Q1:

Ratio, Proportion & Variation

Easy

A sum of money is split among Amal, Sunil and Mita so that the ratio of the shares of Amal and Sunil is 3:23: 2, while the ratio of the shares of Sunil and Mita is 4:54: 5. If the difference between the largest and the smallest of these three shares is Rs 400400, then Sunil's share, in rupees, is

800
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 1

Q2:

Integral Solutions

Medium

The number of pairs of integers ( x,yx, y ) satisfy x≥y≥−20x \geq y \geq-20 and 2x+5y=992 x+5 y=99 is

17
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 2

Q3:

Indices

Medium

The number of integers that satisfy the equality (x2−5x+7)x+1=1(x^2 - 5x + 7)^{x + 1} = 1 is

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

Q4:

Simple & Compound Interest

Medium

For the same principal amount, the compound interest for two years at 5%5\% per annum exceeds the simple interest for three years at 3%3\% per annum by Rs. 11251125. Then the principal amount in rupees is

90000
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 4

Q5:

Linear Equation

Hard

Aron bought some pencils and sharpeners. Spending the same amount of money as Aron, Aditya bought twice as many pencils and 1010 less sharpeners. If the cost of one sharpener is Rs. 22 more than the cost of a pencil, then the minimum possible number of pencils bought by Aron and Aditya together is

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

Q6:

Percentages

Medium

In May, John bought the same amount of rice and the same amount of wheat as he had bought in April, but spent Rs. 150150 more due to price increase of rice and wheat by 20%20 \% and 12%12 \%, respectively. If John had spent Rs. 450450 on rice in April, then how much did he spend on wheat in May?

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 6

Q7:

Permutation & Combination

Hard

How many 44-digit numbers, each greater than 10001000 and each having all four digits distinct, are there with 77 coming before 3?

315
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 7

Q8:

Minima & Maxima

Medium

If xx and yy are positive real numbers satisfying x+y=102x + y = 102, then the minimum possible value of 2601(1+1x)(1+1y)2601(1+\frac{1}{x})(1+\frac{1}{y}) is

2704
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 8

Q9:

Modulus

Medium

In how many ways can a pair of integers (x,a)(x, a) be chosen such that x2−2∣x∣+∣a−2∣=0x^2 - 2 | x | + | a - 2 | = 0?

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 9

Q10:

Time, Speed & Distance

Hard

Two runners, Alice and Bob, are racing on two different circular tracks, T1T1 and T2T2, with radii 60 m60 \mathrm{\ m} and 40 m40 \mathrm{\ m} respectively. They both start from point PP at the same moment. Alice runs on track T1T1 at a constant speed of 12 km/hr12 \mathrm{\ km} / \mathrm{hr} and Bob runs on track T2T2 at a constant speed of 8 km/hr8 \mathrm{\ km} / \mathrm{hr}. After how many full rounds of Alice does she meet Bob again for the first time since the race started?

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 10

Q11:

Polynomials

Medium

Let f(x)=x2+ax+bf(x)=x^{2}+a x+b and g(x)=f(x+1)−f(x−1)g(x)=f(x+1)-f(x-1). If f(x)≥0f(x) \geq 0 for all real xx, and g(20)=72g(20)=72, then the smallest possible value of bb is

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 11

Q12:

Circles

Medium

Let C1C1 and C2C2 be concentric circles such that the diameter of C1C1 is 2 cm2 \mathrm{~cm} longer than that of C2C2. If a chord of C1C1 has length 6 cm6 \mathrm{~cm} and is a tangent of C2C2, then the diameter, in cm, of C1C1 is

10
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 12

Q13:

Triangles

Hard

The sum of the perimeters of an equlateral triangle and a rectangle is 90 cm90 \mathrm{~cm} the area, TT , of the triangle and the area, RR , of the rectangle, both in sq cm, satisfy the relationship R=T2R=T^{2}. If the sides of the rectangle are in the ratio 1:31: 3, then the length, in cm , of the longer side of the rectangle, is

