly, in the questions of para jumbling too, you can follow the same. First read the entire paragraph
and then find out the link between the sentences. Identify the introductory sentence and you will
automatically recognize the order of the paragraph.
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After finishing an article, write the gist of that. This will help you know how much you remember of that
passage. Write a summary of about 100 to 150 words every day on the editorial as it will help in building
thought process.
Fact, Inference and Judgement questions can be dealt totally on your understanding. You can identify a
sentence as fact if it gives hard core information, universal or applied truth. Inference sentences can be
identified by conclusions drawn on the basis of facts. Judgement sentences are easy to identify as it gives
the personal opinion. Initially, identification of fact, inference and judgement might be confusing but with
regular practice, you will get comfortable in this sort of questions for your CAT 2013 Exam.
Only practice and clear understanding will help you score well in the Verbal Reasoning portion of the
section of Verbal Ability section in CAT 2010. For your MBA Preparations, supplement your learning by
solving examples from previous exams as well as from books or course material developed by experts
exclusively for CAT entrance exam.
To know the past years trends & preparation techniques for Verbal Ability, click here:
CAT Prep: Learn contextual use of foreign words in English

CAT Prep: Why preparation of non-finites is important for Error corrections in VA?
Books for verbal ability section:-
English PLUS I.C.S.E. For Class 10 by Xavier Pinto

Wren and Martin English Grammar
Word Power Made Easy by NORMAN LEWIS
VERBAL ABILITY BY ARUN SHARMA
A Communicative Grammar of English By: Geoffrey Leech
Recommended Business Magazines:-
Business Line by the Hindu Group

Business Today by India Today Group
Management Compass Career Launcher
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Business & Management Chronicle by Chronicle Publications

