CAT Quants

Arithmetic — Complete Formula Sheet

Notebook: Saathi | Compiled by: Chetan Rajput

# Topic Key Formula Count

1 Percentages & Ratios 12+

2 Time & Work 6+

3 Time, Speed & Distance 8+

4 Upstream & Downstream 4

5 Escalator 3

6 Circular Track & Race 5

7 Profit & Loss 7+

8 Simple Interest & Installments 5

9 Compound Interest 6

10 Mixture & Alligation 4

1. PERCENTAGES & RATIOS
◆ Fraction → Percentage Shortcuts

Fraction % Fraction %

1/2 50% 3/4 75%

1/3 33.33% 2/3 66.67%

1/4 25% 1/8 12.5%

1/5 20% 2/5 40%

1/6 16.66% 1/7 14.28%

1/9 11.11% 1/11 9.09%

1/12 8.33% 1/13 7.69%

1/14 7.14% 1/16 6.25%

1/15 6.66% 1/19 5.25%

◆ Basic Percentage Formulas

x is what % of y → (x/y) × 100
What is x% of y → (x/100) × y
y is increased by x% → New value = y × (1 + x/100) = y(1 + x/100)
y is decreased by x% → New value = y × (1 - x/100)
x more items after increase → (1 + 10/100)N or (1 + x/100)y

◆ Net % Change (Successive %)

Net change = a + b + (a×b)/100
■ For 3 successive: a+b+c + (ab+bc+ca)/100 + abc/10000
■ Effective discount of 7%, 9%, 11%: Net = -7-9-11 + (67+99+77)/100 - 693/10000 ≈ -24.68%

◆ Ratios & Proportions

If A:B = 2:3 and B:C = 4:2 → A:B:C = 4:6:2 → 2:3:1
Direct Proportion → F ∝ v² → F■/F■ = v■²/v■²
Inverse Proportion → F ∝ 1/v → F■/F■ = v■/v■
■ Put & Solve method: assign ratio values and equate

2. TIME & WORK

◆ Core Formula
Work = Rate × Time
Rate Effective = Sum of all people's efficiencies
 ■ Shortcut: Take LCM of all days → find individual rates → fill table

A B A+B

Work LCM LCM LCM

Rate LCM/daysA LCM/daysB Sum of rates

Time LCM/rateA LCM/rateB Work/combined rate

◆ Share / Wages
If Time is same → Share ∝ Rate
If Time is different → Share ∝ Rate × Time

◆ Key Shortcuts
If A is 50% more efficient than B, and B takes 18 days → R■ = 3R■/2 → T■ = 2T■/3
Time taken by A & B together when A alone = a, B alone = b: T = (a×b)/(a+b)
■ If time for A, B together = time for C alone → A+B = C's efficiency. Use √(product) for geometric
shortcut

◆ Before / After Leaving

A, B, C do work in 24, 36, 48 days. C leaves 7 days before & A 3 days before completion.
Step: Work out units with LCM. Add extra work done by B&A; for those extra days.
Efficiencies: 6, 4, 3 (for LCM=144). Total extra work = 4×7 + 6×3 = 46. Total ÷ 13 = 14■/■■ days

3. TIME, SPEED & DISTANCE

◆ Basic Formulas
Distance = Speed × Time
km/hr → m/s: Multiply by 5/18
m/s → km/hr: Multiply by 18/5
■ Shortcut: (60)² − (52)² = diff × (60+52) = 8 × 112 = 896

◆ Average Speed
Avg Speed = Total Distance / Total Time
Constant Time → Avg Speed = (S■ + S■ + ... + S■) / n (Simple Average)
Constant Distance → Avg Speed = n / (1/S■ + 1/S■ + ... + 1/S■) (Harmonic Mean)
Two speeds A & B, equal distance → Avg = 2AB/(A+B)

◆ Late / Early Problems

D = (x × y)/(x - y) × Time Difference [x > y, x arrives early]
Dhanush example: 50 km/hr vs 35 km/hr, 6 min late → D = 50×35/15 × (6/60) = 35 km → reaches at 9:20 AM
◆ Train Problems
Train crosses a pole/man → Time = Length of train / Speed
Train crosses a platform → Time = (Length of train + Length of platform) / Speed
Two trains opposite direction → Relative speed = S■ + S■
Two trains same direction → Relative speed = S■ − S■

