Rate-based questions are a cornerstone of the CAT Quant section. Whether dealing with cars on a highway or workers on a project, the underlying logic is the same: Output = Rate × Time. This guided path will teach you the core frameworks and advanced shortcuts for mastering both Time, Speed, & Distance and Time & Work problems with speed and confidence.
Start with the fundamental principle: converting a total time to complete a job into a rate of work per unit of time (e.g., per hour or day).
Learn how to handle common CAT scenarios with opposing forces, like a draining pipe, by simply using a negative rate.
Use the concept of "Total Effort" (Man-Days) as a powerful shortcut for problems involving groups of workers, a common CAT word problem format.
Master the elegant formula for solving complex work problems where both the inputs (workers, time) and the output (work done) change.
Learn the three-step process to solve problems that compare the relative efficiency of different workers using ratios.
Introduce the core Distance=Speed × Time formula and the critical skill of ensuring unit consistency (km/h vs. m/s) with an interactive converter.
Learn the crucial difference between simple average of speeds and the correct "Total Distance / Total Time" formula for complex journeys.
Master the two core scenarios for relative speed (objects moving in opposite vs. same directions) using a visual "race" simulator.
Apply relative speed concepts to the classic, tricky CAT problem types involving trains crossing platforms, boats in streams, and escalators.
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