Quantitative Aptitude
Quantitative Aptitude means the ability to solve numerical and mathematical calculations. This is very often required in most of the competitive exams.
It forms an important part of almost all competitive exams, such as CAT, XAT, MAT, NMAT, CMAT, IIFT GMAT and so on.
QA is an important part of the recruitment process. The calculations are to be done in a specified time. It is one section which is used to select the best candidates as not everyone has the skill sets required to answer all the questions in this section. But it is possible to acquire this skill set by understanding the basic concepts and by solving as many problems as possible to improve your speed. If you have a good aptitude for numbers, you have a chance to score highly in this section and increase your chances of cracking the entrance exam.
Quantitative aptitude tests your mental alertness, problem-solving skills, analytical power, accuracy, comfort level with numbers etc. A person having an aptitude for numbers, will invariably have a sharp mind. A person who is good in solving problems in the QA section is considered to be better equipped to handle the problems in business since he will possess a knack for finding solutions for the problems. A person with a good aptitude for numbers will be in a better position to analyse and make sense of any data given. Such a person will also be at ease with numbers.
Any employer would prefer to select candidates who has all these skills. So, immense weightage is given to quantitative aptitude scores and a high score in the QA section is a big plus point in the recruitment process.
Quantitative aptitude test basically involves mathematical questions. A strong understanding of the basic topics in mathematics will help you score well in the QA section. Regular practice, short-cut methods and a good understanding of the topics on which questions are asked will assist you in answering QA questions.
Some of the important topics on which questions are asked in most competitive exams are: Simplification, Number series, Average, Partnership, Time, work and wages, Profit, loss and discount, Simple and compound interest, Speed, time and distance, Trains, Boats and streams, Area and volume, Data interpretation, Probability, Permutation and combination, Algebra, Trigonometry etc.