SNAPSHOT- MAT MAY 2012 EXAM ANALYSIS Number of Questions Marking Scheme Negative Marking Number of Sections Number

of Choices Duration 200 1 mark per question 0.25 marks per question 5 4(1.2,3,4) 150 minutes

This MAT exam, conducted on 6th May 2012, had 200 questions to be attempted in 150 minutes. These 200 questions were from five test areas viz. Indian and Global Environment, Language Comprehension, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Mathematical Skills, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning with exactly 40 questions in each. Each question had equal marking and one-fourth mark was deducted for every wrong answer. For the sake of convenience, 1 mark has been taken for every correct answer.

Overall Summary(estimated for May2012 MAT exam) The consolidated score is evaluated by taking only four areas into account. Indian and Global Environment is not the part of the consolidated score. Hence, the scoring is done out of a maximum possible score of 160 marks(@1 mark for 160 qs). However, the score card(by AIMA) doesnot give the net marks. It gives the scaled score and the percentile in each and every section. It also gives the overall composite score and the overall percentile. This table gives the overall estimated percentile in this MAY2012 MAT exam at different possible net marks. Overall Net Marks Overall Estimated percentile (excluding the marks in Indian and Global Environment) 50 55 65 85 (MAY2012 MAT)

80 90 96 More than 99

Sectional Percentile for a net score of 20 marks in individual section(estimated for MAY 2012 MAT exam)

Section Language Comprehension Mathematical Skills Data Analysis and Sufficiency Intelligence and Critical Reasoning

Total Number of questions 40 40 40 40

Estimated Sectional percentile for Net 20 marks in individual section (MAY2012 MAT) 90 99 90 85

Let us analyze the different types of questions from each of the test area along with the overall difficulty level of each of the test area.

Language Comprehension This test area had a good mix of 20 questions from Reading Comprehension and 20 questions from Verbals. A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 30-35 min. There were five passages. The questions in Verbal require good knowledge about English usage & functional grammar. The type of the questions asked for this MAY 2012 MAT was exactly similar to that asked for the MAT FEB2012 Exam. This time, also, AIMA gave six questions which were in jumbled format. In three out of these six questions, the antonym of the word was to be found out. In the remaining three, the words were in

jumbled format and the odd one out was to be found out. Those who have been regularly solving the questions from All India MOCK MATs by T.I.M.E would not have found this as the surprise element. Overall, the test area can be classified as MODERATE. A good score, in this test area alone, is 20 in the time limit of 30-35 min. Good Difficulty Area Description Marks Net level Marks To find the antonyms of the words given 3 Easy in jumbled form Vocabulary Odd Man out (Each of the words given in 2 Easy 1 3 jumbled form) Difficult Moderate Fill in the blanks (2 blanks) 3 8 Difficult ModerateEnglish Usage Most appropriate restatement 3 Difficult and Grammar Para-Jumbles 4 Moderate Best essence of the given paragraph 4 Difficult Passage1: Social Entrepreneurship: 4 Why Mentors Matter Passage 2: BANKING SUCCESS: 4 BEING USER FRIENDLY Reading 12 Passage 3: Now, consumers junk Comprehension Moderate Centre for Science and Environment 4 report Pasage 4: Cos like Dabur, GCPL, 4 Philips, Samsung, Panasonic tweak

bonus plans to retain employees Passage 5: Employers need to make the intangibles count while rewarding employees Overall

4 40 Moderate 20

Data Analysis and Sufficiency As shown in the table below, this test area comprises DI, DS and Data Comparison, with DI accounting for 30 out of 40 questions while DS and Data Comparison put together accounting for the remaining 10 questions. The questions in DI involved were based on observation, calculations like comparison of fractions, computing the average, percentage based calculations etc. Overall, this test area can be considered to be EasyModerate. A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 35-40 min for a good net score of 20(which will give a sectional percentile of at least 90). Area Estimated Marks Difficulty Description Marks ( for at level least 90 percentile) There were two charts given. These Data charts gave the data regarding the wheat 5 Easy 13 Interpretation production of seven countries conventional vs scientific method.

The venn diagram gave the details regarding the number of students failed in Physics, Chemistry, Maths The bar graph gave the FDI inflow in the country from 1991 to 1997. The line grapoh gave the production details of cars by Maruthi, Chevrolet, Hyundai from 2000-2006. The pie chart gave the distribution of expenses on six items from A to F in 1997 & 1998. The bar chart gave the salary and regular household and incidental expenses of Ramesh for year 1 to year 4. Data Each question followed by two Sufficiency & statements, A and B. Data Data Comparison Comparison Overall

5 5 5

Moderate Easy Easy

Moderate

5 5 5 40

Easy Easy 7 Easy EasyModerate 20

Mathematical Skills The paper predominantly had questions from the Arithmetic areas like (Percentages, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, Geometry & Mensuration, Time and Distance, Averages,

Mixtures and Alligations). The questions involved only the basics and those who would have done adequate practice would have found those questions quite easy. The success in this particular test area depended on one's basic conceptual skills, and calculation skills. Overall, the test area can be classified as DIFFICULT. A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 35-40 min for a good net score of 13(which will give a sectional percentile of at least 90). Area Estimated Marks Description Marks Difficulty level ( for at least 90 percentile)

Time & Work, Pipes and Cisterns Time & Distance, Boats and Streams Averages, Mixtures & Alligations Arithmetic Equations, Ratio, Proportion & Variation Percentages, Profit, Loss, Partnership Geometry & Mensuration Simple Interest, Compound Interest Higher Trigometry, Heights and

6 3 4 6 2 4 4 3

Easy Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate -Difficult Moderate Difficult Difficult 1 12

Math

Distance P&C Probability Overall

4 4 40

Difficult

13

Intelligence and Critical Reasoning This test area is a mix of Analytical reasoning (30 questions) and Critical reasoning (10 questions). Each of the five questions pertaining to Missing term in the figure was very easy. A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 30-35 min. Overall, the questions on Analytical Reasoning were of easy to moderate difficulty level and a good student would have found this area manageable. Overall this test area can be classified as MODERATE. A net score of 24 marks will give a sectional percentile of at least 90. Area Description Marks Difficulty level Estimated Marks ( for at least 90 percentile)

Analytical Reasoning

Seating Arrangement Direction Sense Distribution Missing term in the figure

3 3 3 5

Difficult Difficult Easy 21

Critical Reasoning

Blood Relations (3 sets of 3 questions each) Seating Arrangement Verbal Analogy Assertion and Reasons Cause & Effect Statement & Conclusions Overall

9 3 4 4 3 3 40

Easy - Moderate Moderate -Difficult Moderate Moderate Moderate 3 24

Indian and Global Environment The questions in this test area were, predominantly, from business, current affairs, Person and their associated fields, etc. Those who have been reading newspapers on a regular basis would have found this area comfortable. Overall this test area can be classified as Moderately Difficult. A good time allocation strategy would be to spend around 5 minutes for a good net score of 7 marks.