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AIMCAT Analysis 1511N

The overall difficulty level of the AIMCAT was slightly above AIMCAT 1512N. The test had a good balance of
questions from easy to very difficult in both the sections of the test.
Section I Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation
The easier questions in the section were Q4 (formula based question from coordinate geometry is a reminder
that we should not ignore any topic in our preparation as the easier questions can be from any topic.), Q23 & 24
(simple questions based on DS you should start solving DS based questions now for improving your accuracy),
Q26 (is a good conceptual question), Q27 (is a very regular question type for CAT), Q31-33 (a simple
observation based DI set it would be a good idea to solve a reasonable number of DI tests in the online format
as answering questions from screen is a very different experience vis-a-vis the paper-pen format.), Q35 (simple
substitution based problem), Q37 (standard quadratic eq. Based problem from 10+2), Q38 (a simple problem
based on the application of the formula for the area of a triangle), Q41 (may have been a tad confusing-- but
the question per se was quite easy), Q45 (just substitute n=1).
The following questions should have been taken up in the second iteration Q3 (an easy question based on the
concept of upstream-downstream movement), Q5-6 (the questions were reasonable if one was familiar with
questions based on Number System/could figure the underlying similarity with base 10 system), Q8-11 (DI set
that was only calculation intensive and was easy otherwise if you still struggle with such sets, pl solve the lot I
and II DI SMs on a priority) , Q13 (we all are familiar with this one, right!), Q22 (the question was not very
difficult just that one needs to be very circumspect in questions involving calculations of the number of
solutions), Q25 (if one is comfortable with P&C i.e., else it should have been skipped), Q34 (required a good
understanding of alligation it would have been easier to begin with substituting some values first), Q40 (the
concept would have been discussed in class), Q42-44 (venn diagrams based set venn diagrams is probalbly
the single most important topic from DI/LR for CAT or any other MBA entrance test for that matter you must
get a very good handle on the topic), Q48 (the concept should be familiar from similar problems in SM), and
Q50 (substitute values for the sides when the sides are equal and when the triangle is right angled).
The remaining questions should have been taken up once the approachable questions from the second section
had been completed as well.
Section II Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning
AIMCAT 1511N presented 35 VA/RC questions in the VA/LR segment. (Section II).
There were 15 LR based questions.
Area 1 Vocab based Questions.
There were a total of 9 Vocab based questions. An analysis of the same is presented in the table below. Having a
reasonably good vocabulary and a good reading habit would have helped for vocab based questions. Also
practising phrasal verbs and understanding the logic of the sentence in fill in the blanks always helps. Please
practice elimination of wrong choices especially for the fill in the blanks question.
Question Type No. of
Questions
Question
Numbers
Difficulty Level Round To be
attempted in
Minimum
Attempts
Confusable 2 70, 71 Level 3, Level 4 Round 2 1
Words
Appropriate
replacement of
nonsense words
and Incorrect
Word usage
2 72, 73 Level 2, Level 3 Round 1 1
Fill in the blanks 5 67,68,69,
94, 95
Three Level 3, Two
Level 4
Three Round 1, Two
Round 2
2
Area 2 Para based Questions.
There were a total of 8 questions in this area. An analysis of the same is presented in the table below. In all the
question types (Parajumble, parajumble and odd sentence out question and para completion question), overall
understanding of the content before approaching the choices would have helped - candidates would have been
able to spot the thought flow, grammatical connections and logical possibilities. The CR question was difficult.
Question Type No. of
Questions
Question
Numbers
Difficulty Level Round To be
attempted in
Minimum no.
Of attempts
Critical Reasoning 3 57, 58, 96 Level 4 Round 2 1
Facts, Inference.
Judgement
3 87, 88, 89 Two Level 5,
One Level 3
Round 1 or 2 1
Parajumble and Odd
sentence out
2 59, 60 Level 4, level 5 Round 2 2
Area 3 - Reading Comprehension Questions
The R.C. Passages were unique in the sense that the content of the passages was very similar to the content
and theme of the R.C. Passages that have appeared in competitive exams in the recent past. The following table
explains the R.C. Segment of the AIMCAT in detail. There were two Level 5 questions in the RC area, in the
passsage on Ethics and Spinoza. Most of the time, there was not one clear answer and more time or intelligent
reading would be required. A careful reading of the passage and elimination of wrong choices should have
helped for all the question types, most of which you are already familiar with, by now. So all three passages
should have been read, the specific detail or direct questions should have been attempted first followed by the
inference and other question types. One should be able to skim through the passage quickly, identify the central
idea quickly and then the thought flow between one para and the next.