◆ Race Problems
A beats B by 45m. B beats C by 50m. A beats C by 90m. Find length of track.
A/B = x/(x−45), B/C = x/(x−50), A/C = x/(x−90) → Solve: x = 450m

4. UPSTREAM & DOWNSTREAM

◆ Core Formulas
Downstream speed (Vd) = Vboat + Vstream
Upstream speed (Vu) = Vboat − Vstream
Boat speed Vb = (Vd + Vu) / 2
Stream speed Vs = (Vd − Vu) / 2

◆ Key Ratio
Sa/Su = Tu/Ta → (Vb + Vs)/(Vb − Vs) = Tu/Td
When boat doubles its speed and time reduces by 75%: x/y = √7/2
■ For river problems: set up D/time equation for both upstream & downstream journeys

5. ESCALATOR
◆ Key Variables & Formulas
N = Total steps on escalator | A (or m) = Man's speed (steps/sec) | e = Escalator speed
Going UP with escalator going UP: N = (A + e) × t → steps taken = A×t = N − e×t
Going UP against escalator going DOWN: N = (A − e) × t → steps taken = A×t = N + e×t

◆ When both reach at same time

A+e = B−e → they meet at middle. Steps by escalator in t/2 = 5 steps
■ If Amit takes 50 steps (up with escalator) & Sumit takes 70 steps (down on same escalator): et=10 →
escalator takes 5 steps when they meet

◆ Finding N when speed ratio given

Escalator speed = 2×(1). Mayank takes 24 steps, Sumit takes 30 steps to reach top.
Speed ratio M:S = 2:3. N = 24 + 2t = 30 + 2T → t = 24/2x, T = 20/2x → x = 2/3
 N = 24 + 12×(3/2) = 24+... → N calculated from ratio equations

6. CIRCULAR TRACK & RACE

◆ Meeting Points — Same Direction
First Meeting Time = Length of Track / (Sa − Sb)
No. of Meeting Points = |m − n| where Sa:Sb = m:n (reduced form)
Total distance by A & B on first meeting = Length of Track

◆ Meeting Points — Opposite Direction

First Meeting Time = Length of Track / (Sa + Sb)
No. of Meeting Points = m + n where Sa:Sb = m:n
Consecutive distance between meet points = Track Length / No. of Meet Points

◆ First Meeting at Starting Point

Time = LCM of individual lap times
■ Individual lap time for A = Track Length / Speed of A

◆ Linear Race
A beats B by x metres in a race of L metres: when A finishes, B is at (L−x) metres
Distance from specific meeting point: count steps in opposite direction using ratio

◆ Key Examples
Pumba & Timon on 6km circular track, same direction: Pumba completes 5 more rounds in 50 min.
(A+M)×2 = (A−M)×15 → A+M/A−M = 15/3 → A = 15+3/2 = 9, M = 15−3/2 = 6 km/hr
45 min = 3 rounds → 60 min = 4 rounds; A/M = 9/6 = 3/2 = Diff(i)/Diff(ii) check

7. PROFIT & LOSS

◆ Basic Formulas
MRP (Marked Price) = CP + Markup% × CP = CP × (1 + MU%/100)
Discount = Discount% × MRP / 100
Profit/Loss = P/L% × CP / 100
SP = MRP − Discount = CP + Profit = CP − Loss

◆ Net Change with Markup & Discount

Net change = MU% − Disc% − (MU% × Disc%)/100
■ If MU% & Disc% given: Net = [MU% − Disc% − MU×Disc/100]
◆ Successive Percentage (3 discounts)
Effective = a + b + c + (ab+bc+ca)/100 + abc/10000

◆ CP:SP Ratio Method

Profit % → CP:SP ratio: 20% profit → 5:6; 25% loss → 4:3; 14.28% profit → 7:8
All SP same trick: LCM of all SP ratios → find total CP → Net Profit or Loss
■ If SP is same for two articles: CP ratio = product of SPs / individual CPs

◆ Dishonest Shopkeeper
Buys at x grams, sells at y grams (both per 'kg' = 1000g): Profit% = (x−y)/y × 100
Example: Buys 1200g for 1kg (CP), sells 900g for 1kg (SP):
CP:SP per unit = 1000:1200 (buy) and 900:1000 (sell) → Combined ratio → Profit%
■ Profit% = (True weight − False weight) / False weight × 100 when same fraud in buy&sell;

