Mastering CAT DILR: Sectional Breakdown & Syllabus

The Common Admission Test (CAT) is a pivotal entrance exam for aspirants seeking admission to premier management institutes in India. Among its three primary sections, the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) segment is particularly challenging, assessing candidates' analytical prowess and logical acumen. In CAT 2024, the number of questions in the DILR section was increased from 20 to 22. This article provides a comprehensive breakdown of the DILR syllabus, highlighting key topics and preparation strategies.

Overview of the DILR Section

The DILR section is bifurcated into two core areas:

Data Interpretation (DI): Focuses on evaluating the ability to interpret and analyze data presented in various formats.
Logical Reasoning (LR): Assesses the capacity to understand and logically work through problems and scenarios.

Key Topics in Data Interpretation

Candidates should concentrate on the following DI topics:

Tables: Analyzing data organized in rows and columns.
Bar Graphs: Interpreting data represented through rectangular bars.
Line Graphs: Understanding trends depicted by data points connected by lines.
Pie Charts: Evaluating proportional data in circular charts.
Venn Diagrams: Solving problems involving overlapping sets.
Caselets: Extracting and interpreting data from descriptive passages.

These topics require proficiency in quick calculations, pattern recognition, and data comparison.

Sample Question for DI

I. Directions for questions: Table A shows the number of hits scored by leading male actors of the Bollywood film industry in the past 5 years. Table B gives data on who were leading ladies in each of these hit films. The data for the four established actresses is given separately, while the hits of all the other heroines are clubbed under the head “Others”.

Table A	Year
Actors	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
SRK	1	0	2	1	1
VO	1	2	0	0	1
AK	0	0	1	1	0
HR	0	1	1	0	1
SK	1	0	1	0	1

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Table B	Year
Actresses	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
AR	2	0	1	0	1
RM	1	1	0	1	0
PZ	0	1	1	1	0
MD	0	1	0	0	1
Others	0	0	3	0	2

Note:

AR and SK have vowed never to work together in a film. Also PZ has not yet worked with VO.
Among the four established actresses, AK only works with RM.
All of SRK’s hits in the past 5 years have been with only two actresses.
VO only works with established actresses.

1. In 2002, SRK’s two hits have been with

1) AR & PZ 2) AR & others 3) PZ & others 4) RM & MD

2. MD’s two hits in the past 5 years have been with

1) VO and SK 2) VO only 3) VO and SRK 4) VO and HR

3. HR’s hits have been with

1) RM & AR 2) RM & PZ 3) Others & PZ 4) MD & AR

4. Which actor/actors had the highest number of hits with “other” actresses?

1) AK 2) HR 3) HR & SK 4) SK

II. Directions for questions 9 to 12: Refer to the following information and answer the questions given below.

The table below shows the financial performance of business houses for a particular year. Study the table and answer the questions based on the information contained in the table.

Business House	Total Assets (TA)	Net Worth (NW)	Total Borrowings	Net Sales (NS)	Op. Profits(OP)
Tata	2,671,163	963,496	1018,262	1,934,490	341,976
Birla	2,039,079	969,612	792,092	1,280,812	324,145
Reliance	1,152,904	719,265	249,749	549,367	145,801
ESSAR	1,054,419	342,532	458,843	155,391	91,092
RPG	658,631	286,670	264,555	289,391	62,580
JK	490,622	196,010	197,141	285,150	45,964
Thapar	443,936	207,870	121,217	357,406	54,782
L & T	411,672	211,810	65,605	305,442	51,689
ITC	324,964	125,544	120,442	313,948	72,257
Mafatlal	183,733	62,600	783,754	1,611,263	26,485

Business House	Gross Profit	Net Profits (NP)	GP/NS (%)	GP/TA (%)	NP/NW (%)
Tata	248,422	156,487	12.8	9.3	16.2
Birla	226,078	145,544	17.7	11.1	15.0
Reliance	134,369	106,485	24.5	11.6	14.8
ESSAR	70,907	57,438	45.5	6.7	16.8
RPG	28,671	14,738	9.9	4.4	5.1
JK	27,690	12,660	9.7	5.6	6.5
Thapar	33,867	22,412	9.5	7.6	10.8
L & T	44,002	27,736	14.4	10.7	13.1
ITC	54,721	33,362	17.4	16.8	26.6
Mafatlal	16,336	8,905	10.1	8.9	14.2

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1. If NP/NW ratio is considered to be an index of performance, which of the business houses is the best performer?

1) Tata 2) ITC 3) Birla 4) Reliance

2. If executive compensation is a function of operating profit on sales, which organisation would be the most remunerative for an executive?

