Q1:

Progression & Series

Medium

Let x,y,zx, y, z be three positive real numbers in a geometric progression such that x<y<zx<y<z. If 5x,16y5 x, 16 y, and 12z12 z are in an arithmetic progression then the common ratio of the geometric progression is

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 1

Q2:

Time & Work

Medium

Humans and robots can both perform a job but at different efficiencies. Fifteen humans and five robots working together take thirty days to finish the job, whereas five humans and fifteen robots working together take sixty days to finish it. How many days will fifteen humans working together (without any robot) take to finish it?

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 2

Q3:

Time & Work

Medium

A tank is fitted with pipes, some filling it and the rest draining it. All filling pipes fill at the same rate, and all draining pipes drain at the same rate. The empty tank gets completely filled in 66 hours when 66 filling and 55 draining pipes are on, but this time becomes 6060 hours when 55 filling and 66 draining pipes are on. In how many hours will the empty tank get completely filled when one draining and two filling pipes are on?

10
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 3

Q4:

Quadrilaterals

Medium

Points E,F,G,HE, F, G, H lie on the sides AB,BC,CDA B, B C, C D, and DAD A, respectively, of a square ABCDA B C D. If EFGHE F G H is also a square whose area is 62.5%62.5 \% of that of ABCDABCD and CGCG is longer than EBEB , then the ratio of length of EBEB to that of CGCG is

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 4

Q5:

Triangles

Medium

Given an equilateral triangle T1\mathrm{T} 1 with side 24 cm24 \mathrm{~cm}, a second triangle T2\mathrm{T} 2 is formed by joining the midpoints of the sides of T1\mathrm{T} 1. Then a third triangle T3\mathrm{T} 3 is formed by joining the midpoints of the sides of T2\mathrm{T} 2. If this process of forming triangles is continued, the sum of the areas, in sq cm , of infinitely many such triangles T1, T2, T3,…\mathrm{T} 1, \mathrm{~T} 2, \mathrm{~T} 3, \ldots will be

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 5

Q6:

Logarithms

Medium

If xx is a positive quantity such that 2x=3log⁡522^x = 3^{\log_5 2}, then xx is equal to

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 6

Q7:

Mixture & Alligation

Medium

A trader sells 1010 litres of a mixture of paints AA and BB, where the amount of BB in the mixture does not exceed that of AA. The cost of paint A per litre is Rs. 88 more than that of paint B. If the trader sells the entire mixture for Rs. 264264 and makes a profit of 10%10 \%, then the highest possible cost of paint B, in Rs. per litre, is

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 7

Q8:

Ratio, Proportion & Variation

Medium

Raju and Lalitha originally had marbles in the ratio 4:94:9. Then Lalitha gave some of her marbles to Raju. As a result, the ratio of the number of marbles with Raju to that with Lalitha became 5:65:6. What fraction of her original number of marbles was given by Lalitha to Raju?

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 8

Q9:

Time & Work

Medium

When they work alone, BB needs 25%25 \% more time to finish a job than AA does. They two finish the job in 1313 days in the following manner: AA works alone till half the job is done, then AA and BB work together for four days, and finally BB works alone to complete the remaining 5%5\% of the job. In how many days can BB alone finish the entire job?

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 9

Q10:

Profit & Loss

Medium

Two types of tea, AA and BB, are mixed and then sold at Rs. 4040 per kg. The profit is 10%10 \% if A and B are mixed in the ratio 3:23: 2, and 5%5 \% if this ratio is 2:32: 3. The cost prices, per kg , of AA and BB are in the ratio

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 10

Q11:

Mean, Median & Mode

Medium

In an apartment complex, the number of people aged 5151 years and above is 3030 and there are at most 3939 people whose ages are below 5151 years. The average age of all the people in the apartment complex is 3838 years. What is the largest possible average age, in years, of the people whose ages are below 5151 years?

