First u need to understand that this is just CAT which tests u on basic aptitude with a few applied things. This is not a JEE exam that you have to prepare day in day out, burn the midnight oil, etc. So first and foremost thing to excel in QA is to remove watsoever phobia you have and have a complete focus on watever you do.
Now the common problems people face in QA or DI or LR :-
-> The number of attempts are low.
-> The accuracy is low.
-> My attempts and accuracy are inversely proportional.
-> Not able to do justice to my ability and hence score less.
-> Time Management is a big problem .
-> Though I can solve all the questions when I am at home but not able to so in a mock or under time constraints.
-> Kind of a hit and miss in the section i.e. scores keep on varying.
-> You are just not able to score well.
Well these are generally the hue and cry of most of the people .
Following may be the reasons of the person not doing well on a consistent basis :-
-> You do not recognize ur strengths and weaknesses.
-> You haven't practised much.
-> You just dont get it at times even though u have a good hang over the basics.
-> You waste a lot of time in attempting difficult questions which leads to a low attempts.
-> You make guesses at times which leads to a lower accuracy.
What I do ?
I generally don't study for this section at all, I just attempt the mocks one or two sectionals or topic tests, that is it. You cannot learn aptitude in a space of one month or something, it is something which has been built over the past 20 years but what u can definitely do is improve it. Whenever i approach any question from this section, first i dont pay any heed to the clock because i kno that in a normal aptitude test u wont b asked JEE probs and it shld b solvable by an average person ( CAT is nothing but an elimination test ). If i get too much tangled in the question i generally leave it, but u shld kno that if this was a difficult question u are bound to get easy questions later on which u wld b able to attempt in 30 secs and make up for the lost time. Most of u think that the biggest enemy in this section is TIME but blv me u never start a paper to attempt 100 % questions, u give a mock to get the best and that is only possible when u go in the paper with a clear mind, my avg attempts in this season has been 23-26 questions and i would have attempted 30 questions may b once i think, so if u wld roughly take out the time per question its 3 mins, which i think is more than enuf. I approach the paper as it comes to me, attempt the questions i am sure of and generally don't attempt any fancy questions from geometry because most of the times these types of questions are speed breakers.
CAT Perspective :- It has 20-21 questions in QA and 9-10 in DI.
-> 7-8 absolute sitters shld take hardly 30 secs.
-> 5-6 easy but tricky shldnt take on an avg more than 2-3 mins.
-> 3-4 medium shldnt take more than 2-3 mins again.
-> 2-3 difficult, better left out if u are an avg person.
-> 3 DI sets with each being easy, moderate and difficult.
So roughly at the max 5-6 difficult questions, so u have 23-24 questions to play with and last time in 90% of the slots, an attempt of 20-22 questions with 90% accuracy wld give u sumwhere arnd 99%ile.
So u can easily see that TIME should never be an issue in this section, once the issue of TIME is out of ur mind u can do wonders in this section.
QA is generally divided in to following blocks:-
-> Number System
-> Algebra
-> Geometry
-> Modern Maths
-> Arithmetic
Now lets analyse each and every block with respect to different type of ppl and CAT perspective.
NUMBER SYSTEM
Seriously one of the all time favorite topic of a paper setter. There could be endless possibilities in this topic but in CAT generally basic things are checked. Master all the basics in this chapter and u shld b able to solve most of the questions frm this block.
A People perspective
People generally are afraid of this topic because of the type of problems which can be framed from here, but in the end these problems are nothing but 1+2 = 3 only if u have the basic skills.
-> Weak ppl: Try and learn all the basics from this topic ( just the basics ) and implement them, even though u are not able to solve question in mocks, dont wry in CAT u shld b able to solve a few questions definitely.
-> Medium ppl: I think u shld b knowing this topic pretty well but the execution is probably lacking, work on ur grey areas and u wld improve.
B CAT perspective
Generally a CAT paper has sumwhere arnd 3-5 questions from this topic and blv me the luks are generally deceptive, questions which ask u to find remainders, last two digits, those are generally the most easiest of them all.
C Sources
-> The best source to practice NS is Total Gadha booklet, but i guess time is not on our side to probably do this booklet but if u want u can have a look at it and just see the solutions to the questions u haven't seen b4 in NS and that shld be enuf
-> Prepathon ( A blessing in disguise for every1 )
-> Test Gym is the best and complete source to do everything in QA or DI or LR.
-> TIME sectionals and MC's are very very close to CAT in all sense.
-> Previous year mocks and CAT papers.
ALGEBRA
Again a very favorite topic of the paper setter, the best way to approach algebra questions is to make assumptions, do substitutions and proceed. To score well in algebra u need to be thorough with the formulae and where to apply them in a particular problem, learn all the formalue by heart and u shld b able to solve almost all the questions but with enuf practise.
