MAH-CET is a state level entrance exam for admissions into B-Schools of Maharashtra. In this article we will discuss the pattern, commonly asked questions and the strategy to ace the Quantitative Aptitude section of the MAH-CET paper. The paper is a computer based exam and it does not follow any fix pattern. It is not divided into any sections i.e. questions from all topics are jumbled. Last year's exam had four options instead of the usual five. There is no negative marking and questions are of one mark each.
The Quantitative ability section has approximately 50 questions. The difficulty level of questions in this category is from easy to moderate. The major topics include questions on approximations and calculations which include BODMAS, number system, percentage, interest, profit and loss, average, ratio proportion, alligations and mixtures, time and work, time speed & distance, algebra, progressions, set theory, geometry, mensuration, trigonometry, permutations & combinations, probability, etc.
Last year the paper had questions from number system, percentages, equations, interest & partnership which were quite manageable. In some slots students got 6-8 questions on geometry and mensuration out of which 4-5 were easily doable. Students were expecting questions from approximation and BODMAS but there was not a single question on this topic this time.
Just to give you an idea, the following is a quant question from one of the actual MAH-CET papers: "Sam purchased 20 dozens of toys at the rate of Rs. 375 per dozen. He sold each one of them at the rate of Rs. 33. What was his percentage profit?" As you can see, this is a basic profit & loss based problem and can be answered without any trouble.
As far as the break up of the questions is concerned, the questions based on arithmetic can be put into the easy category, whereas the questions on algebra, permutations and combinations, the probability can be put into the medium category.
Let us have a look at another quant question from one of the previous year's papers. "The average age of husband, wife and their child 3 years ago was 27 years and that of wife and the child 5 years ago was 20 years. What is the present age of the husband?" This is a very simple question based on the topic averages. So, if you have practiced these questions of different areas sufficiently, then you would find this section quite manageable.
You can practice the bank probationary exam papers for this test as the level is almost similar. Short-cut techniques are very important to practice and apply as time pressure is there and you have approximately less than a minute to solve a question. In order to clear the cut-offs of the top colleges and boost the overall score, you must have a score of around 45 out of 50 in the quantitative ability section. Therefore, you must practice some mock papers for the same under time pressure to do well in this section.
