CAT 2024: Tips To Score Well In Logical Reasoning And Data Interpretation (LRDI) Section

For candidates seeking to take the CAT exam, one of the biggest hurdles is an undefined syllabus. The candidates have to manage with an outline of the topics asked in the previous years' exams and prepare accordingly. Hence, there is no other 'mantra' for cracking the CAT exam apart from solving as many questions as possible before one sits for the actual CAT exam.

The exam is divided into three sections - Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Ability. Over the last few years, the Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation (LRDI) section of the exam has been the highlight due to its increased difficulty level. Let's try to crack this section open and see how to manage it well on exam day.

LRDI section of CAT 2024

The LRDI section requires candidates to rely on their analytical skills and logical thinking. Here is the analysis of the CAT 2024 LRDI section:

Time allotted for this section	40 minutes
Number of Questions	20
Topics Covered	Bar graphs, missing data, puzzles, Blood Relations, Caselets, etc. covered under 4 sets of 5 questions each
Total Marks	60
Type of Questions	MCQs (15 questions); Non-MCQs (5 questions)
Marks Awarded for Each Correct Answer	+ 3
Negative Marking for Each Incorrect Answer	-1
Difficulty Level of Questions	Moderate to Difficult

The above table will provide you with an overview of the LRDI section and help you in planning the preparation effectively. Since there is a negative marking for wrong answers, the questions need to be answered carefully in order to obtain a good CAT score.

How to manage the LRDI section preparation well?

Considered a tricky and lengthy section, LRDI or Logical Reasoning Data Interpretation section basically includes two types of questions. While LR tests the ability of the candidate to identify significant patterns through the given data, DI questions assess the skill to solve a set of questions by interpreting the given data in the form of charts, graphs, tables, Venn diagrams etc. Following are some tips and tricks to help you score well in this section.

Choose wisely, score well

First, understand that this section is not meant to evaluate your knowledge on the basis of attempting the entire section. It tests your ability to identify only 15-20 questions and attempt them with 100 percent accuracy. This is key to preparing for LRDI in the most efficient way. Apply this strategy every time you take tests. After all, LRDI is a test of questions. The section may be tricky but is quite scoring as well if handled well. hence, if you have mastered the art of analyzing the questions, you will certainly score well.

There is no substitute for practice

Practice previous year's question papers, solve sectional problems from logical reasoning books, give topic-wise tests, and take mocks as you are giving the final CAT exam. Practice has a key role in data interpretation and logical reasoning preparation.

Analyze the logical reasoning topic that you are comfortable with such as Graphs, Bar charts, Caselets, Direction sense, Logical matching, Team formation, CAT Reasoning Puzzles, Seating Arrangement, Mathematical Reasoning, Brain Teasers or Blood Relations, etc., and start practicing the same to build your interest. Similarly, devote enough time to data interpretation questions and get exposed to as many question types as possible. Regular practice of questions will not only create an analytical bent of mind but will also teach you various logical reasoning tricks thus improving your speed of solving questions during the final exam.

Evaluate yourself

Also, for effective CAT preparation, don't forget to evaluate your progress from time to time. Target to solve at least 5 data interpretation and logical reasoning sets in a week. At the end of the week, take a sectional to test your learnings. With time, increase the number of sets and questions each week accordingly. The idea behind this is to do regular practice of different questions for CAT, examining your strong points while working on the weaker ones.

How to solve the LRDI section during exam?

As soon as the timer starts ticking, do not blindly hop into solving. Be patient and invest the initial 10 minutes skimming all the topics. This will allow you to stay focussed with a clear strategy in mind. Develop the habit of building a strategy in your mind as soon as you finish skimming. Judge carefully, which sets to attempt and among those sets which questions should be solved first. This is where practicing through mock tests plays a key role.

This approach has worked for many toppers. You can start to prepare for the LRDI section by applying this strategy in the upcoming sectionals and tweaking it as per your requirements and efficiency.

A word of caution

On average, almost every student subconsciously takes the ability to solve questions successfully on their ego and ends up wasting an awful lot of time solving a single question. Another common blunder is the perception that if you have already invested 5-10 minutes, and then the decision to move on to another question without attempting it is a waste of time. Dear aspirants, if you really want to be in the top 1 percentile of CAT takers, you have to build a practical approach.

Understand that those 5-10 minutes were not a waste of time. Yes, they will definitely result in waste if you remain stuck on the same question for another 10 minutes. It is okay if you were unable to solve that question, move ahead. Constantly remind yourself that you have a lot more questions pending to hit the 99 percentile. Practice this habit from now itself. You have enough time to prepare for LRDI and emerge as a topper.

Sidenote: Do not set unrealistic expectations. Function step-wise and well in advance so that there is no dearth of time when it comes to revision. You have enough capability and intelligence to crack this section and turn it into an excellent score booster.

Quick tips to score well in CAT 2024

Even though there is no data interpretation and reasoning syllabus specified for CAT, you can get a good idea of the important topics from previous years' CAT papers.
Get your hands on a good logical reasoning book for CAT which has sufficient data interpretation and logical reasoning exercises for CAT with solutions to boost your logical thinking ability and analytical skills.
Solve 10-12 logical reasoning questions and data interpretation exercises every day. Also, it is better to do questions with solutions so that you know the exact method to solve the same in case you are unable to do so.
Take a cool-off break after every 2 hours of study to refresh your mind.
Don't focus on collecting too much study material. Get some good books for CAT or study material from popular coaching centers and concentrate on practicing. Remember practice is the real score booster in CAT.
Don't get bogged down by mock scores. Instead, analyze your mistakes and learn new tricks for calculating the accurate answer to every problem.
As per CAT experts, mock tests must be solved within a time limit. Since time management skill is absolutely important for CAT, attempting mock tests within the time limit helps you build this skill for the final exam.
Avoid negative marks during practice tests. Solve the questions that you know well and then move on to the ones that need more work.

Numerous CAT aspirants fail to make it to an elite college or their dream management college despite taking coaching classes because of a lack of a consistent approach. Hence, regular practice of questions and revision of important topics is the key to success in CAT.