CAT Preparation of DILR section should start 5-6 months before the exam date with all the important topics like Bar Graphs, Seating Arrangement, etc. CAT Preparation of DILR should be focused on improving the calculation speed. CAT DILR Question Paper will have questions in the form of Sets and solving one set accurately can get you around 12-15 marks. To obtain a 95+ percentile, you will have to obtain 35-40 raw marks. By attempting 13-14 questions with 95% accuracy, you can achieve that score.
CAT DILR section is considered one of the lengthy sections of CAT and rated moderate in terms of difficulty level by test takers of previous years.
CAT Logical Reasoning Preparation primarily includes speed & accuracy of your reasoning skills, filtering unimportant information, etc.
Last year, 15 MCQ and 5 Non MCQ type questions were asked from CAT DILR.
Table of Contents
CAT DILR Preparation Highlights
Section Name
Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning
Allotted Time
40 minutes
Total Number of Questions
20
Number of Data Interpretation Questions
10
Number of Logical Reasoning Questions
10
Total Marks
60
Type of Questions
MCQs (15 questions); Non-MCQs (5 questions)
Marks Awarded for Each Correct Answer
+ 3
Negative Marks for Each Wrong Answer
-1
Difficulty Level of Questions
Moderate to Difficult
Hourly Time Table for CAT DILR Preparation
Time Table for Data Interpretation:
Topic
Time Required in Hours
Data Interpretation Basic
3
Pie Charts
3
Word Problems
3
Data Interpretation Tables Problems
3
Data Interpretation Advanced Questions
3
Time Table for Logical Reasoning:
Topic
Time Required in Hours
Questions on Tournaments & Visualizations
3
Grids and Tables
3
Math based Puzzles
3
Questions on Sequence and Selection
3
Logical Reasoning Advanced Questions
3
How to Prepare for CAT Data Interpretation?
Work to improve your ability to comprehend voluminous data.
Familiarize yourself with different forms of charts.
Improve your skills in analytical maths.
Practice increasing your pace while solving problems in CAT Exam.
Learn to calculate the percentage increase or decrease or the comparison ratio. This will be an effective time-saving skill.
Regularly solve DI sets that require reasoning skills and grow your knowledge of these sets.
Have a good understanding of the DI sets by answering as many questions as possible well in advance.
Do not leave out DI sets that seem big on data volume. More data does not automatically mean a difficult set.
Do not try to solve all the problems at once. Try to answer a bulk of easy questions and a few difficult ones at a time.
Attempt questions that you can answer confidently in 1 to 1.5 minutes. This would help you score better.
Most importantly, practice as many DI problems as you can.
CAT Data Interpretation Important Topics
Topic
Description
Tables and Charts
Comparison of data for various years and ages
Graph, Bar diagram
Data analysis, comparison of various years, groups, and classes
Tables, Pie chart
Decoding and determining the data of missing period, taking clues, and interpreting the missing links
Graphs, Charts
Data analysis and finding conclusions, making future projections
How to Prepare for CAT Logical Reasoning?
Invest a few seconds and carefully study each question in CAT 2023 paper. A quick clarification of why any option is right or wrong would go through your mind. If you are willing to practice this tip in sample questions of logical reasoning, you can do well in the actual examination.
Do not presume or use any information which is not provided to you by the question. This is not an assessment of how much you generally know about a topic. Consider only the information given when choosing among the alternative answers to each reading passage.
Carefully read the factual passage and the instruction for sentence completion. Both have to be taken into account when making your choice.
Be sure to carefully read all answer options before eliminating or choosing one of them.
In questions that ask you to choose a valid conclusion, always choose the one conclusion that certainly follows from the information given to you. In questions that ask you to find the incorrect alternative, select the one conclusion that definitely does not fit the Information given to you.
CAT Preparation Tips
Pay attention to words like “all”, “none”, and “some”, “other than,” “only” or “unless” as these terms are critical in reasoning questions.
Negative prefixes like non—, un-, or dis-. are also critical in defining the basic facts of the paragraph.
Be careful whether “all” or “zero” is mentioned in the questions.
Also be vigilant about the word “only” and the expression “if and only if”.
CAT 2023 Logical Reasoning Important Topics
Topic
Description
Arrangements/Rankings/Team Formation
Seating arrangement, ranks, types of team formation
Quantitative Reasoning/Puzzles
Arithmetic, geometrical data, puzzles on words, letters, arrangements, seating
Syllogisms/Logical Deduction
Questions based on statements and arguments
Venn Diagrams/Binary Logic
Questions on set theory and network diagrams
Weightage of Important Topics in CAT DILR
Important Topics
Weightage (in percentile)
Tables and Charts
12.5
Graph, Bar diagram
12.5
Tables, Pie chart
12.5
Graphs, Charts
12.5
Arrangements/Rankings/Team Formation
12.5
Quantitative Reasoning/Puzzles
12.5
Syllogisms/Logical Deduction
12.5
Venn Diagrams/Binary Logic
12.5
Best Books for CAT DILR Preparation
CAT DILR Reference Books
Name of Book
Publisher/Author
Description
How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT
Arun Sharma/McGraw Hill
This new comprehensive book by Arun Sharma on Data Interpretation is aimed at effectively equipping aspirants to answer all possible types of questions that may be asked on this subject.
How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT
Arun Sharma/McGraw Hill
Designed and written by Arun Sharma, ‘How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT’ is a detailed text dedicated exclusively to equipping students to answer all kinds of questions that can be asked in CAT on Logical Reasoning.
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for CAT
Nishit K. Sinha/ Pearson Education
This book has fundamental and advanced topics of DILR along with examples for a better explanation. The levels of preparation in this book are – foundation, moderate, and advance.
CAT DILR Online Resources
Resource
Description
The Economist
This is a great online journal that reports on different issues including business and economics. The style of data interpretation and logical reasoning in this journal can help in preparing for the CAT DILR section.
Cracku Video
This is a one-hour long video that can help you master CAT DILR. It is recommended that you watch it in multiple sittings and absorb as much information as you can while making notes of important points. To access the Cracku Video.
Academy of Management Journal
Published by Academy of Management, this online journal contains empirical work in the field of management. It particularly focuses on findings that directly apply to the practice of management.
Common Mistakes to Avoid while attempting CAT DILR Section
Not formulating a proper study strategy
Students often tend to jump into the preparation of random topics without establishing a proper study plan. It is important to go through the syllabus and understand the weightage of the most important topics. In the CAT DILR section, all topics have an equal weightage. Therefore, plan to study your strong areas before moving on to the weak areas. This will give a confident start in preparation.
Not attempting a sufficient number of practice questions
Students usually solve one mock test in one month. However, to prepare intensely and score well in the CAT DILR section, you have to attempt at least one mock test every week. Continuously solve problems relating to CAT DILR. This will give you the practice to increase the speed and accuracy required for solving questions from this section.
Not analyzing the results of practice questions
While attempting practice questions for CAT DILR, make sure that you analyze your performance. This will help you identify your weak areas so that you can work on