Preparation tips for Quantitative Ability question asked in MBA Entrance Exams.
As far as the quality level of CAT syllabus is concerned, till 2006 it was as tough
as to make many a Shakespeare turn in their graves. Even most of MBA aspirants were
not familiar with quantitative aptitude section. In fact, there is still a general
notion in the world of MBA aspirants that there are two kinds of MBA aspirants -
Those who are poor at quant & those who are very poor at quant. So far this notion
is a misconception and an over-hyped phobia. Mastering quant is just another task,
which can be fulfilled with focused strategy in preparation and sustained hard work.
The quant may be vast but is definitely manageable to substantiate it. For this,
one need to look at the quant section (CAT 2006 notwithstanding) of B-school admission
tests as divided into the following two functional categories:
- 1) Quantitative
aptitude for CAT or XAT
- 2) Quantitative
aptitude for other MBA
entrance exams such as NMIMS, SNAP, MAT, IRMA etc.
So far the syllabus for the all the entrance exam of quant always remained same.
Although the syllabus and breadth of areas section remain the same in all of the
above exams, there is a huge difference in types of questions that are asked and
hence the approach to prepare and attempt questions also varies.
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 are 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.
Here are some basic Preparation Tips to help you Crack MBA Quantitative aptitude
section:
- 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
- Mock test Practice is must.
It could be number system or geometry or algebra. You really need to introspect
and ponder to discover your areas of strength and further groom them to become your
milch cows.
- Check where you stand:
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.
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. Good luck preparing for the exams.
Hope you come out with Flying colors.
