The changing stripe: It is being observed that the data interpretation (DI) section of CAT has remained one of the toughest sections for the last two to three years. One can observe a shift in the pattern of the questions. Traditionally, the DI section contained data in the form of graphs, tables, pie charts and you had to process that data and answer questions accordingly. What has changed is that the questions are more logical-reasoning based. We can call this section data interpretation/logical reasoning (DI/LR), rather than just calling it the DI section. By logical reasoning, we mean that the section has more puzzle-based questions. For example there are different rows given and one has to come out with an arrangement. But the difficulty level of these puzzles is very high. These are not the sort of puzzles that you normally come across. There would be lots of possibilities that might exist in that particular puzzle and you have to try lots of combinations, which further means that you would have to hold a lot of data in your mind. In a nutshell the questions in DI are more reasoning based.

The rationale: The way the CAT exam pattern changes, raises many questions in students’ (and in fact everyone’s) mind about what is the rationale behind this changing pattern and what is it that the examiner wants to gauge in the candidates. In each and every section one or the other managerial skill of the candidate is put to test. In DI section, earlier, the examiner wanted to test how you gather information from a snapshot. The graph was used because it gave you a bird’s eye view of a particular case. The examiner tested whether, after viewing a graph, you could do calculations quickly and tell whether the sales were increasing or decreasing. But with a shift towards logical reasoning the examiner wants to test the candidate’s ability to structure an unstructured situation, to do multiple solutions at one time and reason out? The examiner also tests your ability to hold multiple conditions at one time. All in all, lateral thinking is put to test.

Preparation strategy: Since the shift in DI section is more towards logical reasoning and the calculations are close to zero, the preparation strategy for both maths and non-maths students would remain same. But yes, the main question would be — can I really prepare to develop logical ability? It would be equally tough for students from all the streams. A person who has interest in solving puzzles would be at an advantage in this section. The strategy for this section would always remain amorphous because a puzzle can appear from anywhere. It could be a game, for which the examiner has set the rules, it could be based on relationships or it could be a number series. There is no end to logical reasoning-based questions. There cannot be any standard approach. What can be done in this case is familiarising yourself with lots of puzzles, which involve mental activity. Get a good collection of puzzles and solve them continuously. For beginners The Great Book of Mind Teasers and Puzzles by George Summers can be of great help. The book has a great collection and a very high difficulty level. You should try solving this entire book. Every Sunday The Times of India carries a column called Mind Sport, which has some very good puzzles. You can get the archives at its website mindsport.org.

Strategy while attempting CAT

Dealing with DI while attempting CAT can have a very straight strategy. Do not start solving the puzzles immediately, but read all the sets first. Part 1A of DI section usually has 10 questions and three sets. Read through all the three sets and then make a call on which set is more structured and has lesser variables in terms of conditions that can be put in a structured table or a format easily. Make a good choice across the sections and, having decided that, give all the time to that set only. There are going to be hurdles but that does not mean you leave the set and move on to another set, because you have already taken a decision. In the last two CATs, solving two sets of one mark, and solving one set of two marks would have landed calls. So a total of three sets out of nine to ten sets would have given multiple calls. Hence it makes sense to invest time in picking up the right set and doing that right, rather than just jumping from one set to another. Moving from set to set is a recipe for disaster. You would just not manage to find the solution for any set and time would fly. It is unlike maths. In maths, every minute or so you are attempting one question. In DI, it would not matter even if you are spending six to seven minutes on just working out the sets, having not spent a single minute on solving the set. But then even if you spend eight minutes in working out the entire set and the set is very clear, you can solve it immediately. Don’t be in a hurry that every two minutes you have to mark a question. Spend time on selection of the right set.

Selecting the right set

a) Familiarity: The difficulty level amongst sets can be gauged in order to select the easier one. For example, you have three sets. One question talks about four people playing four different games and a few conditions follow. You can still plan it in a tabular form. The second question talks about an entirely new card game. The moment we talk about a game, the advantage is to the exam setter — he can frame any rules he wants to. Pick up the one with which you have familiarity and try avoiding unseen situations.

b) Conditions: Very few conditions mean ambiguity and you have to work out lots of possibilities. On the other hand too many conditions, say 10 to 12, mean reading a lot. Or you read the set and every question has a new condition that virtually demands redoing the entire arrangement because it adds a new condition. Or else there is a set with four straight conditions — for example which boys sits on the right, or left etc. These are deterministic conditions. You can just work on the arrangement and answer the questions. The more standard a puzzle the more you can come up with the schemes to represent data. Each question with new condition means doing everything with a new condition. You can also monitor whether the set you have selected is right and till what level or time you should spend time on that particular set.

c) Reasoning: Do not make a guess on selecting a set and taking a plunge that the set is going to be easy without any reason. There should be a rationale behind selecting a set. Don’t try out all the sets. One of the biggest problem areas is that students move in a sequential way in the exam pressure type of situation. DI in most of the cases is attempted last and by that time all your strategy and time scheme plans have gone for a toss. Don’t take a chance and don’t think that the solution will be evident while trying the set. Before trying you should have a clear idea about how to go about it.

d) Sequence of selection: There is no suggested plan of which section should be attempted first and which should be attempted last. They should be attempted at your own competence level. Don’t keep the most difficult section for the last because it is already difficult and keeping it for the last would add to the pressure. Start with the easier section to score a few points and feel better, follow it up with the section, which you find the most difficult and then move on to the next section.

DI in other exams: the DI section in other MBA entrance exams still has a traditional pattern. It has the regular pie charts, bar graphs, line graphs, etc and calculations are still a part of DI. You must not forget about traditional DI questions as you follow a puzzle-focused approach for the CAT.

The difficulty level of DI questions asked in non-CAT exams is lesser. For example, a pie chart can just have so many questions asked on it. In fact, for a non-maths student, the traditional DI is a lot easier as when compared with quantitative ability. If quant is not your strength, you should compensate that by focusing on DI questions in exams other than CAT.

Day-to-day preparation

For preparing for traditional DI, pick up any newspaper or business magazine. Some graphs are usually given and the data is captured in those graphs. So you should do some mental calculations based on that data. For example, while watching a cricket match, calculate the run rate before it is flashed. We go to a petrol station and hardly check the right amount supplied — calculate the prices and the quantity wherever you go. Such regular mental calculations would start building up the base and looking at different forms of graphs will build in understanding of the DI. Building logical ability is difficult in so far as preparation for DI section of CAT is concerned. This is not to say that logic cannot be developed but the fact is that only looking out for the solution in the puzzles will not work. If you are working on the puzzles, you should spend time with the puzzle rather than looking for solution.

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The author, Arindam Lahiri is Director – Academics at Career Launcher. Career Launcher (CL) is Asia’s leading education service provider catering to the needs of more than 50,000 students annually in its 100+ study centers located across India and the Middle-East. It currently offers test-prep programs for careers in Engineering, Law, Services sector (Hospitality, IT) and Management.

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