The first step of preparation for any test starts with gaining knowledge about the syllabus. While CAT is an aptitude test with no specific syllabus whatsoever, over the last couple of decades, there have been visible trends and the areas that one should focus when one starts preparing for the test. To give you a fair idea of what all has to be covered while preparing for the test, we have prepared a syllabus sheet which you can refer to at each and every stage of your preparation. We will keep editing this list and add the link of the resources that might be of some help to your preparation. So, keep watching this space and bookmark this page (Ctrl + D) if you want to have all resources handily available.
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To begin with, the pattern and review of CAT 2015 and 2016 can be read by clicking on the following links
- CAT 2015 pattern and changes
- CAT 2015 review: Slot 1 | Slot 2
- Read our CAT 2016 analysis here: Slot 1 | Slot 2
A few strategy related articles that might be of help
- How to crack Verbal ability in CAT 2016?
- How to crack DI in CAT 2016?
- How to crack LR in CAT 2016?
- How to analyse your mock CATs?
- What to do if you have a poor academic profile?
- How to balance your preparation with your job?
- How to prepare for CAT in 3 months?
- How many questions should one attempt in CAT?
- Why most aspirants do not perform to their potential?
- How to improve your concentration?
- Which institutes to target and which ones to apply to?
Books to refer
Remember that you would be solving close to 6-7k questions during the next 7 odd months (including mocks, sectionals, class notes, FB groups, etc.) leading to CAT and so, sticking to one book should be enough instead of piling on tonnes of material.
For DI LR, as there is no fixed syllabus as such and there could be puzzles based on application of logic based games (Sudoku, Tower of Hanoi, Fibonacci sequence, etc.), you cannot really cover all bases. For formal prep, previous year CAT papers, and mocks are the best source. To develop logic and give a direction to your thought process, you can try out George Summers’ book of puzzles or one or more of the Shakuntala Devi’s puzzle books. Am personally not a big fan of preparing DI LR from books as the questions are either too easy or insanely difficult in most of the cases leading to waste of time
Although there were 3 sections in CAT 2015 (Reading comprehension and Verbal ability, Data interpretation and Logical reasoning and Quantitative ability) and 2 in CAT 2011-14 (Quantitative ability and Data interpretation as the first section and Verbal ability and Logical reasoning as the second section), CAT 2016 syllabus would involve preparing for 4 sections/sub-sections in total:
Quantitative Ability
Click here to download all the important CAT Quant formulae and concepts.
Arithmetic
- Averages
- Mixtures and alligations
- Percentages
- Profit, loss and discount
- Ratio and proportion
- Simple interest and compound interest basics and installments
- Time, speed and distance (linear motion, circular motion, escalators, sound and motion, races
- Time and work
- Pipes and cisterns
- Clocks and calendars
Algebra
- Simple linear equations
- Polynomials – roots and equations
- Inequalities
- Cauchy Schwarz inequality
- Arithmetic progressions
- Geometric progressions
- Mixed progressions
- Functions and graphs
- Maxima and minima
- Logarithms basics and advanced concepts
- Indices and surds
Geometry
- Angles
- Triangles and trigonometry
- Quadrilaterals
- Polygons
- Circles
- 3-D structures and mensuration
- Co-ordinate geometry (including Shoelace formula, Pick’s theorem)
Modern Maths
- Set theory
- Binomial theorem
- Probability (basic concepts, conditional probability)
- Permutations and combinations (basics, distribution of objects, squares and rectangles in a grid, number of paths along a grid)
- Derangements
Numbers
- LCM and HCF
- Factors
- Cyclicity of last digit
- Successive division
- Special division
- Finding last two digits
- Base systems
- Highest power in n!
- Last non zero digit of n!
- Divisibility tests
- Euler’s totient function and a^b^c question type
- Fermat’s little theorem
- Chinese remainder theorem
- Wilson’s theorem
Data Interpretation
- Critical path
- Sticks and coins games
- Round robin tournaments
- Knockout tournaments
- Tables – complete
- Tables – incomplete but have to be completed
- Tables – incomplete but with multiple cases
- Charts and diagrams (common traps)
- Data Sufficiency
Logical Reasoning
- Cubes
- Blood relations
- Simple arrangements
- Complex arrangements
- Syllogisms
- Binary logic
- Logical conditions
- Input output based questions
Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability
- Reading comprehension – Factual
- Reading comprehension – Abstract (tone of the passage)
- Vocabulary/Multiple usage/Confused words (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5)
- Sentence correction (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7)
- Paragraph completion
- Paragraph summary
- Parajumbles
- Fill in the blanks
- Critical reasoning (Part 1, Part 2)
- Fact inference judgment
For your GDPI prep, you can look at these resources:
Happy prepping!
Read our CAT 2016 analysis here: Slot 1 | Slot 2
Also, if you are a serious aspirant looking to create that difference to your prep, you are most welcome to join our closed group. Also, feel free to check out our downloads page for all the free resources that you would require.
Do check out our 34 Full Length CAT 2016 mocks and other entrances mock tests to boost your prep.
