Section C : Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation

The set was a mix of manageable and difficult questions, testing conceptual understanding and application. The questions were tricky in nature and required a thorough understanding of concepts. The section was thoroughly difficult and not more than 3-4 questions could be said to be of easy-medium level of difficulty. There were only 8 questions from DI and these days were best left out.

The easier questions in the section were - question on sum of series, equation of the graph, probabiity of the friend receiving a gift, area of the unfolded rectangle, MRP and retailer margin of a product, two diagonals of a parallalogram, and the 6th term of a series.

The following questions could have been answered if one understood the language of the question statement: Percentage change in the flat surface area (one had to consider both the top and bottom surface of the cylinder); tax rates for various income slabs (one had to calculate the total tax and not for an individual, so the sum had to be calculated); two parallel sides of a parallalogram (the triange could have been isosceles in several ways and only one would have fit the scenario); value of f(1003) (mathematical induction); three pipes connected to a conical tank (the base being at the top could have been wrongly inferred and the height coming down by 50% had to be quickly interpreted).

The remaining questions may have been very difficult for most students and should have been attempted wisely.

This could also mean that the cutoff for the section should be around 5 marks only. Ideal time distribution for the section would be around 50 min