Hey there, B-school aspirants! I know that Quant sometimes feels like a tough nut to crack. But trust me, it’s not as scary as it seems. Think of it like Ross trying to assemble furniture from IKEA. Yes, it’s tricky, but with the right guidance, you will nail it.

So, grab your coffee as we dive into the five essential Quant concepts that will make you a maths pro.

1.  Number Systems: The Foundation

This section tests a candidate’s conceptual understanding of numbers, divisibility rules, factors, and other arithmetic concepts. Whether finding factors, LCM, HCF, or understanding divisibility rules, this is your go-to topic.

Try this: List all the numbers between 1 to 100 and find their factors. Soon, finding prime numbers will feel like Chandler’s sarcastic comebacks: sharp, easy and oddly satisfying.

2.  Percentages and Profit Loss- Maths Essentials

Questions on these topics test your ability to calculate quickly and apply logical reasoning. You must focus on conversions between fractions and percentages, percentage increase/decrease, and successive percentage changes. Master concepts like cost price (CP), selling price (SP), profit/loss percentages, discounts, and break-even points.

Try this: Practice converting percentages into fractions. For example, 20%= 1/5 and 12.5%= 1/8. These shortcuts will save you a ton of time and mental energy.

3.  Time, Speed, and Distance- For Maths Logic

You can expect 2-3 questions from this topic, often involving tricky scenarios like relative speed or races. Start by memorising the basic formulas, then focus on speed calculations using shortcuts and approximation. Associate the problems with real-life scenarios involving trains, cars, or boats. The formulas are pretty simple:

·   Speed = Distance ÷ Time

·   Time = Distance ÷ Speed

Try this: But you must also know conversions like 1 km/hr = 5/18 m/s and 1m/s = 18/5 ​km/hr.

4.  Geometry: From Numbers to Figures

Geometry is a high-weightage topic in the QA section, often testing candidates’ conceptual understanding. Always relate shapes to something you see in your daily life, like if there is a problem with a circle, then visualise your pizza when dealing with angles, and then imagine your slices. Understand the properties of each shape, like circles, triangles, quadrilaterals, etc. and memorise all their formulas.

Try this: Whenever you’re stuck, draw the problem out. Visualising the question often gives you a clear path to answer.

5.  Algebra: Math Mystery

Algebra might seem mysterious as it will primarily test your ability to manipulate algebraic expressions, solve equations, and work with variables. But don’t let it intimidate you. It’s about patterns and logic. Think of equations as puzzles and start solving simple equations before jumping to complicated quadratic ones.

Try this: For quadratic equations ax2+bx+c=0, if you can identify two numbers that multiply to give ac (product of a and c) and add up to b, you can easily factor the equation. The more you work with this topic, the more predictable and less intimidating it becomes.

QA is easy when you learn to prioritise questions because not all questions are worth solving. Firstly, pick the topics that you’re comfortable with and keep practising. Try doing as many mocks as possible; this will sharpen your calculating skills. Analyse every mock that you take so that you identify your shortcomings. So, grab your RD Sharma math book and start practising. Let’s do this!