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 11

Q12:

Triangles

Medium

In a circle with center OO and radius 1 cm1 \mathrm{~cm}, an arc ABA B makes an angle 6060 degrees at OO. Let RR be the region bounded by the radii OA,OB\mathrm{OA}, \mathrm{OB} and the arc ABAB . If CC and DD are two points on OAOA and OBOB , respectively, such that OC=OD\mathrm{OC}=\mathrm{OD} and the area of triangle OCDOCD is half that of RR , then the length of OCOC , in cm , is

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 12

Q13:

Miscellaneous

Medium

The number of integers xx such that 0.25<2x<2000.25 < 2^x < 200, and 2x+22^x + 2 is perfectly divisible by either 33 or 44, is

5
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 13

Q14:

Circles

Easy

Let ABCDABCD be a rectangle inscribed in a circle of radius 13 cm13 \mathrm{~cm}. Which one of the following pairs can represent, in cm , the possible length and breadth of ABCDABCD ?

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 14

Q15:

Quadrilaterals

Medium

In a parallelogram ABCDABCD of area 72sqcm72 \mathrm{sq} \mathrm{cm}, the sides CDCD and ADAD have lengths 9 cm9 \mathrm{~cm} and 16 cm16 \mathrm{~cm}, respectively. Let P be a point on CDC D such that APA P is perpendicular to CDC D. Then the area, in sq cm, of triangle APDA P D is

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 15

Q16:

Indices

Medium

Given that x2018y2017=1/2x^{2018}y^{2017} = 1/2 and x2016y2019=8x^{2016}y^{2019} = 8, the value of x2+y3x^2 + y^3 is

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 16

Q17:

Percentages

Medium

In an examination, the maximum possible score is NN while the pass mark is 45%45\% of NN. A candidate obtains 3636 marks, but falls short of the pass mark by 68%68\%. Which one of the following is then correct?

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 17

Q18:

Minima & Maxima

Medium

Let f(x)=f(x) = min{2x2,52−5x2x², 52-5x}, where x is any positive real number. Then the maximum possible value of f(x)f(x) is

32
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 18

Q19:

Time, Speed & Distance

Medium

Point PP lies between points AA and BB such that the length of BPBP is thrice that of APAP . Car 11 starts from AA and moves towards BB . Simultaneously, car 22 starts from BB and moves towards AA. Car 22 reaches PP one hour after car 11 reaches PP. If the speed of car 22 is half that of car 11, then the time, in minutes, taken by car 11 in reaching PP from AA is

12
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 19

Q20:

Simple & Compound Interest

Medium

John borrowed Rs.2,10,0002,10,000 from a bank at an interest rate of 10%10 \% per annum, compounded annually. The loan was repaid in two equal installments, the first after one year and the second after another year. The first installment was interest of one year plus part of the principal amount, while the second was the rest of the principal amount plus due interest thereon. Then each installment, in Rs., is

121000
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 20

Q21:

Mean, Median & Mode

Medium

A CAT aspirant appears for a certain number of tests. His average score increases by 11 if the first 1010 tests are not considered, and decreases by 11 if the last 1010 tests are not considered. If his average scores for the first 1010 and the last 1010 tests are 2020 and 30, respectively, then the total number of tests taken by him is

60
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 21

Q22:

Time, Speed & Distance

Medium

Train TT leaves station XX for station YY at 3pm3 \mathrm{pm}. Train SS, traveling at three quarters of the speed of TT, leaves YY for XX at 4pm4 \mathrm{pm}. The two trains pass each other at a station ZZ, where the distance between XX and ZZ is three-fifths of that between XX and YY. How many hours does train TT take for its journey from XX to YY ?