1) Birla 2) Mafatlal 3) RPG 4) ESSAR

3. If dividends are a function of net profit over net worth, which company should a person invest in?

1) Tata 2) ESSAR 3) ITC 4) RPG

4. As compared to the JK group, which one of the groups could be termed as lean, i.e., having total assets £ those of JK, and thin, i.e., having borrowings £ those of JK as well as performing better, i.e., better in sales and net profits than JK?

1) ESSAR 2) Mafatlal 3) Reliance 4) ITC

Key Topics in Logical Reasoning

The LR segment encompasses:

Seating Arrangements: Determining positions based on given conditions.
Blood Relations: Solving problems related to familial connections.
Syllogisms: Concluding given statements.
Puzzles: Engaging with complex problem-solving scenarios.
Series: Identifying patterns in sequences of numbers or letters.
Clocks and Calendars: Solving time and date-related problems.
Statements and Assumptions: Evaluating the validity of arguments.

Mastery of these areas demands strong analytical skills and logical thinking.

Sample questions for LR

I. Airplanes A, B, C and D started flight towards east. After flying 125 km planes A and D flew towards right while planes B and C flew towards left. After 115 km, planes B and C flew towards their left while planes A and D also turned towards their left. In which directions are the airplanes A, B, D, C respectively flying now?

North, South, East, West
East, West, West, East
East, West, East, West
South, North, North, South

II. DIRECTIONS for questions 1 to 3: Refer to the data below and answer the questions that follow.

Three balls coloured Yellow, Green and Red are to be put in one of the three boxes numbered 1, 2 and 3 (not necessarily in the same order). Three friends John, Jani and Janardhan make two statements about the arrangement of the balls in the boxes, one of which is true and the other is false.
Their statements are as follows:

John: The Yellow Ball is not in Box 2. The Red ball is in Box 1
Jani: The Yellow Ball is not in Box 3. The Green ball is in Box 2
Janardhan: The Green ball is in Box 3. The Red ball is not in Box 1

1. Box 1 contains the:
1] Red Ball 2] Yellow Ball 3] Green Ball 4] Cannot be determined

2. The Yellow Ball is in:
1] Box 1 2] Box 2 3] Box 3 4] Either Box 2 or Box 3

3. If we ignore the second statement made by Jani and consider the first statement made by him to be true, then how many possible arrangements can we have following the remaining conditions?
1] 3 2] 4 3] 5 4] None of these

Exam Structure and Question Distribution

The DILR section comprises 22 questions as per CAT 2024, divided into sets. Each set contains multiple questions based on a standard data set or logical scenario. The distribution may vary, but candidates can expect a mix of DI and LR sets.

CAT DILR Topic-Wise Weightage (Past Year Trends)

Year	Slot/Set	Topic Name	No. of Questions
2024	Set-1	DI - Candle Stick, DI (Rating), Bar Graph	12
	Set-2	DI - Bar Graph, Schematic Diagram, DI (GDP of Countries)	12
	Set-3	Arrangement, DI (2 Graphs), Table with Missing Values	12
	Set-4	Games and Tournament, Puzzle (Rating), Line Graph	15
	Set-5	DI (Lengthy Set), Arrangements, Network of Roads	15
2023	Slot-1	Puzzle, Arrangement, Mathematical Reasoning	20
	Slot-2	Coin-based puzzle, Mathematical Reasoning, Puzzle (entertainment park)	20
	Slot-3	Selection and Distribution, Routes and Networks, Mathematical Reasoning	20
2022	Slot-1	Games and Tournaments, Venn Diagram, Mathematical Reasoning, Metro Lines	20
	Slot-2	Selection and Distribution, Routes and Networks, Tables and Graphs, Venn Diagram	20
	Slot-3	Tables and Graphs, Arrangement, Ranking and Ordering	20
2021	Slot-1	Selection and Distribution, Puzzle, Graph	20
	Slot-2	Graph, Puzzles, Games and Tournaments, Selection and Distribution	20
	Slot-3	Caselet (Mixture), Tables and Graph, Games and Tournaments, Selection and Distribution	20

Preparation Strategies

To excel in the DILR section:

Practice Diverse Question Sets: Regularly solve DI and LR problems to build familiarity and speed.
Develop Calculation Skills: Enhance mental arithmetic to process data quickly.
Analyze Past Papers: Review previous years' CAT papers to understand question patterns and difficulty levels.
Time Management: Allocate specific time limits to each set during practice to simulate exam conditions.

Conclusion

A thorough understanding of the DILR syllabus, coupled with consistent practice, is essential for success in the CAT examination. Focusing on the key topics outlined above and implementing effective preparation strategies can significantly enhance performance in this challenging section.

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