CAT Maths Syllabus & Course
CAT Quantitative Aptitude — full syllabus for the IIM entrance.
About CAT Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
CAT Quantitative Aptitude is built on strong school-level fundamentals applied to tricky, time-pressured problems. Arithmetic is the backbone of recent papers, followed by algebra; speed, accuracy and smart question selection matter as much as knowledge.
Good to know
There is no official, fixed CAT syllabus — it is set by the conducting IIM each year. In practice, Arithmetic has dominated recent papers (often 40–50% of QA), so it deserves the most preparation time.
Exam format at a glance
| Structure | Quantitative Aptitude is the third section of the CAT, taken after VARC and DILR. |
|---|---|
| Questions | 22 questions (recent papers) |
| Time | 40 minutes for the section |
| Calculator | A basic on-screen calculator is provided. |
| Question types | Multiple choice (MCQ) · Type-in-the-answer (TITA / non-MCQ, no negative marking) |
| Scoring | +3 for a correct answer, −1 for a wrong MCQ; TITA questions carry no negative marking. |
Full syllabus
The most heavily tested area in recent CATs.
- Percentages, profit & loss, discount
- Simple & compound interest
- Ratio, proportion and variation
- Averages, mixtures & alligation
- Time, speed & distance
- Time & work; pipes & cisterns
Equations, functions and inequalities.
- Linear and quadratic equations
- Inequalities and modulus
- Functions and graphs
- Logarithms, surds and indices
- Polynomials; maxima and minima
A CAT favourite — properties of numbers.
- Factors, multiples, HCF & LCM
- Divisibility rules and remainders
- Prime numbers and factorisation
- Base systems and cyclicity of units digit
- Factorials
Plane and solid figures, plus coordinate geometry.
- Lines, angles and triangles
- Circles, polygons and quadrilaterals
- Coordinate geometry
- Mensuration — 2D areas and 3D volumes/surface areas
- Basic trigonometry and heights & distances
Counting, probability and series.
- Permutations & combinations
- Probability
- Set theory and Venn diagrams
- Sequences & series (AP, GP, HP)
- Binomial basics
How to prepare
- Make Arithmetic your strongest area — it is the largest and most predictable scorer.
- Build calculation speed; the on-screen calculator is basic and slow to use.
- Practise question selection — in 40 minutes you cannot attempt everything, so pick winnable questions first.
- Use TITA questions strategically: they carry no negative marking, so attempt them even when unsure.
Study material & tests
Exam-aligned practice and mocks for CAT are in development — this page is the syllabus and study roadmap.