Common Admission Test (CAT) 2025 is almost here! With the official date announced as November 30, 2025, the countdown feels real. Last week, we reviewed how the CAT’s VARC structure has evolved over the years. As November approaches, we’ll break down the remaining two sections one by one. This week, Team Hitbullseye spotlights the Quantitative Ability (QA) section. Expect crisp, Quant-first insights, trend takeaways, and practical winning strategies. Take a breath, square your shoulders and dive in, because confidence grows with clarity and clarity comes from focused practice. Let’s get started.
QA isn’t just another section in CAT. It’s the one that often decides who crosses the finish line. Alongside VARC and DILR, QA tests how quickly and cleanly you can turn math ideas into correct answers. If numbers make you nervous, good news! Most of what you need sits comfortably around Class 10 fundamentals, used fast, under pressure, and with intent.
Important dates you should know!
- Exam: Sunday, November 30, 2025
- Registration window: Aug 1 to Sep 13, 2025
- Admit card available for download: Nov 5, 2025 onwards
QA Pattern & Marking Scheme
- Time: 120 minutes total; 40 minutes per section
- Question count: 68 total; 22 questions in QA.
- Marking:
- MCQ: +3 for correct, −1 for incorrect
- TITA (non-MCQ): +3 for correct, no negative for incorrect
Quantitative Ability Syllabus
- Arithmetic: Percentages’ Profit & Loss’ Simple/Compound Interest, Ratio and Proportion, Time & Work, Time, Speed & Distance, Averages, Mixtures & Alligations
- Algebra: Linear/Quadratic Equations, Progressions (AP/GP/HP), Logarithms, Polynomials, Inequalities and Functions
- Geometry: Coordinate Geometry, Mensuration (Areas/Volumes), 3D basics, Lines/Angles, Triangles, Circles and Polygons
- Number System: Divisibility, Factors, Multiples, Remainders, Base Systems and LCM/HCF
- Modern Math: P&C, Probability, Set Theory, Sequences & Series
Important Note: Arithmetic has been the heaviest lifter for years, Algebra and Geometry keeps recurring
QA Trends at a Glance (2021–2024)
|
Year
|
Difficulty
|
Dominant Topics
|
Sectional Split
|
TITA
|
Good Attempt
|
|
2021
|
Moderate
|
Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry
|
14 Arithmetic, 5 Algebra, 3 Geometry
|
5–6
|
14–16
|
|
2022
|
Moderate to Tough
|
Arithmetic, Algebra, Number System
|
12 Arithmetic, 6 Algebra, 2 Geometry, 2 Number System
|
4–5
|
13–15
|
|
2023
|
Tough
|
Algebra, Arithmetic, Modern Math
|
10 Algebra, 8 Arithmetic, 2 Geometry, 2 Modern Math
|
3–4
|
12–14
|
|
2024
|
Moderate
|
Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry (+NS)
|
13 Arithmetic, 5 Algebra, 3 Geometry, 1 Number System
|
4
|
14–16
|
Key Takeaways:
- Arithmetic keeps dominating (often 50–60%).
- Algebra keeps following and in tough years, the topic is the tone-setter.
- TITA questions stay around 3-6 and it is advisable to treat them as an opportunity.
A working plan to make Quant your strong suit!
- Build bedrock first: Before chasing shortcuts, re-cement Class 9–10 concepts in Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry. Clarity speeds you up more than any trick.
- Layer speed: Practice high-utility shortcuts: percent-fraction conversions, ratio manipulations, approximation sense, algebraic identities and mental arithmetic. Use them only where they reduce steps.
- Prioritize what pays: Daily micro-plan (example target: 25 QA questions): 8–12 Arithmetic (high yield), 6–8 Algebra (concept stamina) and 3–5 Geometry/Modern Math (keep tools warm)
- Train like it’s game day: Run 5 mocks a week if you’re in the final stretch, otherwise 2–3 consistently. Post-mock, spend more time diagnosing than solving. Tag errors by concept, calculation, decision-making and time trap.
- Have a TITA policy: Attempt all TITA. No negative marking means you can convert “almost there” into real marks. But stay logical, eliminate impossible ranges before keying in.
Smart QA reminders!
- QA ≠ advanced math. It’s organized thinking with school-level tools under a stopwatch.
- Accuracy > ego. A clean 12–14 correct can beat a messy 18 attempts.
- Streaks are built, not found. Micro-practice daily beats weekend marathons.
- Hard is fine. Tough papers compress cut-offs for everyone. Keep your head; keep your method.
Think of QA as a gym session for your brain: same basic moves, steadily more weight. Show up daily, fix your form and stop chasing exotic routines. By November 30, you won’t be “not a math person”. Instead, you’ll be the person who gets the math marks.
In the upcoming week, Hitbullseye aims to focus on the sectional exam analysis for Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR). We will work on providing a detailed article based on research and past trend analysis to give you the key insights, in turn, helping you strategize and prepare smartly.
All the best for those appearing!