How to Score High Marks in Quantitative Aptitude Section of Bank exams

Dear Readers,

Quantitative aptitude is one of the toughest part of bank po, ibps or any other govt exam. Although most of the candidates afraid from quantitative section but it is the most scoring subject. Normally there are 50 questions in quantitative section, out of 50, 20 are easy. In most of the exams cutoff hovers around 23-24. So let's discuss some basic tricks to get high scores in quantitative section.

During exam preparations

1. Learn tables, squares and cubes

Learn tables up to 35 thoroughly. Similarly squares up to 50 and cubes up to 20. It really makes calculations easy and increase your question solving ability. Most of the candidates fails due to lack of time and major part of their time is wasted on calculations in quantitative and reasoning section.

2. Learn some shortcuts

There are too many short-term tricks to solve quantitative problems. For every chapter let it time distance, number system, profit and loss or equation, there are shortcuts available. You can download some shortcut notes. I found a nice book QuickerMaths, this book has hundreds of short tricks, every institute make notes from this book. Refer to my earlier post to find this book online.

3. Refer to some comprehensive books

Many students try to score well just by solving some question from magazines and workbooks. Although these methods are good to increase your scores after you learn all the basics. But to learn basics you need to refer some good books. Read my earlier post to learn more about beat books for bank exams preparations.

4. Solve, solve and solve

The more questions you solve, higher your accuracy will be. Try to solve more questions of each chapter. Solve question of every type whichever you face.

During exam

1. Skip questions

Out of 50 questions you need to score 20+ . There are 5-6 questions of high difficulty level, it's better to skip them then wasting time on them. Finding and skipping long and difficult is a skill, you need to master this. Even in 4-5 questions set of quantitative or receiving asking section, if you are not able to understand the question or clueless about how to solve it, skip it or you will end having very low attempt.

2. Play with options

7-8 questions in an exam can be solved just by eliminating the options. Take an example,

A man bought 18 oranges for 100 rupees and sold 12 oranges for 100 rupees. Calculated profit percentage.

a) 33.333%

b) 50%

c) 66.666%

d) Can't be determined

It can be easily seen that man saved 50% of what he sold. He saved 6 oranges while he sold 12 oranges. Clearly answer is 50%

3. Estimation

Try to estimate answer. You can 't solve 200 and more questions in 2 hours. This trick can be used in profit and loss, time distance, data interpretation and many more chapters.

4. Take 100 as base

Many questions can be solved just by taking 100 as base. Take an example

What is the percentage profit in selling an article in discount of 20% which was earlier sold for 40% profit ?

a) 20%

b) 14%

c) 28%

d) 12%

Solution : Lets take Rs.100 as cost of article. Man was selling the article for Rs140 ( 100 cost + 40 profit ) , now he is selling at a discount of 20% , now 140*20/100 = 28. New selling price = 140-28 = 112

Answer is D

Ratio and mixture questions are common in every exams like bank jobs  exam conducted by ibps, state bank of india, competitive exams, ssc, staff selection commission exams, CAT- common aptitude test etc.

It’s not tough to learn this section. There is only need of practice class.

Alligation or mixture is the rule that enables us to find the ratio in which two or more ingredients at the given price must be mixed to produce a mixture of a desired price.  It consist of two parts:-

1) Mean price

2) Cost price

1) Mean price - Mean price is  a price of a unit quantity of the mixture.

What is formula for mixture/ allegation?

(Quantity of cheaper) = (C.P. of dearer) - (Mean price)

(Quantity of dearer)       (Mean price) - (C.P. of cheaper)

2) Cost price - C.P.  Means cost price.                        

                        C.P. of a unit quantity of cheaper                      

                        C.P. of a unit quantity of dearer

So

cheaper quantity : dearer =   (d-m ) : (m-c)