CAT QA topic-wise weightage
Arithmetic and Algebra together make up about 70% of all QA questions.
Share of QA questions by topic
All 408 QA questions, CAT 2020–2025
EasyMediumHard
202037%
202142%
202239%
202338%
202435%
202535%
202026%
202135%
202227%
202332%
202435%
202536%
202015%
202115%
202215%
202314%
202414%
202514%
202014%
20213%
202214%
202315%
202410%
202512%
20208%
20215%
20225%
20231%
20246%
20253%
Year-wise Topic Analysis
Average number of questions per slot
8.3
Arithmetic
7.0
Algebra
3.2
Geometry
2.5
Number System
1.0
Modern Maths
22
QA slot
CAT QA chapter-wise weightage
Chapter-wise questions by year
Average number of questions per slot
| Topic | Chapter | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Time, Speed & DistanceArithmetic | 3.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | |
| AveragesArithmetic | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.4 | ||
| Time & WorkArithmetic | 0.7 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.2 | ||
| Mixture & AlligationArithmetic | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | ||
| PercentagesArithmetic | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 | ||
| Profit & LossArithmetic | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 | ||
| Simple & Compound InterestArithmetic | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.8 | ||
| Ratio & ProportionArithmetic | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.5 | ||
| Algebra | ProgressionsAlgebra | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.5 | |
| PolynomialsAlgebra | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 | ||
| LogarithmsAlgebra | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | ||
| FunctionsAlgebra | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.9 | ||
| Linear EquationsAlgebra | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | |||
| InequalitiesAlgebra | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 | ||||
| ModulusAlgebra | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | |||
| Minima & MaximaAlgebra | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | ||||
| IdentitiesAlgebra | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | |||||
| Geometry | TrianglesGeometry | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | |
| Mensuration & SolidsGeometry | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 | |||
| Quadrilaterals & PolygonsGeometry | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | ||
| CirclesGeometry | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | ||||
| Number System | Integral SolutionsNumber System | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | ||||
| Indices & CyclicityNumber System | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.6 | ||
| Factorisation, HCF & LCMNumber System | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | ||||
| MiscellaneousNumber System | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.4 | ||||
| RemainderNumber System | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.2 | ||||||
| DivisibilityNumber System | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | ||||||
| FactorialsNumber System | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | ||||||
| Modern Maths | Permutations & CombinationsModern Maths | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | |
| Set TheoryModern Maths | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
Arithmetic
Average number of questions per slot, by chapter
EasyMediumHard
20203.7
20211.0
20221.3
20231.3
20241.0
20251.0
20201.3
20211.7
20222.7
20231.3
20241.0
20250.7
20200.7
20212.0
20221.0
20231.3
20241.0
20251.3
20201.0
20211.3
20221.3
20231.0
20241.0
20251.0
20200.7
20211.7
20220.3
20231.0
20241.0
20251.0
20201.0
20210.7
20220.3
20231.3
20241.0
20251.0
20201.0
20210.7
20221.0
20230.7
20241.0
20250.7
20200.3
20210.3
20220.7
20230.3
20240.7
20251.0
Algebra
Average number of questions per slot, by chapter
EasyMediumHard
20200.7
20211.7
20221.3
20232.3
20241.3
20251.7
20201.3
20211.3
20221.7
20231.7
20241.0
20251.3
20202.0
20211.0
20220.3
20230.7
20241.3
20251.3
20201.0
20210.7
20221.0
20230.3
20241.0
20251.3
20200.7
20211.0
20220.0
20230.3
20241.0
20251.0
20200.0
20211.3
20220.0
20230.7
20240.3
20250.7
20200.3
20210.7
20220.7
20230.3
20240.7
20250.0
20200.7
20210.0
20221.0
20230.3
20240.0
20250.3
20200.0
20210.0
20220.0
20230.3
20241.0
20250.3
Geometry
Average number of questions per slot, by chapter
EasyMediumHard
20201.0
20211.3
20221.0
20230.7
20241.0
20251.3
20201.7
20211.0
20221.3
20230.7
20240.7
20250.0
20200.3
20211.0
20221.0
20230.7
20240.7
20251.0
20201.0
20210.0
20220.0
20231.0
20240.7
20250.7
Number System
Average number of questions per slot, by chapter
EasyMediumHard
20202.3
20210.0
20221.7
20230.0
20240.0
20250.3
20200.3
20210.3
20220.3
20231.3
20241.0
20250.3
20200.3
20210.0
20220.3
20231.3
20240.0
20250.7
20200.3
20210.3
20220.0
20230.3
20240.0
20251.3
20200.0
20210.0
20220.3
20230.0
20241.0
20250.0
20200.3
20210.0
20220.0
20230.3
20240.0
20250.0
20200.0
20210.0
20220.3
20230.0
20240.3
20250.0
Modern Maths
Average number of questions per slot, by chapter
EasyMediumHard
20201.3
20211.0
20220.7
20230.3
20241.0
20250.3
20200.7
20210.0
20220.3
20230.0
20240.3
20250.3
CAT QA difficulty level
Arithmetic has the largest share of Easy questions (63%). Modern Maths and Algebra have the largest shares of Hard questions (53% and 50%).