A People Perspective
People start learning hi-fi things in this topic which is not required at all, they are generally afraid of the monster like luking functions questions or sumthin, but algebra is also abt linear equations, quadratic equations as well which are very easy and generally questions which u wld have solved in 9 10th are asked.
-> Weak ppl: Learn all the formulae and the basics, thats more den enuf for algebra and dont b afraid of the questions because the luks are definitely deceptive in this topic
-> Medium ppl: u are probably erring in applying the right formula at the right place, so practise dem from ur funda buks
B CAT perspective
A CAT paper has 4-5 questions from this block and most of them on linear equalities and inequalities and quadratic equations.
C Sources
-> Again test gym is the best source to do them
-> TIME topic tests
-> previous year mocks and CAT papers.
GEOMETRY
This is probably the achilles heel of almost every1, the best way to approach this topic is to make figures and assumptions and also master the art of making figures to scale, that would solve most of the questions in CAT.
A People Perspective
People generally don't invest too much time in this topic thinking that it wont yield much, but it has a few fixed set of theorems which CAT generally tests. So for every1 keep a note of the the formula or theorems that wr used in a particular problem appearing in a mock and revise dem every alternative day, in a week's time u shld b able to master it.
B CAT Perspective
CAT has again 4-5 questions from here and most of them are formula based such find the area of this polygon, find the height of this traingle, radius of this circle, etc. One or two fancy problems which shld be not attempted. Learn the art of eliminating options in this topic and u wld solve 1-2 problem widout knoing anything abt the problem. If u want to kno that then attend the SQC by GP.
C Sources
-> Probably the best source is previous year CAT papers, there are limited problems from here which CAT ppl ask.
-> TG booklet again is very comprehensive, do watevar u told u for NS.
MODERN MATHS
Probably one of the toughest topics in QA and the difficult questions are generally from this place. It houses PnC, probability, sets, etc. Seriously if u are not strong in this topic then u cant do much abt dis in the last one month. Best way to learn is to keep a note of the varied type of problems which hv appeared in CAT and how they have been solved.
A People Perspective
People are generally afraid of this topic and they do hv a reason...99% of the time u solve a question it may turn out to b wrng, that is wat is faced by every1. In PnC if u miss out on a single case then u r gone for all money, so to attempt PnC problem its best to brk it in small bits and pieces and approach so that u dont miss out on anything. Even if u are afraid of this then learn the basic formulae and basic question types which have appeared in CAT and pray to GOD that these only are asked in ur slot and 4got abt the difficult question coz that most of the ppl wont b able to solve it.
B CAT perspective
CAT has 2-3 questions from here which asks u to calculate how many ways..whats the probability etc. In probability u can eliminate two options widout even luking at the question coz generally there wld b two options whose sum wld be 1, so either of the option wld b the answer.
C Sources
-> CAT previous year papers, learn the techniques used and revise dem every alternative day.
-> Test gym.
ARITHMETIC
One of the easiest topics but sadly CAT doesnt ask much questions now but who knos in ur slot it may ask u a lot of arithmetic. The favorite topic in this block is TSD, which on most of the occasions can b solved by using options, ratios and mixtures which is very basic and easy to master.
A People Perspective
People generally enjoy this topic more than anything else, so not much to really do in this block.
B CAT Perspective
CAT may give u 2-3 questions, i think i only had 1 odd question from here in my CAT, but the ultimate sitters come from this topic only.
C Sources
-> Test gym
-> Previous year CAT papers especially 99-03.
I think all the BLOCKS have been covered comprehensively.
General way of approaching the first section
Whenever u start giving an xam, just think that u are here to enjoy urself, u aint in a war where u wld either survive or die, coz the day u start getting this feeling ur scores wld automatically boost, and seriously u shldnt go for attempts in section, go for a balance bw accuracy and attempts.
Weak Junta:- First and foremost thing u shld b having sum strong points, so go to the questions from that topic and focus only and only on those questions, take as much time as u want and get dem 100% correct, den attempt one DI set which shld be easy for u out of the three, the best way for u to proceed in CAT is attempt 16-18 questions but with more den 90% accuracy, and blv me u wld b able to attempt even more than 18, the thing is jus keep ur cool.
Medium Junta:- Well i think u have more strong points then weak points so u are in a range where if u by chance falter u cld miss out on the cutoff, the best way for to approach is start from question 1 and start attempting dose questions which u r comfortable with and dont even touch or look at the questions from ur weak areas, den in the second round solve dose questions frst which u wrnt able to solve in round 1 and are frm ur strong area, dis generally happens because of mental blockage initially, u shld b able to attempt 20-22 questions easily in CAT which can transpire to more than 99%ile provided u have a gud accuracy.
