CAT 2026 Quantitative Aptitude section has 22 questions - MCQ and TITA - in a locked 40-minute window. Download the last 10 years question papers below, then check the topic wise weightage table to see where marks come from.
Official website: iimcat.ac.in
- CAT 2026 exam date: Expected November 2026 | Registrations expected from August 2026
- QA section: 22 questions in 40 minutes - MCQ and TITA mixed
- Marking: +3 correct, -1 wrong MCQ; no negative for TITA questions
- Maximum marks in QA: 66 marks out of 198 total
- Arithmetic and Algebra: 60 to 70% of all QA questions - the highest weightage topics by far
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Papers 2026 - Download PDF
| Sample Paper | PDF Download |
|---|---|
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 4 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 5 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 6 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 7 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 8 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 9 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 10 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 11 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 12 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 13 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 14 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 15 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 16 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 17 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 18 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 19 | Download PDF |
| CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper 20 | Download PDF |
PDFs will be updated as new papers are added. Bookmark this page.
| Year | Slots Available | Solutions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2024 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2023 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2022 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2021 | Slot 1, Slot 2, Slot 3 | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2020 | Slot 1, Slot 2 | Available | Collegedunia |
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Exam Pattern and Marks Distribution 2026
QA runs last in all CAT slots. TITA questions typically take longer than MCQ - budget your 40 minutes with that in mind.
- Questions: 22 total - MCQ and TITA mix (exact split varies each year)
- Time: 40 minutes; no carry-over allowed from VARC or DILR
- MCQ marking: +3 correct, -1 wrong; 0 for unattempted
- TITA marking: +3 correct, 0 for wrong - always attempt TITA
- Total QA marks: 66
CAT QA Sample Papers with 40-Minute Locked Format - Why 2021 to 2025 Papers Matter Most
CAT 2021 introduced locked 40-minute sections. Pre-2021 papers used a different structure - timing benchmarks from those years do not apply to 2026.
- Use CAT 2024 and 2023 first - they match 2026 difficulty and TITA mix most closely
- Solve all three slots of a given year to see full topic coverage across the paper
- Pre-2021 papers: use only for targeted topic drill, not for timing or attempt-rate benchmarks
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Topic Wise Weightage - High Scoring Topics to Focus in Sample Papers
| Topic | Questions (approx.) | Difficulty | What to Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentages, Profit and Loss | 2-3 | Easy-Moderate | Successive discounts, multi-step cost price |
| Ratio, Proportion and Mixtures | 2-3 | Moderate | Alligation, mixture problems with changing ratios |
| Time, Speed and Distance | 2-3 | Moderate-Hard | Relative speed, circular tracks, boats and streams |
| Time and Work | 1-2 | Moderate | Pipe and cistern, combined work with variable rates |
| Linear and Quadratic Equations | 2-3 | Moderate-Hard | Integer solutions, sum and product of roots |
| Progressions and Functions | 2-3 | Moderate-Hard | AP and GP sums, function output questions |
| Geometry and Mensuration | 3-4 | Moderate-Hard | Triangles, inscribed circles, area of composite shapes |
| Number System | 2-3 | Moderate | Remainders, divisibility, trailing zeros in factorials |
| Modern Math - PnC and Probability | 1-2 | Hard | Arrangements with restrictions, conditional probability |
Do not skip Percentages and Time and Work. These are 1 to 3 questions each and among the fastest to solve - skipping them for harder Geometry wastes easy marks.
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Paper Video Solutions 2026 - Watch Before You Start Solving
Watching an expert walkthrough shows you the skip sequence and TITA-first approach before you build it into your own practice.
A dedicated video walkthrough for CAT QA 2026 will be linked here once available.
Search YouTube: CAT QA Previous Year Paper Full Solutions
How to Use CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Papers to Hit 99 Percentile
The method is the review, not the solve. One reviewed paper beats five solved and discarded.
- Solve timed: 40 minutes, no extra time. Stop at the bell.
- Categorize wrong answers: Concept gap, calculation error, or read-too-fast - each needs a different fix.
- Concept gap: Return to the topic and solve 10 fresh questions on that sub-topic before the next paper.
- TITA target: Aim for 4 out of 5 TITA correct - zero negative marking makes it your highest return-on-time section.
- Track attempt rate: 99 percentile students attempt 17 to 19 questions at 85 to 90% accuracy - not all 22.
CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sectional Strategy - How to Hit the Cutoff Using Sample Papers
A weak QA score blocks IIM calls even with a high overall total. Use sample papers to build accuracy, not just attempt count.
- First 10 minutes: Scan all 22 questions. Flag TITA and quick Arithmetic problems to attempt first.
- Skip expensive questions: Complex Geometry and Number Theory take 4 to 5 minutes - mark and return only if time remains.
- TITA first: Attempt all TITA before any MCQ skips - zero penalty completely changes your risk calculation.
- Accuracy beats volume: 16 attempts with 14 correct scores 39 marks; 22 attempts with 15 correct scores only 31 after negatives.
CAT Quantitative Aptitude 4 Week Preparation Plan Using Sample Papers
- Week 1 - Solve CAT 2024 Slot 1 untimed. Mark every question over 3 minutes and note which topic. These are your Week 2 focus.
- Week 2 - Revise your three weakest topics with 20 fresh questions each, then solve CAT 2024 Slot 2 and Slot 3 timed.
- Week 3 - One slot per day from CAT 2023 and 2022. After each, check TITA rate and accuracy by topic. Adjust your skip order.
- Week 4 - Full 3-section papers daily. Stop new papers 2 days before the exam and review your error log only.
FAQs on CAT Quantitative Aptitude Sample Papers 2026
Ques. How many CAT QA sample papers are enough to score above 99 percentile?
Ans. 15 to 20 full QA sessions, but only when paired with an error log. More papers without review typically plateau at 85 to 90 percentile.
Ques. Are CAT Quantitative Aptitude questions repeated from previous year papers?
Ans. Exact repetition is rare. The same sub-topics - TSD, ratio and mixtures, AP/GP - appear every year with different numbers. Pattern knowledge matters more than memorising answers.
Ques. Which CAT QA slot should I start with when using sample papers?
Ans. CAT 2024 Slot 1. It reflects current difficulty and TITA mix most accurately. Solve all three 2024 slots before moving to 2023.
Ques. Can I clear the CAT QA sectional cutoff in 30 days using only sample papers?
Ans. Yes if your base is solid. First 10 days on your two weakest topics, then timed papers. IIM cutoffs sit at 80 to 85 percentile - roughly 15 to 18 correct answers.
Ques. Where can I download CAT QA previous year question papers with answer key PDF for free?
Ans. Collegedunia has slot-wise papers with solutions from 2020 onwards. The official IIM CAT website (iimcat.ac.in) releases question papers after each exam.
Ques. Is TITA enough for the CAT QA sectional cutoff or do I need MCQ attempts too?
Ans. No. CAT 2024 had 7 to 8 TITA questions in QA. Getting all correct gives 21 to 24 marks out of 66 - you still need MCQ attempts to cross 80 percentile.
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