CAT is one of the most difficult exams worldwide and has a very low acceptance rate of 2 percent. To get a good overall score, it is important to master all the topics and sections of the exam. Data Sufficiency, a very important topic of the exam, tests the ability of a candidate to determine whether a given set of data is sufficient to answer the question given. The candidates are not required to find the solution to the question. Please refer BYJU’S CAT College Predictor tool.
Data Sufficiency questions of the CAT are included in the data interpretation section and are challenging for every candidate as they have a unique format. All Data Sufficiency problems have the same structure. They comprise three elements:
- A stem
- Two statements
- The answer choices
The two statements are labelled as I and II. Each of the two statements entails certain information that may or may not be related to the problem. The candidate has to determine whether the information provided in the statements, either I or II or both I and II are sufficient to solve the problem. The question stem may carry important information and requires you to read between the lines. Statement II should be read independently of Statement I. The answer should satisfy both statements. In every question, the answer choices are exactly the same; therefore, it is important to remember the answer choices to help you save time during the exam.
Important Data Sufficiency tips:
- All candidates should familiarize themselves with a systematic method to analyze the answer choices. The questions of data sufficiency fall under one of the two categories: mathematical or analytical/logical.
- A firm knowledge of all topics under Quantitative Aptitude is necessary to excel in Data Sufficiency. They are basic arithmetic questions that do not require a lot of number crunching. Since it entails basic math questions from chapters like ratio, proportion, and geometry, it also serves as an assessment of whether you need to brush up on your basics.
- To gain a competitive edge over the exams, it is important to master this section of the paper. For a chapter like DS, the only way to master it is by practising. The more you practice the better you will be able to internalize the technique and strategy used for answering the questions. It analyses the aptitude of a candidate to reason and distinguish important facts from assumptions.
Apart from these aforementioned tips, the two golden rules for solving problems on data sufficiency are:
- Avoid making assumptions
- Always look for a definite answer.
These aforementioned tips can help the CAT exam takers to properly approach and solve the related data sufficiency questions with ease. Along with these tips, the candidates are suggested to practice different variations of the questions to get confident and increase accuracy and speed while solving.
With an excellent faculty who provide impetus to aspiring candidates to excel in the exam, concentrating on each division of the paper, BYJU’S helps the MBA aspirants to stay ahead in the race. An effective methodology for teaching is used and the emphasis is laid on understanding the topic thoroughly. A comprehensive course with ample mock tests and practise questions are provided, as are techniques and strategies to help candidates solve problems with greater efficiency.