R.C. Topic No. of
words
No. of
Questions
Question Types Difficulty Level of
Questions
Minimum no.
of attempts
ROWE (Work) 857 5
(Q.Nos. 51
to 55)
2 inference, 2 Specific
Detail and 1 vocabulary
based questions
Two Level 3 (Medium) and
Three Level 4 (Difficult)
questions
4
Liberal Arts
Education
859 5
(Q.Nos. 62
to 66)
1 Inference questions, 2
contextual reference
questions, 1 CR based
(support) question
Two Level 3 (Medium) and
Three Level 4 (Difficult)
questions
3
Ethics and
Spinoza
(To be
attempted
last)
878 6
(Q.Nos. 77
to 82)
2 inference, 3 Specific
Detail and
1 CR based
(paracompletion)
question
Three Level 3 (Medium)
question, One Level 4
(Difficult) question, Two
Level 5 (Very difficult)
questions
3
Area 4 Grammar based Questions.
The two grammar-based questions were easy to medium. As usual, the errors were small and were easily
missed. You must be aware of all the possible grammar errors that you can be tested on, by now. Interestingly,
the CAT Sentence error identification question does not ask to make the correction, it only asks you to spot the
error. Kindly revise and apply those rules in a proper sequence to find out what is wrong with a particular part or
sentence.
Question Type No. of
Questions
Question
Numbers
Difficulty Level Round To be
attempted in
Minimum no.
Of attempts
Incorrect Sentence
Identification
(Correct sentence)
1 86 Level 3 Round 1 or 2 1
Complete the
sentence
1 85 Level 2 Round 1 1
Area 5 Logical Reasoning Questions
Question Type No. of
Questions
Question Numbers Difficulty Level
Distribution 1 61 Easy
Quant Based Reasonign 3 74 to 76 Medium
Clocks 1 83 Medium
Distribution 1 84 Easy
Arrangement 3 90 to 92 Medium
Binary Logic 1 93 Easy
Distribution 4 97 to 100 Medium
The questions from LR presented a unique challenge the easier sets had just one question while the sets with
higher number of questions were complicated. One would need to take a call on the order of attempting these
questions on the basis of comfort with LR, time available etc. At any rate, LR is an important section in almost
all exams and should be practiced well.
In continuation of the discussion regarding analysing your performance in the AIMCATs, here are a few area
wise suggestions for analysing your performance:
1. Verbal Ability:
1. You will often find that you are able to eliminate 2 of the 4 answer choices. And then get the
question wrong. Please understand that the answers in the language section are as clear and logical
as any other section. You need to master the concepts by going through the solutions and closely
observing how the answers have been arived at. Prepare your own rules as you go through the
solutions and tweak them every time you see an excetion.
2. It is of paramount importance that you have a good command over vocabulary and grammar.
Students often complain that they are not able to remember the words that they learnt a few days
back and it is very tedious. It is only natural. You need to go again through the words you had
practiced several times over before they would become a part of your vocab. Also, try putting the
words you have learned to use by either using them in sentences or reading more. A good reading
habit always helps keep the words you learned in your memory.
2. Quantitative ability:
1. After completing a chapter, recollect the types of questions you encountered and the concepts
involved.
2. Try solving the study material in the same order in which it is presented in the SM booklets.
3. Look for topics/areas you tend to make more mistakes in. This will help you decide the questions in
a test where you need to vary your approach, for e.g. Going slow with reading a question (typically
arithmetic), looking for the value of the variables (numbers), calculation mistakes (geometry),
comfort level with math (algebra) and various possible scenarios (modern math).
3. Data Interpretation:
1. The first thing that you need to observe is your familiarity with percentages, ratios and calculations
(speed and mistakes)
2. DI can broadly be divided into data intensive DI and logical reasoning based DI. Which type are you
more comfortable with?
3. Your ability to handle complicated data representations increases with practice.
4. Logical Reasoning:
1. look for your comfort level with various types of LR questions and see if you need to revise your
concepts in them.
2. Prowess in LR is to some extent a function of your ability to visualize the scenario, ability to
remember information and handle the complexity (possible cases/scenarios) of the cases.
5. Reading Comprehension:
1. For a while you should be conscious of your reading speed. As a rule of thumb one can go faster for
sets from familiar areas, fact based sets, and the later parts of a paragraph (once the logic has been
understood). On the other hand you may want to go slow with Inference based sets, sets presenting
a lot of complex ideas and the part of a para where the key idea is presented (typically the
beginning or the end of a para).
2. Often we get the question wrong in RCs because we go by the option that seems familiar to us from
the set. Look for the cases where you get a question wrong because of a part of the statement
having been changed.
3. Having an idea of the types of RCs you are comfortable with and NOT comfortable with helps. If you
are comfortable with RCs in general but struggle with lets say Philosophy based sets, it would be a
good idea to read a book on Philosophy.
4. Similarly look for question types that bother you (fact based verses inferential). If you are not
comfortable with Inference based questions, you should go slow with these questions. Read the
relevant para one more time before marking an answer.