Competition Success Review
Recommended Newspapers:-
the Hindu
Economics Time
the Statesman
The Week etc
A pocket-size dictionary: You can carry the dictionary with you every time and check the meaning of a
new word which you encounter and note it down.
Watch English news channels along with Discovery, National Geographic and History Channel.
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning:
The Data Interpretation section consists of tables, charts, pie diagrams etc. for the Data Interpretation part.
For this, you should practice reading from the computer as well as take notes of the data given in the
diagrams minutely.
For the Logical Reasoning part, you have to make full use of the mark & Highlight tool. You should
highlight the vital parts of the case lets on which the questions are based.
Topics of DI/LR:
The Data Interpretation section consists of graphs, charts, tables etc. for calculating data. Though some
questions need calculation, others can be solved without calculation. To have a closer view, this area
consists of questions on Tables, Bar Charts, Pie Charts, Line chart/Scatter diagrams; Caselet/Logic based
DI, Network Diagram etc.
Preparing for Data Interpretation:-
Practicing for DI/LR question is pretty interesting as it involves solving puzzles, riddles, studying graphs,
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charts etc. Solve puzzles from puzzle books easily available in the market, and puzzle sites on the internet,
to improve reasoning skills and speed.
For Data Interpretation, go through last five to six years CAT exam papers and try solving them without
any preparation. Analyze and evaluate your approach with reference to every question including the one
which you solved easily.
You must practice a lot in order to interpret the data. Solve at least one DI problem every day. You must
read articles, especially on business which are heavy on data and analyze them. This will keep your 'DI
cells' on toes. Refer to the graphs and data provided in various business papers and magazines. You need
to identify techniques to solve questions which require big and time consuming calculations.
Question patterns for Logical Reasoning :-
In the Logical Reasoning section, you will be given a paragraph which will contain certain information. It
will be followed by two to three questions. The questions generally start with If', Why' or Then'. In such
cases, more than the information, your own thinking ability has to be used. Some common forms of
questions are family tree, letter encoding etc. These questions are a sophisticated version of riddles that
you used to solve in your childhood.
Books & preparation material for DI/LR:-
Some of the books, which will help you in preparing for the Data Interpretation part of the Quantitative
Ability & Data Interpretation section, are:
How to prepare for the Data Interpretation for CAT by TATA-McGraw Hill publications
Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning' by R.S. Agarwal
How to prepare for the Data Interpretation for CAT by Arihant Prakashan
Analytical and Logical Reasoning' by B.S. Sijwali.
An interesting way to prepare for this is by regularly solving crossword puzzles, Sudoku, riddles etc. For
this, pick out the leisure section of the daily newspaper. You can also solve case lets from various books
and puzzle sites in the internet .
MOCK TESTS:
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Taking mock tests is the mantra for cracking CAT, goes the saying.
There is no prescribed perfect timing to start taking mock tests. As soon as you finish basics of all the
sections, you should start taking mock tests.
Taking a full-length mock test every week is the suggested strategy. In between, you can analyze your
performance. If you feel that you need to study more or if the analysis shows that you lack conceptual
clarity, you may take mock tests twice a week. You don't need to take tests every day. Two mock tests in a
week are sufficient. Utilize the days in between to analyze them.
But if you have completed basic preparation and have proper conceptual understanding, practice is the
only way to improve your final scores.
Analysis is the most important part of taking mock tests. Unless you analyze your mock tests, no matter
how many tests you take, it won't bear any fruit. Make sure that you get your mock tests analyzed by a
good mentor. Maintain a log of the analysis. Check the type of mistakes you have committed. If it is a silly
mistake, you need to practice more and work on your accuracy. But if the mistake is a conceptual one, you
need to utilize more time in clarifying your concepts.
Taking full-length mock test is a better option. As the exam day approaches, you should make yourself
more familiar to the pattern of taking the exam within stipulated time. But if you are weak in a particular
section, taking sectional mock tests will help. To work on your weak areas, you should take regular
sectional mock tests.
Tips to Follow:-
Set standards for desired level of accuracy and attempts for every test that you take - before the test
starts.
Check how you have performed with respect to desired levels - and also with respect to the cut-offs.
Identify the gaps - which are the areas or topics that are bringing down your accuracy or attempts
Identify those questions that you must have solved to improve your attempts or accuracy. These are
questions that have been solved accurately by a majority of the toppers.
Do a question-by-question analysis to see if you can further improve your scores - by avoiding careless
mistakes, by electing the right questions, by not overspending time on a particular question.
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Focus on Quality' practice rather than simply solving too many tests
Try to maximize your attempts and accuracy in every test you take (something like 85 per cent attempt
with 90 per cent accuracy). This approach would ensure that you clear the cut-offs irrespective of the
difficulty levels.
Identify your areas of weakness - especially those topics which have a higher weightage in CAT and
work on them in a systematic manner
Follow the 80-20 rule: 80 per cent of your problems are caused by 20 per cent of 'wrongly selected
questions' or 'wrongly selected section first'. Just try to analyze and know 'what falls in YOUR 20 per cent'
and do not waste time on those
Work on improving the weakest so that you can clear the sectional cut-offs. Check whether you need
more practice, or you need to brush up on the concepts. You also need to look at your attempts, accuracy
rate, and whether you are attempting the right kind of questions
How can I choose the coaching institute for CAT 2013 preparation?
There are many renowned MBA coaching institutes like T.I.M.E., IMS Learning, Career Launcher,
MBAUniverse.com and many others.. First of all visit there for counseling and have demo class with them
then you are able to judge the best institute for your preparation. You can choose your MBA coaching
institute from the following factors
Faculty:
Find out about the faculty experience and credentials at the institute. Make sure to join the branch of the
institute where the best faculties teach. Request the officials out there to allow you to attend a demo
lecture before enrolling in the program. Talk to the current batch of students and get reviews about the
faculty.
Batch:
Get info about the batch size. If you need special individual attention and personal doubt solving session
then join the center that has smaller batch. Some institutes arrange special classes for students that have
better performance, look for such classes.
Course Material:
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Check if the coaching material that is provided to students who join the course is extensive. Also, make
sure the problems are given along with the keys. Monthly magazines are also included in some material;
do check that too.
Library:
Every coaching center must have a library with books that are given for reading at home. Make sure the
library has a good collection of course books.
Infrastructure:
Take a look at the classrooms to check if there are enough classrooms with good space for accommodating
students. See whether the classrooms are clean and with good lighting and air conditioning/ventilation.
Website:
Inquire whether the institute has their site which provides email and chat support for doubt clearance.
Check if there are forums for interacting with fellow students. See if newsletters and free tests are also
included on the site.
Mock Tests:
Find out about the mock tests; how many tests are included, what are the modes (paper or online), how
many students will take them, how the results will be calculated based on the percentiles and cut-offs, as
well as, how the feedback would be provided to the candidate. The quality of tests must also be assessed to
figure out your strong/weak areas.
Group Discussion and Personal Interview Training:
This is also very important to find out if the institute provides GD and PI classes after the entrance exam
results are declared and students have received calls. If not included in the package, it will be difficult to
get a seat even after qualifying CAT. So make sure that you are provided this too.
Location:
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The spot where the institute is located is important and must be as near as possible from your house. This
will save your traveling time and the energy that you will have to spend in overcoming the road obstacles
like traffic, heat etc.
The Bottom Line
Finally, after considering all of these factors, you are sure to get into a right institute which will definitely
fetch you more marks, provided you also play your part too.
All the Best!
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CAT preparation guide : Quantitative aptitude books, CAT Self Study, ...

Quant Tip of the day

Verbal Word of the day

Self Study Guide for CAT 2013

Topics under arithmetic:-

Topics under Algebra:-

Preparation strategy for Geometry:-

Books for Quantitative Ability :-

The NCERT Maths Books of Class 8 to 10

Corrections of underlined clauses which may or may not be grammatically incorrect

What does Reading Comprehension check?

CAT 2013: Tips on Time Zone prep for Verbal Ability

Types of questions in Verbal Reasoning:-

CAT Prep: Learn contextual use of foreign words in English

English PLUS I.C.S.E. For Class 10 by Xavier Pinto

Recommended Business Magazines:-

Business Line by the Hindu Group

Business & Management Chronicle by Chronicle Publications

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning:

Preparing for Data Interpretation:-

Question patterns for Logical Reasoning :-

Books & preparation material for DI/LR:-

Group Discussion and Personal Interview Training:

MBA Colleges in India

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