How to Prepare for CAT Quantitative Ability (QA) 2025 - Check Expert Advice, Tips and Tricks

How to Prepare for CAT Quantitative Ability (QA) 2025 is one of the most common concerns of MBA aspirants since this section carries the major chunk of CAT preparation. With a very vast CAT syllabus 2025 ranging from Arithmetic to Percentages and Algebra, CAT Quantitative Ability tests your numerical aptitude, Mathematical prowess, and problem-solving abilities. Thus, you must fully comprehend the fundamental concepts of solving problems to achieve high scores and meet the CAT cutoff 2025 for selection into IIMs. The CAT 2025 exam will be conducted on November 30, 2025 , across 170 test cities in India this year.

The CAT 2025 exam Quantitative Ability section will likely have 22 questions on topics like Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Mensuration, and Calculus, which students have to attempt in 40 minutes of sectional time. In an attempt to help test-takers crack this QA successfully, we have provided here some of the most useful tips on how to prepare for CAT Quantitative Ability 2025.

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How to Prepare for CAT Quantitative Ability (QA) 2025

How to prepare for CAT Quantitative Ability? The answer to this question varies from person to person. You will have to devote more time to the section if there is an absence of Mathematics in your education at the graduation or school level, as opposed to when QA is your strong point for CAT. In any case, what is required most is the continuous and consistent practice of the entire syllabus. You can follow the guidelines mentioned below to streamline your Quantitative Ability preparation for the CAT exam.

1. Strengthen the Basics

In time, we all tend to lose touch with basic mathematics and simple calculations. It is extremely important, if you are preparing for the CAT, to brush up on your basic mathematics and gradually strengthen it. The essence of mathematics lies totally in its basics, and if you do not understand maths at the grass-roots level, it will become highly difficult for you to solve equations and questions.

2. Gauge the Weak Points

You must be aware of your strengths and weaknesses in the Quantitative Ability section. This will make it clear to you the topics need more attention. You must make it a point to work extra hard on those topics and practice more questions about them.

3. Plan a Schedule

Studying haphazardly might be in favour of some students, but it does not prove to be beneficial overall. You must come up with a schedule regarding your Quantitative Ability preparation. It is important to chalk out a study plan, keeping in mind the areas of weakness and leaving some time for revision too. Sticking to this plan will ensure that you practice questions regularly, and it will lead you to finish the Quantitative Ability syllabus soon.

4. Practice Chapter by Chapter

You should focus on one chapter at a time and must not try to mix questions. This way, you will understand each chapter in great depth and understand the nitty-gritty of it too. Preparing haphazardly will not help you much and will confuse you.

5. Enhance Mental Calculations and Short Methods

Performing well in the Quantitative Ability section of CAT requires you to give correct answers in the optimum time. Short methods and strong mental calculation abilities will assist you in saving time on many questions. In this case, the online CAT quantitative aptitude preparation group might be of great benefit. You will be able to learn the formula for quickly and accurately answering QA questions. Due to the negative marking, it is not wise to attempt too many questions that require guesswork when preparing for and answering QA section questions.

6. Employ Sectional Time to Improve Preparation

Sectional timing for CAT 2025 will be 40 minutes for each segment. You should make an effort to finish the portion while keeping an eye on the clock. It is preferable to move ahead of time because having a buffer time of at least 5 to 10 minutes will allow time for revision on test day. You must highlight crucial questions and ideas so you can quickly review them during the last phase. You should adhere to the two-minute rule for questions in the QA portion, i.e., it is preferable to move on to the next question if a question cannot be answered within the allotted two minutes.

6. Practice Mock Tests

Taking more and more CAT practice tests and CAT quantitative aptitude preparation online practice exams is one of the best methods for improving one's CAT quantitative abilities. You may take part in pre-mock exams to gauge your early performance and obtain an understanding of the topics you should study. You can go to post-mock CAT exams when you have finished practising and revising. Regular practice is preferable if you want to master the QA segment. As CAT 2025 gets nearer, take at least one mock exam each day. You will learn more about the variety of questions asked in each segment through CAT sample examinations, which will help you improve your preparation level.

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How to Prepare for CAT Quantitative Ability (QA) 2025: Topic-Wise Preparation Tips

While preparing for CAT Quantitative Aptitude, you may need different strategies for different topics. The tricks and formulas you apply to Arithmetic might not be helpful while solving Algebra questions. Thus, we have provided here tips to prepare for various topics in the CAT Quant section.

1. Geometry and Mensuration

There are around 6–8 problems in the CAT on geometry, along with trigonometry, mensuration, and co-geometry. You can better understand certain concepts in geometry by visualising them and asking yourself probing questions. From a starting point, you advance to coordinate geometry, trigonometry, and 3D geometry. The key to answering any Geometry question on the CAT exam is comprehending which concept to apply. All the frequently used formulas, such as those for area, volume, etc., should be memorised and noted. When completing the segment, it is important to keep symmetry in mind because, in some circumstances, it can cut the time required in half. By examining the dimensions or values, some choices can be immediately ruled out.

2. Arithmetic

Since principles of arithmetic are built upon one another, the order in which the topics are covered simplifies the preparation. For instance, Compound interest is a series of percentage increases, while simple interest is merely a percentage increase. This is how you should approach mathematical topics. The topic of Alligations and Mixtures can be studied independently or in combination with other topics like profit and loss. This topic's fundamental idea is that it involves mixing two or more elements or products, and questions on it are typically phrased to inquire how much of each should be added to a mixture to achieve a specific ratio. Questions on Profit and Loss involve mentioning the cost of each material and the cost of the alloy.

3. Number System

4. Algebra

5. Sequence and Series

6. Trigonometry

How to Schedule CAT 2025 QA Preparation

Check the table below to know the number of hours that must be allotted to each topic for mastering Quantitative Aptitude for CAT.

CAT 2025 Quantitative Ability Weightage

Apart from Quantitative Aptitude, the CAT 2025 exam will comprise Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC) and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR). Quantitative Ability is one section of the CAT that is considered to be difficult by a majority of the CAT test-takers. If you belong to an engineering background, you find this section relatively easier and hence, have an upper hand when it comes to Quantitative Ability questions.

However, if you come from those streams or backgrounds in which you were not familiarised with mathematics much or whose courses had no use of basic maths and calculations, you will find it difficult to cope with the pressure. Undoubtedly, Quantitative Analysis is a section to which you need to give a lot of attention and practice. To begin with the preparation for QA, it is important to know the Quantitative Analysis pattern in CAT.

Also Read : CAT Predicted Question Paper 2025

Expected CAT QA Cutoff 2025

The expected CAT cutoff for each section is mentioned in the table below.

Practice Questions to Prepare for CAT Quantitative Ability 2025

Click on the link provided below to get access to the practice questions for CAT Quantitative Ability 2025.

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