CAT prep: Understanding of text and patience keys to solving LR questions

NOIDA, India - July 9, 2013 - PRLog -- The questions based on the concept of Team Formations frequently appear in the Verbal Ability-Logical Reasoning (VA-LR section) in CAT. In total, LR has about 10 questions based on different concepts. Team Formation is one of the most prominent sub-sections within Logical Reasoning.

Aspirants must remember that in Logical reasoning questions (http://www.mbauniverse.com/article/id/7004/), key to success are good reading skill, understanding of the text and a fair amount of patience.  If one has them, one can expect to hit all the right answer options.

This feature will guide you on LR Questions on Team Formation.

Such questions consist of selection problems which tend to have two aspects: one that is structural and one that is quantitative in nature. Hence, devising a method that allows decisions on both aspects is very crucial as well as important. The decisions are based on context information. Certain conditions and constraints exist in the questions before arriving at the decision of the team formations. Necessary leads and clues have to be retrieved from the information, condition, data given in the question. The group whether of people or other objects needs or doesn’t need to be placed in the team depends on such clues.

How to proceed –

Place the clues present in the question, in correct order to be able to understand the conditions.

Understand the structure/formation of the team along with the persons/objects to be placed in the same.

When you are in the process of team formation, remember to bring in the relevant clues to fulfil the constraints and conditions in the question.

Coordinate the language and logic and picturise the solution keeping in mind the clues and constraints.

While logic scoring of preferences allows qualitative decision making, graph/  table transformations  provide a solution to the structural selection

Past CAT questions - Let us try to solve the following past CAT questions (http://www.mbauniverse.com/mba-exam-preparation/mba_exam_...) based on the concept of Team Formation–

Direction – Answer the questions on the basis of the information given below -

The Head of a newly formed Government desires to appoint five of the six elected members A,B,C,D,E, and F in the portfolios of Home, Power, Defence, Telecom and Finance. F does not want any portfolio if D gets one of the five. C wants either Home or Finance or no portfolio.  B says if D gets either Power or Telecom, then she must get the other one. E insists on a portfolio if A gets one.

Q.1.Which is a valid assignment?

(a) A-Home, B-Power, C-Defence, D-Telecom, E-Finance

(b) C-Home, D-Power, A-Defence, B-Telecom, E-Finance

(c) A-Home, B-Power, E-Defence, D-Telecom, A-Telecom, F-Finance

(d) B-Home, F-Power, E-Defence, C-Telecom, A-Finance

How to solve it?

Let us find out the conditions and constraints in the question –

While going through the question remember the following condition – Each of A,B,C and E is supposed to be given a portfolio

ii)  Only one (either) of F and D is to be taken.

iii) While C’s condition is to go for Home or Finance, B is dependent on external condition i.e. what does D get. B will get what D doesn’t get- since D has to be given either power or Telecom-the remaining either power or telecom will be given to B. No such condition exists, if D doesn’t get either.

iv) E will get the Ministry if A gets a portfolio, hence A and E should be given portfolio in the Ministry.

Now choose the right option -

Answer for Question-1
Eliminate option a-  this answer gives Defense to C which is contradictory to the information and provided condition as C has to be given either Home or Finance.

Option-b-not only confirms to the given information but also there is no violation of any condition.

Eliminate option c- since D as well as F are given portfolios together – so not correct as per the given conditions

Eliminate option –d as again C is not given the Home or Finance portfolio

Hence for question 1 – correct answer is option – b

Author of this article Mr S K Agarwal is a CAT Expert, a seasoned CAT trainer with over 25 years of experience, & author of many CAT books. He also guides Verbal Ability and LR Section to CAT Aspirants through MBAUniverse.com online coaching classes.

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