CAT 2021 Slot 2 DILR Analysis: Strategies, Question Patterns, and Key Insights
The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2021 was conducted across multiple slots, with Slot 2 (typically the afternoon session) featuring a Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR) section that tested candidates' analytical and problem-solving skills. This analysis focuses on the key question patterns, challenges, and strategies observed in the DILR section of CAT 2021 Slot 2, based on candidate回忆 and publicly discussed trends.
1. DILR Section Overview
Duration: 60 minutes
Total Questions: 40 (20 Data Interpretation + 20 Logical Reasoning)
Pattern:
Data Interpretation (DI): 4 sets of 5 questions each (20 questions total).
Logical Reasoning (LR): 4 sets of 5 questions each (20 questions total).
2. Data Interpretation Analysis
Key Question Patterns
Table Analysis:
A table with sales data of products across regions and months was provided.
Questions focused on percentage changes, ratios, and comparisons (e.g., "Which product showed the highest growth in Q3 compared to Q2?").
Caselet with Multiple Graphs:
A caselet about a company’s production and consumption of two products (A and B) over 5 years was accompanied by a bar graph (production) and a pie chart (consumption).
Questions tested combined data interpretation (e.g., "Calculate the surplus/deficit of Product A in 2018").
Line Graph with Time Series Data:
A line graph tracking monthly revenue for a small business from January to December.
Questions involved identifying trends, peaks, and calculating averages (e.g., "Which quarter had the lowest revenue variance?").
Caselet with Two Variables:
A set about students’ performance in two subjects (Math and English) with a matrix showing scores and rankings.
Questions required logical deductions (e.g., "How many students scored above the average in both subjects?").
Challenges and Tips
Time Management: Candidates found the caselet-based DI time-consuming due to complex relationships between variables.
Strategies:
Skim caselets first to identify key variables.
Focus on direct questions before attempting inference-based ones.
Use approximations for percentage/ratio questions to save time.
3. Logical Reasoning Analysis
Key Question Patterns
Seating Arrangement:
A circular arrangement of 8 people with constraints on age, profession, and seating preferences.
Key clues included "A sits between B and C," "D is older than E," and gender-based restrictions.
Blood Relation:
A family tree with 6 members (two generations) and questions about relationships (e.g., "How is F related to K?").
Clues involved marital status and sibling relationships.
Puzzle (Floor Plan):
A 4x4 grid with 8 rooms, each assigned a unique color and activity.
Constraints: "Painting cannot be adjacent to Coding," "Reading is opposite to Swimming."
Questions tested spatial reasoning and logical elimination.
Direction and Distance:
A sequence of movements (North, South, East, West) with turns and distances.
Questions asked for final positions relative to the start point (e.g., "Where is X after 10 steps?").
Binary Logic (True/False):
Statements about employees’ roles (e.g., "All engineers are managers; some managers are not engineers").
Questions tested logical consistency and set theory.
Challenges and Tips
Seating Arrangements: Candidates struggled with circular arrangements involving multiple constraints.
Puzzle Solving: Time was lost due to overcomplicating floor plans.
Strategies:
Draw quick diagrams for seating and blood relations.
Use symbols (e.g., → for "is a parent of") to simplify logic puzzles.
Tackle binary logic with Venn diagrams or truth tables.
4. Common Pitfalls
Over-approximation in DI: Incorrect rounding led to wrong answers in percentage-based questions.
Misinterpreting Caselet Clues: Missing subtle constraints (e.g., "not all" vs. "none") caused errors.
Time Allocation: Candidates spent too long on complex LR sets (e.g., floor plans), leaving DI questions incomplete.
5. Time Management Recommendations
DI: Allocate 25–30 minutes. Prioritize tables and caselets with clear data.
LR: Use 25–30 minutes. Tackle seating/blood relations first; solve puzzles methodically.
Buffer Time: Reserve 5 minutes for review or skipped questions.
6. Conclusion
CAT 2021 Slot 2 DILR emphasized data synthesis and logical deduction under time pressure. While DI questions were arithmetic-heavy, LR sets tested deeper analytical skills. Success hinges on:
Mastering approximation techniques for DI.
Practicing puzzles with increasing complexity.
Regularly simulating timed conditions to improve speed.
Candidates who managed time effectively and avoided overcomplication performed well. For future prep, focus on varied DI sets (graphs, matrices) and LR patterns (blood relations, floor plans).
Prep Resource: Refer to official CAT 2021 answer key (if available) and practice sets from platforms like * Oliveboard*, Cracku, and V牲tivity.
Let me know if you need further breakdowns or sample questions! 🚀
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