[Studyplan] SSC-CGL Maths, Quantitative Aptitude, Algebra,

Trigonometry: Approach, Booklist, Strategy, Free Studymaterial

2013 for Combined Graduate Level Exam Tier 1, 2
1. Introduction
2. #1: Getting the conceptual clarity
3. Breakup: SSC-CGL Tier I (2010, 2011, 2012)
4. Breakup: SSC-CGL Tier II (2010, 2011, 2012)
5. #2: Practice
6. Choice of Quantitative Aptitude Book?
7. Books for Maths/Quantitative Aptitude
8. Download: NCERT Maths Textbooks
9. Download: Blank answersheet
introduction
Maths is not difficult. All it requires is concept clarity + lot of practice. In SSC-CGL exam, youve to face
Mathematics at two stages
Stage Maths-Questions Penalty
Tier-I (Prelims) 50 Qs Negative 0.25
Tier-II (Mains) Paper I: Arithmetical Ability 100 Qs worth 200 marks Negative 0.50
The Approach for Maths, stands on two pillars.
Pillars How?
1. Conceptual
clarity
1. NCERTs (Free download links @bottom)
2. Mrunal.org/aptitude
3. For some topics, directly Quantitative aptitude books.
2. Lot of
practice
From Quantitative aptitude books.
There are lot of books in market, the question is, which one to refer? It is explained at
the bottom of this article.
#1: Getting the conceptual clarity
Well divide Maths or Quantitative Aptitude, into topics and further into subtopics.
Your task is to cover one topic at a time, first get conceptual-clarity and then solve maximum questions at
home.
Whenever you learn any shortcut technique, you note it down in your diary.
Similarly, whenever you make any mistake while solving sums, you also note that down in your diary. Night
before the exam, you review that diary of mistakes. (why do this? Because it is the Art of Aptitude (Click ME)
Topic Subtopics How to approach
Number
theory
1. Divisibility,
remainders
2. LCM and HCF
3. Unknown
numbers from
given
conditiofor
4. Fractions-
comparisions.
NCERT Class 7 Chap 2, 9 (fraction)
NCERT Class 10 Chap 1 (divisibility)
Finally your Quantitative aptitude book.
Basic
Maths
1. Simplification
(BODMAS)
NCERT Class 8 Chap 1
2. Surds, indices NCERT Class 8 Chap 12
Then NCERT Class 9 Chap 1
3. Roots,
squares,
Cubes
Basics from NCERT Class 8 Chap 6 and 7.
Algebra
1. Linear
equation
Mothers age was x and daughters age..
3 mangos and 5 bananas purchased for
X+1/2x+3=3/8 then find X.
^This type of stuff. Just practice and youll get a hang of it.
Basics given in NCERT Class 8 Chap 2 and 9.
Then NCERT Class 9 Chap 4
Lastly NCERT Class 10 Chap 3.
2. Quadratic
equations,
Polynomials
Factorization and roots. Heavily asked in Tier-II.
NCERT Class 8 Chap 14
And then NCERT Class 9 Chap 2
Lastly NCERT Class 10 Chap 4
Avg and
Ratios
1. Wine-Water
mixture
(Alligations)
Can be solved without formula. Go through
http://mrunal.org/2012/03/aptitude-alligationsmixturesalloys.html
2. Simple
Average
Lolz
3. Ratio-
Proportion-
variations
For ratio-proportion NCERT Class 8 Chap 13.
4. Partnership
http://mrunal.org/2012/05/aptitude-partnership-and-profit-sharing.html
STD
1. Time speed
distance
2. Trains,
platforms
3. Boats-streams
4. Time and Work
5. Pipes and
Cisterns
All of them can be solved with just one Universal STD formula.
Explained in www.Mrunal.org/aptitude
Geometry
1. Angles, sides,
bisectors,
circles etc
NCERT Class 9 Chap 6, 7, 8 and 10. Quantitative aptitude
book.
2. Mensuration
(area and
volume).
Basics explained in NCERT Class 8 Chap 3, 11.
Then NCERT Class 9 Chap 9, 12, 13.
Lastly Lastly NCERT Class 10 Chap 13
3. Trigonometry
Understand basics from NCERT Class 10 Chap 8 and 9. Then exam-
oriented concepts from your Quantitative Aptitude book.
%
Basic %
(increase,
decrease in
consumption,
population)
Also do NCERT Class 8 Chap 8.
Data-
interpretation
cases.
Mere extention of % concept. Just practice.
For long division, use this approximation method:
http://mrunal.org/2012/11/aptitude-long-division-two-digit-division-
calculation-without-tears-and-without-boring-vedic-speed-maths.html
Profit, loss, discount,
marked price.
http://mrunal.org/2012/11/aptitude-concepts-of-marked-price-and-
successive-discounts-profit-loss-without-stupid-formulas.html
Simple and
compound interest
rate
http://mrunal.org/2012/04/aptitude-compound-interest-rate.html
PCP
1. Permutation
2. Combination
3. Probability
Not asked as such.
But Sometimes a question or two comes in the Reasoning
portion of Tier-I. Hence not much attention necessary.
But again, they too can be solved without mugging up formulas:
go through various articles on www.Mrunal.org/aptitude
Misc.
1. Coordinate
Geometry
Lately SSC has started asking 1-2 question in each of Tier I and
II. But they can be solved by merely plugging numbers in the
readymade formulas given in your Quantitative Aptitude book.
2. Progression:
Arithmetic+
Geometry
Again, rarely asked in SSC. Sometimes a question or two
comes in the Reasoning portion of Tier-I.
