MAT May 2010 exam Analysis

Snapshot-May 2010 MAT exam

Number of Questions	200
Marking Scheme	1 mark per question
Negative Marking	0.25 marks per question
Number of Sections	5
Number of Choices	4
Booklet Series	A, D, F, M
Duration	150 minutes

This exam had 200 questions to be attempted in 150 minutes. Each question carried 1 mark and one-fourth mark is deducted for every wrong answer. There were five sections. The questions were organised section wise. Language Comprehension, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning, and Indian & Global Environment. The marks obtained in the test area of 'Indian and Global Environment ' is given separately in the score card and is not counted in the composite score. For evaluating the composite score, the total marks taken into consideration is 160 and NOT 200. The table below gives the estimated sectional percentile(for a net raw score of 10 marks in each section).

Sectional Summary(Estimated Percentile for a net raw score of 10 marks in each section)

Section	Number of questions	Estimated Sectional percentile (May 2010 MAT exam)	Scaled Score *
Language Comprehension	40	75	55
Mathematical Skills	40	90	65
Data Analysis and Sufficiency	40	70	54
Intelligence and Critical Reasoning	40	40	46

*The score card doesnot give the net marks scored in any section. Instead, it gives only the scaled score (which ranges from 0 to 100 for any section) and equivalent percentile (for the corresponding section). A scaled score is a mathematical transformation of raw score(net marks). The scaled score accounts for any differences in the level of difficulty of the paper and hence the scaled scores in two different test papers can be compared. Let us analyze the different types of questions from each of the test area along with the overall difficulty level of each of the test area .

Mathematical Skills

The paper predominantly had questions from the Arithmetic areas like (Percentages, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, Geometry & Mensuration, Ratio, Proportion, Variation, Time and Distance). The questions involved only the basics. The success in this particular test area depended on one’s basic conceptual skills, and calculation skills. Those who were not thoroughly prepared would have found this section unmanageable. Some of the questions were quite tricky as well. For example, there was a question on “finding the probability of exactly three persons seated between A & B out of 10 persons, who are seated in a circular arrangement. Overall, the test area can be classified as MODERATE-DIFFICULT.

Area	Description	Marks	Difficulty level	Good Marks
Arithmetic	Time & Work, Pipes and Cisterns	8	Moderate-Difficult	9
	Time & Distance	5
	Percentages, Profit & Loss	6
	Simple Interest, Compound Interest	2
	Geometry and Mensuration	4
	Simple Equations , Quadratic equations. Ratios, Proportion and Variation	5
	Averages, Mixtures, Alligations	2
Higher Maths	Heights and Distance, Trigonometry	3		3
	P&C	5
	Probability	5
	Overall	40	Moderate-Difficult	12

Language Comprehension

This section had a mix of 20 questions from Reading Comprehension and 20 questions from Verbals. A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 30-35 min. There were five passages,covering different subject areas, with four questions each. The questions were of all types, i.e., central idea, inference, fact based. The verbal area, too, had the usual 20 questions of four different types. There was a lot of weightage on the questions related to english usage. Overall, RC and the verbal part were doable. Overall, the test area can be classified as MODERATE.

Area	Description	Marks	Difficulty level	Good Marks
Vocabulary	Fill in the blanks	5	Easy-Moderate	5
English Usage and Grammar	Summary	5	Moderate-Difficult
	Identify the part of the sentence which is incorrect	5
	Para-Jumbles	5
Reading Comprehension	A Passage from the 'Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Source:-> http://www.anglobilia.com/sherlock/adventur/index.html(2^nd paragraph)	4	Easy-Moderate	7
	A passage taken from the Chapter-1 of 'Animal farm' by George Orwell. Source:-> http://4umi.com/orwell/animalfarm/1 (7^th, 8^th, 9^th paragraphs)	4
	Passage related to 'sequencing of the ancient human genome'. Source:-> http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article112229.ece	4
	An analysis of the recommendations of the 13^th Finance Commission. Source:-> http://www.peerpower.com/et/146/For-fiscal-consolidation'	4
	Passage on the need for revamping of BSNL by a professional management team. Source:-> http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/02/04/stories/2010020451060800.htm	4
Overall		40	Moderate	12

Intelligence and Critical Reasoning

This test area is a mix of Analytical reasoning (26 questions) and Critical Reasoning (14 questions). A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 30-35 min. The questions on Analytical Reasoning were easy in nature and a majority of the questions were doable. Overall this test area can be classified as EASY

Area	Description	Marks	Difficulty level	Good Marks
Analytical reasoning	Number series, letter series	3	Easy	13
	Blood relations	3
	Coding, Decoding	2
	Seating Arrangement	3
	Cubes	4
	Directions	3
	Venn Diagrams(figure based)	5
	Distribution	3
Critical Reasoning	Statement and Conclusions	5	Moderate	4
	Weakening the theory/argument	5
	Assertion & Reasons	4
	Overall	40	Easy	17

Data Analysis and Sufficiency

As shown in the table below, this test area comprises of DI and DS, with DI accounting for 24 out of 40 questions while DS and Data Comparison put together accounting for the remaining 16 questions. The questions based on Data Comparison were much easier as compared to any other type of questions in the section. Overall, this test area can be considered to be Easy-Moderate. A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 35-40 min. Overall this test area can be classified as EASY-MODERATE.

Area	Description	Marks	Difficulty level	Good Marks
Data Interpretation	The break-up of the expenses of a company X in the years -2007 and 2009 under different categories-Salary, Taxes, technical fees, R&D, Others.	4	Moderate	6
	Each of the four bar graphs gives the percentage break-up of the responses of the people towards the query:->'Should enterprises be private/state run'? The responses are categorized as :->1) don't know 2)probably prefer state 3)Definitely prefer state 4)Probably prefer Private and 5) Definitely Prefer Private	5
	A caselet about badminton tournament amongst teams from six universities.	5
	There are two pie charts in this set. The first pie chart gave the overall production of Heavy Artilleries(HA) by different countries. The second pie chart gave the overall cost in the production and maintenance of HA by these countries.	5
	The 3 dimensional graph gave the percentage distribution of different minerals-Copper, lead, Silver, Iron, Zinc in three different countries-A, B and C.	5
Data Sufficiency & Data Comparison	Each question followed by two statements, A and B.	8	Easy	7
Data Sufficiency & Data Comparison	Data Comparison	8	Easy	7
	Overall	40	Easy-Moderate	13

Indian and Global Environment

The questions in this test area were, from different subject areas. Overall this test area can be classified as Moderately Difficult. A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 5-10 minutes for a good net score of 7 marks.

Overall Summary

The consolidated score is evaluated by taking only four areas into account. Indian and Global Environment is not the part of the consolidated score. However, in the score card, net total marks is not specified. Instead, the score card gives the Composite score and the equivalent overall percentile. The table below gives an estimate of the Composite score and the equivalent overall percentile(at different possible net marks) in this exam.

Overall Net Marks (excluding Indian and Global Environment)	Overall estimated percentile (May2010 MAT exam)	Composite Score *
35	72	606.5
40	79	631.5
50	88	667.5
68	99	759.5

* Composite Score is reported on a scale ranging from 199 to 801.

Arithmetic

Overall

Moderate-Difficult

Overall

Easy

Data Interpretation

Overall

Easy-Moderate