◆ Expand & Shrink

Summer: scale expands 25% (4→5 units). While buying he gets 25% more cloth = loss of 20% on CP
While selling: cloth shrinks, he gives less → profit. Net effect from combined CP:SP ratio.
CP:SP = 5:4² (expand buy side loss). Mark up needed to get 8% profit after 10% discount → 75%

8. SIMPLE INTEREST & INSTALLMENTS

◆ Simple Interest
SI = P × R × T / 100
Amount A = P + SI = P(1 + RT/100)

◆ SI Installments Formula
I = D × R / (n×100 + (series)×R)
Where: I = Installment, D = Total Due Debt, n = no. of installments
For 3 times: series = 1+2+3 = 6; For 4 times: series = 1+2+3+4 = 10 → n=10
■ Method 2: Draw timeline. Each installment earns interest. Sum total = Due Debt
460×I = 11500 × 140% → I = 35; Total = 100I = 2500 (example for n=4, R=10%)

◆ Arithmetic Progression Installments

Borrow ■45,000, Rate 10%, Total money paid = ■57,000 in 3 installments in AP.
a+d + a + a−d = 57,000 → a = 19,000
Calculate interest each year and equate: 19,315 + 1.2d = 19,000 + d → d = −1500
1st = 19,500; 2nd = 18,000; 3rd = 16,500 (decreasing AP)

◆ Un-equal Installments
 Find Present Value: each installment discounted back to time 0.
PV = I■/(1+r) + I■/(1+r)² + I■/(1+r)³ = Borrowed Amount
■ r = R/100 per period

9. COMPOUND INTEREST
◆ 3 Methods for CI
Method 1 (Successive %): For 2 years @ 20%: Net = 20+20+(20×20/100) = 44% → CI = 44% of P
Method 2 (Ratio): P × (6/5) × (6/5) = Amount [for 20%: ratio 5:6]
Method 3 (Branch): P branches into P×r each year, compound as tree

◆ 3-Year CI Formula
A = P(1 + R/100)³
Shortcut for 3-year CI @ 10%: P=12000 → 3(1200) + 3(120) + 1(12) = 3600+360+12 = ■3972

◆ Difference: CI − SI
2 years: Diff = P(R/100)² = P×R²/10000
3 years: Diff = PR²(300+R) / (100)³

◆ EMI Formula
EMI = P × i × (1+i)■ / ((1+i)■ − 1)
Where: P = Principal, i = rate per period/100, n = no. of installments
c = Rate per month or half-year / 100 → R = 0.5% → c = 0.005

◆ Compound Installments
For n equal installments with CI: P:A = a■:b■ ratio method
1st yr: P→A, i = b×12 → 2nd yr: P²→A²×12 etc. → sum of P column vs I column
■ For 2 equal CI installments @ 16.66% (ratio 6:7): Borrowed × 49/78 = Installment

◆ CI Word Problems
CI of 3 years = ■1456, CI of 2 years = ■880. CI is always in GP.
CI(3)/CI(2) = (x+1)²/x(2x+1) → by observation x=5: 576/880 = (11/2)²/(5×11) ✓
P = 880×5/6 × 5 = ■2000; R = 20%

10. MIXTURE & ALLIGATION

◆ Alligation Rule (Cross Method)
To mix two solutions of concentrations C■ and C■ to get C■:
 C■ C■

C■ (mean)

C■ − C■ : C■ − C■

(Qty of C■) (Qty of C■)

Ratio of quantities = (C■ − C■) : (C■ − C■)

■ When net concentration is to be found: Use LCM of ratios; scale up to common volume

◆ Replacement Formula
Remaining original = V × (1 − r/V)■
Where: V = total volume, r = amount removed each time, n = number of replacements
After replacing r litres n times: Fraction of original = ((V−r)/V)■
■ Example: 100L, 20L replaced 3 times: Remaining = 100 × (4/5)³ = 51.2L

◆ Mixing Two Mixtures

Mixture A in L:S = 1:2. Mixture B in L:S = 2:3. Mix 40L & 10L → find final ratio.
L in A = 40×(1/3), L in B = 10×(2/5). Total L = 40/3 + 4 = 52/3
Total S = 80/3 + 6 = 98/3 → L:S = 52:98 = 26:49

◆ Weighted Average / Mean

Weighted Mean = (w■×x■ + w■×x■ + ...) / (w■ + w■ + ...)
■ Alligation is the reverse: given mean and two values, find weights/quantities

CAT 2025 Preparation | Notebook: Saathi | Chetan Rajput | All the Best! ■