Difficulty split by topic
Share of each topic's questions, CAT 2020–2025
EasyMediumHard
Time, Speed & Distance50%36%14%
Averages62%23%15%
Time & Work64%18%18%
Mixture & Alligation60%20%20%
Percentages71%23%
Profit & Loss75%13%12%
Simple & Compound Interest67%27%
Ratio & Proportion70%30%
Progressions11%19%70%
Polynomials16%44%40%
Logarithms40%55%
Functions44%56%
Linear Equations50%42%
Inequalities22%45%33%
Modulus13%87%
Minima & Maxima71%29%
Identities20%20%60%
Triangles16%37%47%
Mensuration & Solids13%62%25%
Quadrilaterals & Polygons57%43%
Circles30%70%
Integral Solutions15%46%39%
Indices & Cyclicity9%36%55%
Factorisation, HCF & LCM75%25%
Miscellaneous29%43%28%
Remainder75%25%
Divisibility50%50%
Factorials50%50%
Permutations & Combinations22%21%57%
Set Theory40%20%40%
All QA33%33%34%
Difficulty split by year
Share of each year's QA questions
EasyMediumHard
CAT 202532%36%32%
CAT 202432%24%44%
CAT 202330%23%47%
CAT 202232%32%36%
CAT 202129%41%30%
CAT 202040%43%17%
CAT QA slot-wise analysis
Arithmetic has 7 to 10 questions in every slot. Algebra has 5 to 10.
Topic count by slot
QA questions from each topic in every slot, CAT 2020–2025
ArithmeticAlgebraGeometryNumber SystemModern Maths
22 questions
Arithmetic7 questions
Algebra10 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System1 question
Modern Maths1 question
Slot 1
22 questions
Arithmetic8 questions
Algebra8 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System3 questions
Slot 2
22 questions
Arithmetic8 questions
Algebra6 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System4 questions
Modern Maths1 question
Slot 3
2025
22 questions
Arithmetic8 questions
Algebra6 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System4 questions
Modern Maths1 question
Slot 1
22 questions
Arithmetic7 questions
Algebra9 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System2 questions
Modern Maths1 question
Slot 2
22 questions
Arithmetic8 questions
Algebra8 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System1 question
Modern Maths2 questions
Slot 3
2024
22 questions
Arithmetic8 questions
Algebra7 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System3 questions
Modern Maths1 question
Slot 1
22 questions
Arithmetic9 questions
Algebra7 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System3 questions
Slot 2
22 questions
Arithmetic8 questions
Algebra7 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System4 questions
Slot 3
2023
22 questions
Arithmetic9 questions
Algebra5 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System3 questions
Modern Maths2 questions
Slot 1
22 questions
Arithmetic8 questions
Algebra7 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System3 questions
Modern Maths1 question
Slot 2
22 questions
Arithmetic9 questions
Algebra6 questions
Geometry4 questions
Number System3 questions
Slot 3
2022
22 questions
Arithmetic9 questions
Algebra8 questions
Geometry3 questions
Number System1 question
Modern Maths1 question
Slot 1
22 questions
Arithmetic9 questions
Algebra9 questions
Geometry3 questions
Modern Maths1 question
Slot 2
22 questions
Arithmetic10 questions
Algebra6 questions
Geometry4 questions
Number System1 question
Modern Maths1 question
Slot 3
2021
26 questions
Arithmetic9 questions
Algebra6 questions
Geometry4 questions
Number System5 questions
Modern Maths2 questions
Slot 1
26 questions
Arithmetic10 questions
Algebra7 questions
Geometry4 questions
Number System3 questions
Modern Maths2 questions
Slot 2
26 questions
Arithmetic10 questions
Algebra7 questions
Geometry4 questions
Number System3 questions
Modern Maths2 questions
Slot 3
2020
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