CAT 2023: Important formulas and topics to brush up at last-minute

NEW DELHI: IIM Lucknow is set to conduct the CAT exam 2023 on Sunday, November 26. The CAT 2023 exam scheduled in 155 cities with 3.3 lakh participants is a highly competitive exam. Hence, the candidates will require a distinctive approach to crack this MBA entrance and to make their way into top MBA colleges like IIMs, IITs, MDI, FMS, LIBA, SPJIMR, etc this year.

In the last few days left for the CAT 2023, candidates must focus on the CAT important topics covered in the CAT syllabus. The CAT 2023 exam is expected to have a total of 66 questions from three sections- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA) which must be tackled within a 120-minute time frame. Candidates can revise these formulas and important topics for CAT listed below for effective last-minute CAT preparation that will boost their overall CAT score in the exam.

CAT 2023: Important topics and formulas

CAT section-wise important topics are as follows-

CAT 2023 Important Formulas to Excel the Exam

CAT 2023 Quantitative Aptitude section examines the conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts and theories.Thus, CAT QA section demands implementation of the certain arithmetic formulas in order to solve the questions. Revise these CAT important formulas before entering the CAT exam centre.

Basic mathematical formulas

• (a + b)² = (a² + b² + 2ab)
• (a – b)² = (a² + b² – 2ab)
• (a + b)(a – b) = (a² – b²)
• (a + b)² = (a² + b² + 2ab)
• (a³ – b³) = (a – b)(a² + ab + b²)
• (a + b + c)² = a² + b² + c² + 2(ab + bc + ca)
• (a³ + b³) = (a + b)(a² – ab + b²)
• When a + b + c = 0, then a³ + b³ + c³ = 3abc
• (a³ + b³ + c³ – 3abc) = (a + b + c)(a² + b² + c² – ab – bc – ac)
• (a + b)n = an + (nC1)an-1b + (nC2)an-2b² + … + (nCn-1)abn-1 + bn

Important formulas for number system-

• (1² + 2² + 3² + ….. + n²) = n ( n + 1 ) (2n + 1) / 6
• 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + … + n = n(n + 1)/2
• (1³ + 2³ + 3³ + ….. + n³) = (n(n + 1)/ 2)²
• Sum of first n odd numbers = n²
• Sum of first n even numbers = n (n + 1)

Formulas for LCM and HCF

• LCM × HCF = Product of the Numbers
• LCM of Co-prime Numbers = Product Of The Number

Mathematical formulas for profit, loss and discount-

• Profit % = Profit/(C P)×100
• Profit/Gain = (S.P.) – (C.P.)
• C P = 100/(100+gain %)×S P
• S P = (100+gain % )/100 ×C P
• Loss % = Loss/(C.P.)×100
• Loss = (C.P.) – (S.P.)
• C P = 100/(100-loss %)×S P
• S P = (100-loss %)/100×C P

Formulae for Percentages

• Find what percentage of X is Y: Y/X x 100
• Increase N by S% = N(1+S/100)
• Decrease N by S% = N(1 - S/10

Important Formulas for Speed, Time, and Distance

• Speed= Distance/ Time
• Distance= Speed x Time
• Time= Distance/ Time

Time and Work Formulas (Basic Formulas)

• If X can do a piece of work in ‘n’ days, then X’s 1 day’s work= 1/n
• If X’s 1 day’s work= is 1/n, then X can finish the work in n days.

Averages Formula

• Average= Sum of observations/ Number of observations
• Simple and Compound Interest Formula
• Simple Interest: P x i x n (P= Principle, i= interest rate and n= term of the loan)
• Compound Interest:
• Compound Interest = [P(1+i)n] - P
• Compound Interest = P[(1+i)n-1]

Mathematical Logarithm Formulas

• If n and a are positive real numbers, and a is not equal to 1, then If ax = n, then log a n = x
• log of 1 to any base is 0 (log b 1 = 0)
• log of any number to base as itself is 1, log a a = 1
• The logarithm of a Product (log a pq = log a p + loga q)
• The logarithm of a Fraction (log a (p/q) = log a p – log a q)
• log a pn = n log a p
• a(log a p) = p
• Base Change Rule of Logarithms: (log a n = log b n × log a b)

Candidates are requested not to overburden themselves and to acquire proper 8 hours of sleep on the day before the CAT exam. Avoid excessive stress and not panic while coming across tricky CAT questions during revision.