Cat 2018 Slot 1: Achieving Success with Determination and Strategy

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most prestigious and competitive management entrance exams in India, with over 200,000 candidates vying for a mere 13,000 seats in top management institutes. CAT 2018 Slot 1 was held on November 25, and 63% of the registered candidates appeared for the exam.

Here are some insights into the performance and analysis of CAT 2018 Slot 1:

Quantitative Ability (QA)

• The average score for QA was 98.4 out of 100.
• The difficulty level of the QA section was moderate to difficult.
• There were 14 questions from Arithmetic, 12 questions from Algebra, 8 questions from Geometry, and 6 questions from Number Systems.
• The most challenging topics in QA were Number Systems and Geometry.
• The least challenging topics in QA were Arithmetic and Algebra.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

• The average score for VARC was 85.6 out of 100.
• The difficulty level of the VARC section was moderate.
• There were 24 questions in total, with 12 questions from Reading Comprehension and 12 questions from Verbal Ability.
• The most challenging topics in VARC were Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning.
• The least challenging topics in VARC were Vocabulary and Grammar.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

• The average score for DILR was 92.3 out of 100.
• The difficulty level of the DILR section was moderate to difficult.
• There were 8 questions in total, with 4 questions from Data Interpretation and 4 questions from Logical Reasoning.
• The most challenging topics in DILR were Data Sufficiency and Logical Reasoning.
• The least challenging topics in DILR were Caselets and Visual Reasoning.

Overall Performance

• The average score for CAT 2018 Slot 1 was 95.2 out of 300.
• The overall difficulty level of the exam was moderate to difficult.
• The most challenging section was VARC, followed by QA and DILR.
• The least challenging section was DILR, followed by QA and VARC.
• The topper of CAT 2018 Slot 1 scored 99.99 percentile.

Section-Wise Analysis

Quantitative Ability (QA)

• Arithmetic: Moderate level of difficulty. Tested concepts such as Percentages, Ratios and Proportions, Time and Work, Speed and Distance, and Number Theory.
• Algebra: Moderate level of difficulty. Tested concepts such as Polynomials, Quadratic Equations, Functions, Matrices, and Logarithms.
• Geometry: Difficult level of difficulty. Tested concepts such as Lines and Angles, Triangles, Quadrilaterals, Circles, and Solid Geometry.
• Number Systems: Difficult level of difficulty. Tested concepts such as Number Bases, Divisibility Rules, LCM and GCD, and Vedic Mathematics.

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

• Reading Comprehension: Moderate level of difficulty. Passages were lengthy and covered a wide range of topics.
• Verbal Ability: Moderate level of difficulty. Tested concepts such as Vocabulary, Grammar, Sentence Completion, and Critical Reasoning.

Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)

• Data Interpretation: Moderate level of difficulty. Data sets were complex and required careful analysis.
• Logical Reasoning: Difficult level of difficulty. Question types included Syllogisms, Assumptions, Inferences, and Decision Making.

How to Prepare for CAT 2019

• Start early: Give yourself at least 6 months to prepare for CAT.
• Set realistic goals: Aim for a score that is 10-15 percentile points higher than the cutoff score of your target institutes.
• Create a study schedule: Plan your studies carefully and stick to your schedule as much as possible.
• Practice regularly: Solve at least 50 questions from each section every day.
• Take mock tests: Take regular mock tests to assess your progress and identify areas for improvement.
• Analyze your performance: After each mock test, analyze your performance and identify the areas where you need to improve.
• Seek professional help: If you are struggling with any particular section, consider seeking help from a tutor or coaching institute.

Conclusion

CAT is a challenging exam, but it is definitely achievable with the right preparation and strategy. By following the tips above, you can increase your chances of success in CAT 2019.

Effective Strategies for CAT 2018 Slot 1

• Time management: Manage your time wisely during the exam. Spend no more than 60 minutes on each section.
• Sectional approach: Focus on completing one section at a time. Do not switch between sections too often.
• Accuracy over speed: Aim for 100% accuracy in each section. Do not guess answers unless you are confident.
• Intelligent elimination: If you are unsure of an answer, eliminate the options that you are sure are incorrect.
• Use of calculator: Use the on-screen calculator wisely. Do not waste time on calculations that can be done mentally.

Step-by-Step Approach to CAT 2018 Slot 1

1. Read the instructions carefully. Make sure you understand the exam format and the instructions for each section.
2. Start with the section you are most comfortable with. This will help you build confidence.
3. Attempt all the questions. Do not leave any question unanswered.
4. Mark the questions that you are unsure of. You can come back to these questions later if you have time.
5. Review your answers before submitting. Make sure you are confident in your answers.

Advanced Features of CAT 2018 Slot 1

• On-screen calculator: A scientific calculator was available on the computer screen.
• Sectional time limit: Candidates were given 60 minutes to complete each section.
• Multiple attempts: Candidates were allowed to attempt the exam up to three times.
• Normalized scores: The scores of all the candidates were normalized to account for differences in the difficulty levels of the different exam slots.

Table 1: Average Scores for CAT 2018 Slot 1

Table 2: Section-Wise Difficulty Levels for CAT 2018 Slot 1

Table 3: Most Challenging and Least Challenging Topics in CAT 2018 Slot 1

Humorous Stories and Lessons Learned

• Story 1: A candidate who had prepared diligently for the QA section finished the section in 45 minutes. However, he then realized that he had marked the wrong answer for a simple Arithmetic question. He panicked and wasted the remaining 15 minutes trying to change his answer. Lesson: Do not get overconfident and double-check your answers before submitting.
• Story 2: A candidate who was struggling with the VARC section decided to guess the answers for the remaining 10 questions. Unfortunately, he guessed almost all the answers wrongly. Lesson: Do not guess answers unless you are confident.
• Story 3: A candidate who had not practiced DILR at all was surprised by the difficulty of the section. He panicked and ended up scoring very low. Lesson: Prepare for all the sections of CAT, even if you are not comfortable with them.