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 13

Q14:

Time, Speed & Distance

Medium

The distance from BB to CC is thrice that from AA to BB. Two trains travel from AA to CC via BB. The speed of train 22 is double that of train 11 while traveling from AA to BB and their speeds are interchanged while traveling from BB to CC. The ratio of the time taken by train 11 to that taken by train 22 in travelling from AA to CC is

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

Q15:

Mean, Median & Mode

Hard

In a group of 1010 students, the mean of the lowest 99 scores is 4242 while the mean of the highest 99 scores is 4747. For the entire group of 1010 students, the maximum possible mean exceeds the minimum possible mean by

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 15

Q16:

Progression & Series

Hard

Let the mthm^{th} and nthn^{th} terms of a geometric progression be 3/43 / 4 and 1212, respectively, where m<nm<n. If the common ratio of the progression is an integer rr, then the smallest possible value of r+n−mr+n-m is

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

Q17:

Time, Speed & Distance

Easy

AA and BB are two points on a straight line. Ram runs from AA to BB while Rahim runs from BB to AA. After crossing each other, Ram and Rahim reach their destinations in one minute and four minutes, respectively. If they start at the same time, then the ratio of Ram's speed to Rahim's speed is

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 17

Q18:

Time, Speed & Distance

Medium

In a car race, car AA beats car BB by 45 km45 \mathrm{~km}, car BB beats car CC by 5050km, and car AA beats CC by 90 km90 \mathrm{~km}. the distance (in km) over which the race has been conducted is

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 18

Q19:

Triangles

Medium

From an interior point of an equilateral triangle, perpendiculars are drawn on all three sides. The sum of the lengths of the three perpendiculars is ss. Then the area of triangle is

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 19

Q20:

Set Theory

Medium

Students in a college have to choose at least two subjects from Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. The number of students choosing all three subjects is 1818, choosing Mathematics as one of their subjects is 2323 and choosing Physics as one of their subjects is 2525. The smallest possible number of students who could choose Chemistry as one of their subjects is

Answer options
Option 3
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 20

Q21:

Profit & Loss

Medium

Anil buys 1212 toys and labels each with the same selling price. He sells 88 toys initially at 20%20 \% discount on the labeled price. Then he sells the remaining 44 toys at an additional 25%25 \% discount on the discounted price. Thus, he gets a total of Rs 2112,2112, and makes a 10%10\% profit. With no discounts, his percentage of profit would have been

Answer options
Option 4
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 21

Q22:

Minima & Maxima

Medium

For real x,x, the maximum possible value of x1+x4\frac{x}{\sqrt{1+x^4}} is

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 22

Q23:

Time & Work

Medium

John takes twice as much time as Jack to finish a job. Jack and Jim together take one-thirds of the time to finish the job than John takes working alone. Moreover, in order to finish the job, John takes three days more than that taken by three of them working together. In how many days will Jim finish the job working alone?

4
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 23

Q24:

Logarithms

Medium

The value of log⁡a(ab)+log⁡b(ba)\log_a \left(\frac{a}{b}\right) + \log_b \left(\frac{b}{a}\right), for 1<a≤b1 < a \leq b cannot be equal to

Answer options
Option 2
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 24

Q25:

Inequalities

Medium

If xx and yy are non-negative integers such that x+9=z,y+1=zx+9=z, y+1=z and x+y<z+5x+y<z+5, then the maximum possible value of 2x+y2 x+y ?

23
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 25

Q26:

Circles

Medium

Let CC be a circle of radius 55 meters having center at OO. Let PQP Q be a chord of CC that passes through points AA and BB where AA is located 44 meters north of OO and BB is located 33 meters east of OO. Then, the length of PQP Q, in meters, is nearest to

Answer options
Option 1
Correct Answer
Explanation for CAT QA question 26

CAT 2020 Quantitative Ability Past Year Question Paper

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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.