Strong Junta:- Go for the full monty in this section and attempt as many as u can and better dont go with any figure in the xamination hall, rest u r champs urself.
How the analysis should be done?
I generally divide the analysis in two parts
-> After mock analysis.
-> After result analysis.
i dont kno how many of u do after mock analysis but i wld give u a unique way of analysing dis section. Whenever u are done with a mock or a sectional den take a 15 mins rest, refreah urself and comeback for another session.
Suppose u gave 1306 today, wenever u complete the mock in the end dere's one window which shows all the questions and the answers u marked, i wld suggest u not to close that window rather start analysing den and dere itself, First ryte down all the numbers of the questions on a sheet of paper say 1-30, solve all the unattempted questions first and ryte down dere answer on the sheet, u alrdy kno how many wrng u have and how many correct, now ur job is to find the questions u have attempted wrngly widout knowing whether they are actually wrng or not, so start with the first question and solve it again and if u are 100% sure that this is correct den mark a tick against this question on the sheet, even if u think that this cannot be wrng after completing the mock, den also solve that question again to check on any silly mistake, so this way u are wrking over time to find out the mistakes widout actually knowing in which question u have done dem.
What this will do is :-
-> It will strengthen ur concepts.
-> U wld b able to figure out the mistake and would definitely be conscious abt it next tym as u figured it out with intense solving of the question.
-> U wld definitely improve in the next mock.
Now every1 knows the after result analysis, check on if theres any other way to solve the question from the solution, check the answers for the unattempted questions, solve them again if u get them wrng, so this is the most holistic development that u can have in the last month.
( Now u wld get the window in the Non invigilated mock but for the invigilated mock u wld advise u one thing, dont submit the test at the centre, when 2-3 mins are left in the second section, close the window, come back home, open it and complete it and den start the after mock analysis )
General Mistakes committed
-> Question not read properly.
-> Misunderstood the question.
-> Forgot some condition given in the question.
-> Misread some condition.
-> Took something for granted or assumed some foreign thing nt pertaining to the questn.
-> Calculation error.
-> Read something from the question and solved for something else.
-> Used wrng info i.e. was given 21 took it as 12 or sumthin.
-> Calculated the right answer but marked the wrng option in haste.
-> lost concentration in between solving the question.
Have u ever thought y dese errors are committed, because of only one and only one thing the clock that goes on ticking away. I told u TIME would never be ur enemy in CAT, solve question with complete concentration and u wld never ever face dis problem again, jus b4 giving any mock revisit these mistakes u committed, remember dem and dont commit dem again, i kno its not easy but over a period of time u sld b able to come over it.
Practise in the last one month
As is the saying practise makes a man perfect is absolutely in sync with this section.
Now u alrdy have the prepathon going on 30 questions each day for a a particular topic is more den enuf, my advise wld b to keep a register with u while attending the prepathon and ryte down any new concept or trick u come across and revise dem again after 2 days and b4 CAT and b4 u attend the prepathon make sure u have revised the basics of the topic.
-> Prepathon which is 3 hrs. After te prepathon is over start attempthing the previous year CAT papers from 99-03 first den if u have tym u can go for oders as well.
-> Two topic test from ur weak areas which shld take u 30 mins each and 45-60 mins for analysing.
-> Give 2-3 mocks in a week depending on ur comfort, but i wld strictly advise u not to give more than 3 mocks in week.
-> Give one sectional tests of 70 mins and 90 mins for analysing.
-> Start analysing one mock from the past and keep a note of the mistakes u committed in it.
-> I have maintained an xcel sheet for myself which contains all the errors.
In short in a week 3 sectional tests from QA and 2 topic tests from ur weak areas and u need to invest nearly 10-12 hrs barring the prepathon in a week, as the prepathon is on u can skip the topic test is u want and make sure u always motivated and dont over do things, this is not the ryte time to burn out, do things slowly slowly and learn with each day.
EDITED
Just one more thing that came to my mind, i didn't mention anything regarding speed because i never blv speed is much of an issue in section 1, ppl say try and do questions orally dat wld save tym, but hav u ever thot practically how much tym does it save, luk u cld only solve sitters by not using a pen, suppose a paper has 6 sitters, using a pen u wld solve it in max 30 seconds but u remove any error by using a pen whereas if u solve it orally u wld solve the question say in 15-20 secs but dere is a chance that u may make a small error, even if u get all correct u hardly save one minute but the probability is high that while trin to solve quickly u may make an error which nullifies everything, so its better to write and solve den do any question orally, but u r a better judge of ur ability so do accordingly and i never solve any question orally until nd unless i am 200% sure that it is correct.
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