Basically you just have to plug in the values in formulas. Basics
of Arithmetic progression explained in NCERT Class 10 Chap 5.
3. Logerithms
Not asked.
Breakup: SSC-CGL Tier I (2010, 2011, 2012)
Topic 2010 2011 2012
Ratio+Partnership 3 3 1
number theory 6 5 2
Avg+alligation 3 3 2
TSD 6 5 2
Misc. 3 0 2
basic math 11 11 5
algebra 6 0 5
DI 3 4 5
% 6 14 5
Trigonometry 0 0 9
Geometry 3 5 12
Total 50 50 50
The 2012s Tier-I paper, is trend-breaker. Because
1. The conventional questions from ratio-proportion, basic maths, time-speed-work are asked for namesake only.
2. Otherwise, Out of 50 Maths questions in tier-I, almost 30 questions are from just Geometry+Trig+Percentage
application.
3. Earlier, they used to ask mostly area-volume-perimeter type questions from Geometry segment. You just had
to plug-in values into the formulas and get the answer.
4. But This 2012s paper has mostly theory based geometry (angle, bisector, tangent, inequality of triangles etc.)
5. Similarly the difficulty level of algebra, number theory based questions is bit raised.
Or perhaps SSC too decided to employ the Backbreaking
TM
move of UPSC! Anyways, jokes apart, the lesson here
is, adapt.
Breakup: SSC-CGL Tier II (2010, 2011, 2012)
Type 2010 2011 2012
basic math 11 4 3
Misc. 2 2 3
number theory 8 7 5
DI 10 20 5
Ratio+Partnership 6 4 6
Avg+alligation 5 6 7
TSD 7 12 7
Trigonometry 0 4 8
Algebra 10 13 10
% 27 18 19
Geometry 14 10 27
Total 100 100 100
Here too, Geometry+Trigonometry have been given emphasis like never before.
Almost 65% of the paper is made up of Geometry, Trig, Percentage and Algebra (and in that too, mostly
Quadratic equations.)
#2: Practice
Merely knowing the concepts or formulas wont help. Because unless you practice different variety of
questions, you wont become proficient in applying those concepts flawlessly in the actual-exam.
Second, despite knowing concept and formulas, people make silly mistakes either in calculation or in pluging
the values.
Third reason- Tier I has 200 questions in 120 limits. =not even 2 minutes per question. Plus, questions
reasoning and comprehension might take more than 5 minutes! Therefore speed is essential. Since there is
negative marking system, accuracy also matters.
So it is beyond doubt that you have to practice excimer number of questions at home.
The question is where to get the practice? Which book should be used for SSC exam?
Choice of Quantitative Aptitude Book?
In all competitive exams, uncertainity factor is involved. Despite your best preparation, you might lose the
success-train by 2-3 marks.
Therefore you must never put all eggs in one basket.
While you are preparing for SSC, you should also keep open mind and apply for other competitive exams,
such as IBPS, ACIO, ONGC, Railways, LIC, CDS, Coast Guard etc. (Depending on your career-taste).
Publication houses will come up with new books for each and every of ^these exams, but we have neither the
time nor the money to buy a new book for every new exam.
Such readymade books are only skimmed down version of original topicbooks. For example, if there is SSC-
FCI exam, or ACIO exam, these people will combine a few topics of GK, maths, reasoning and english. And
present you a book.
Problem= you dont get comprehensive understanding or coverage. Besides, given the population of India,
competition level is always high, irrespective of exam. So half-hearted preparations with readymade
condensed books dont help much.
Almost all of these exams follow same structure:
1. General awareness
2. Maths
3. Reasoning (Verbal, Non-Verbal)
4. English vocabularly, grammar and comprehension.
How do they differ from each other?= number of questions, difficulty level and inclusion / exclusion of
particular subtopics.
So when youre picking up books for the first time, you should choose the books, that have universal
usefulness for similar exams. That way your time, effort and money will be saved.
Books for Maths/Quantitative Aptitude
DONOT use Quantitative Aptitude by R.S.Agarwal for SSC-CGL.
My advice, go with either Rajesh Verma or Sarvesh Kumar. Then the question, which one to pick up?
Fast Track Objective
Arithmetic by Rajesh Verma.
Quantam CAT by Sarvesh Kumar
The size and price factor goes in favor
of this book.
Concepts, techqniues, readymade
formulas given here and there.
Language, presentation is lucid.
Algebra, quadratic equation and
Trigonometry specific chapters are
given for exclusively for SSC.
If you solve all the sums of this book,
then mathematics portion of SSC-CGL
(Tier-I and II) will be as easy as a walk
in the park.
Although book is written for CAT and Management exams,
he starts explaining everything from basics. Then exercises
are divided into Introductory<level 1<Level 2<Final round,
based on difficulty level.
Thus it becomes ideal choice for any aptitude exam.
So for lower level exams (SSC/IBPS), you should solve all
his solved examples, then introductory exercises, finally
level 1.
Thatll be quite sufficient.
While it is excellent for SSC, IBPS,
UGC, LIC, CDS etc. level exams, its
utility starts diminishing as you move
towards higher-end exams.
Function, graphs, Quadratic equations, Geometry,
Permutation-Combination-Probability coverage is
Thorough. (Hell even more sums than Arun Sharmas).
This make it ideal text-book for CAT/CMAT and other
higher end exams.
^But merely getting either of these books, is not going to make you a topper.
If you want to become truly invincible for the maths portion of any competitive exam, then you must practice
maximum numbers of questions at home and maintain a diary of mistakes.
This concludes how to approach Mathematics/Quantiative Aptitude for SSC-CGL exam.