Management Aptitude Test - MAT - September 2007 Analysis

B-school Updates

MAT 2008 Analysis

Overview:

MAT strikes again! It presented a combination of jumbled up questions accompanied with numerous challenges. Offering a high scoring section of Logical Reasoning, easy questions of Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation, and a moderately difficult Verbal Ability Section, the question paper, on an overall basis, provided sections that belonged to an average level of difficulty. Each section contained a few questions that were easily manageable and hence made the question paper quite scoring.

Executive Summary:

The basic sequence of section with possible attempts was as follows:

Section	No. of Ques.	Suggested Time	Possible Attempts	Possible Score
Reasoning	40	23	35	15 +
QA	40	22	35	17 +
DI and DS	40	24	35	18 +
G.A.	40	15	10	6 +
EU & RC	40	20	35	15 +
Total	200	99+	150	65+ (excluding GK)

*Note: The number of attempts and the score has been worked out on the basis of the experts’ insight on how the students would have taken the test and what score normally has been achieved by the students in past years in this level of paper.

SECTION I: LOGICAL REASONING

This has been the scoring area for many students in the recent MAT papers. This time there was a marginal jump in language based reasoning questions and hence it was a bit more complicated. Nevertheless, it was still easy. The questions can be broadly classified as:

These were mixed bag questions with broad breakup as under:

ANALYTICAL ANALYSIS

Type of question	No. of Questions	Level of Difficulty
Venn Diagram two set	7	Easy
Blood Relationship	2	Easy
Misc (single questions)	3	Easy
Input Output Flow chart	4	Average
AR Set	4	Difficult

LOGICAL REASONING

Type of question	No. of Questions	Level of Difficulty
Critical reasoning	4	Difficult
Course of Action	4	Difficult
Statement Arguments	4	Average
Statement Conclusions	4	Easy-Average
Statement Assumptions	4	Easy

Hence, about 23 questions from this section could have been attempted.
Assuming 75%+ accuracy, a score of 15+ was easily possible in 35 minutes.

SECTION II: QUANTITATIVE ABILITY

In this section students could easily enhance their scores. The all time favourite arithmetic was very prominent. The topic wise break up of the questions was as follows:

Type of question	No. of Questions	Level of Difficulty
Percentages	3	Easy-Average
Ratio & proportion, SI-CI	5	Easy
Averages	4	Easy
Time Speed Distance	6	Easy-Average
Time & Work	4	Easy-Average
Geometry	2	Average
Mensuration	4	Easy
Trigonometry	1	Easy
Clocks Calenders	4	Easy
Permutations and Probability	3	Average
Number System and Misc	4	Average

Assuming an accuracy of 80% and attempt of 22 questions, a score of 17+ is possible with a time spend of about 35 minutes.

SECTION III: DATA INTERPRETATION

This was an easier section as compared to the last 3 years' MAT papers. The sets were either lengthy or difficult to interpret. The easy part was DS.

The summary was as under:

Type of question	No. of Questions	Level of Difficulty
Tables based set	9 (2 sets)	Average
Line chart	6 (2 sets)	Easy
Bar graph	7(2 sets)	Average-Difficult
Pie chart	8 (2 sets)	Average-Difficult
Combinational graph	4 ( 1 set)	Average-Difficult
Data Sufficiency	6	Easy

So the total attempt in this section could be about 22 questions and with about 80% accuracy one can score 18+ comfortably in this section.

SECTION IV: READING COMPREHENSION AND ENGLISH USAGE

This was again a section of moderate difficulty level. Let us take a closer look at this section!

Total no. of Questions: 40
No. of RC passages: 5
Questions from RC passages: 20
Questions from EU: 20

Analysis of English Usage and Reading Comprehension:

Type	No. of Questions	Level of Difficulty
Para jumbled	4	Average
Ward Analogies	4	Average
Sentence Corrections	4	Difficult
Idioms and phrases	4	Average
Fill in the blanks	4	Average
RC	20 (5 passages)	Two difficult, Two Average and

Once again RC could have given a decent score. Also, vocabulary questions were very good. So, both these together would fetch you a great score.

An attempt of 20 questions with 75 % accuracy could have yielded a possible score of 15+ in 35 minutes.

SECTION V: GENERAL AWARENESS SECTION

There were 40 questions based on Current affairs, brands, punchlines & some fact based questions. In 10 minutes, a student could have attempted 15 questions and with 60 % accuracy; one could have got 9 marks in GK Section.

Overall analysis:

Expected Score (excluding GK)	Expected percentile
80 +	99 percentile
75-80	95 percentile
68-75	90 percentile

With best wishes
Career Launcher Team

Analysis of Entrance Tests

2007 - 2008
NMAT

SNAP

JMET

MAT

IIFT

CAT

IRMA

2006 - 2007
XAT

FMS

MFC

CET