15
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 22

Q23:

Solids

Medium

A right circular cone, of height 1212 ft, stands on its base which has diameter 88 ft. The tip of the cone is cut off with a plane which is parallel to the base and 99 ft from the base. With π=22/7\pi = 22/7, the volume, in cubic ft, of the remaining part of the cone is

198
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 23

Q24:

Logarithms

Hard

If log⁡1281=p\log_{12}81 = p, then 34−p4+p3\frac{4-p}{4+p} is equal to

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 24

Q25:

Profit & Loss

Hard

A wholesaler bought walnuts and peanuts, the price of walnut per kg being thrice that of peanut per kg . He then sold 8 kg8 \mathrm{~kg} of peanuts at a profit of 10%10 \% and 16 kg16 \mathrm{~kg} of walnuts at a profit of 20%20 \% to a shopkeeper. However, the shopkeeper lost 5 kg5 \mathrm{~kg} of walnuts and 3 kg3 \mathrm{~kg} of peanuts in transit. He then mixed the remaining nuts and sold the mixture at Rs. 166166 per kg, thus making an overall profit of 25%25 \%. At what price, in Rs. per kg, did the wholesaler buy the walnuts?

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 25

Q26:

Functions

Medium

If f(x+2)=f(x)+f(x+1)f(x + 2) = f(x) + f(x + 1) for all positive integers xx, and f(11)=91f(11) = 91, f(15)=617f(15) = 617, then f(10)f(10) equals

54
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 26

Q27:

Minima & Maxima

Medium

While multiplying three real numbers, Ashok took one of the numbers as 7373 instead of 3737. As a result, the product went up by 720720. Then the minimum possible value of the sum of squares of the other two numbers is

40
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 27

Q28:

Time, Speed & Distance

Medium

The distance from AA to BB is 60 km60 \mathrm{~km}. Partha and Narayan start from AA at the same time and move towards BB. Partha takes four hours more than Narayan to reach BB. Moreover, Partha reaches the mid-point of AA and BB two hours before Narayan reaches BB. The speed of Partha, in km per hour, is

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 28

Q29:

Circles

Medium

In a circle, two parallel chords on the same side of a diameter have lengths 44 cm and 66 cm. If the distance between these chords is 11 cm, then the radius of the circle, in cm, is

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 29

Q30:

Set Theory

Medium

If among 200200 students, 105105 like pizza and 134134 like burger, then the number of students who like only burger can possibly be

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 30

Q31:

Permutation & Combination

Medium

How many numbers with two or more digits can be formed with the digits 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, so that in every such number, each digit is used at most once and the digits appear in the ascending order?

502
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 31

Q32:

Identities

Hard

u2+(u−2v−1)2=−4v(u+v)u² + (u − 2v − 1)² = −4v (u + v). Then the value of u+3vu + 3v is

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 32

Q33:

Logarithms

If log⁡2(5+log⁡3a)=3\log _{2}\left(5+\log _{3} a\right)=3 and log⁡5(4a+12+log⁡2b)=3\log _{5}\left(4 a+12+\log _{2} b\right)=3, then a+ba+b is equal to

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 33

Q34:

Set Theory

Medium

Each of 7474 students in a class studies at least one of the three subjects H,EH, E and PP. Ten students study all three subjects, while twenty study HH and EE , but not PP . Every student who studies PP also studies HH or EE or both. If the number of students studying HH equals that studying EE, then the number of students studying HH is

52
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 34

CAT 2018 Quantitative Ability Past Year Question Paper

Every question from the CAT 2018 Quantitative Ability paper is here in full, with the correct answer and a step by step solution for each one. It is completely free, there is no login and no paywall, and you can read the whole paper online or download it to revise offline.

You can also attempt it instead of only reading it. Take the paper as a full length mock under exam conditions, or filter it by topic and attempt just that topic as a topic test. Both are free, and you get a breakdown of your accuracy, your timing and your weak areas once you submit.

CAT past year questions (PYQs) are the closest thing to the real exam, so working through them is the quickest way to learn the paper pattern, the marking scheme and the level of difficulty to expect on the day.