CAT 2025 Important Tips to Use On-Screen Calculator Effectively
CAT 2025 aspirants should know the right way to use the CAT on-screen calculator to save time during the exam. Here are basic and helpful tips, shortcuts, mental math rules, and daily drills to use the online calculator more effectively in the CAT exam.
Using the CAT 2025 on-screen calculator properly can actually save a lot of time if you understand when to use it and how to avoid common mistakes. Many candidates feel the CAT calculator slows them down, but that usually happens when they use it for every small calculation. With the correct approach, this tool helps you handle long numbers, percentages, and multi-step QA questions with ease. Keep reading to learn about some simple and effective tips to use the CAT on-screen calculator without wasting time.
1. Learn CAT-Specific Calculator Shortcuts
- Chain calculations help avoid extra keystrokes. For example, typing 148 + 365 - 27 + 12 in one sequence is much faster than breaking it step by step.
- Use M+ and M- memory keys to store partial totals during multi-step calculations, such as compound interest or ratio adjustments.
- Simplify square roots before using the calculator. For example, √800 can be rewritten as √(400 × 2) = 20√2, which avoids long decimals.
- Percentage multipliers make things quicker. Like, instead of doing “18% of 250” manually, just use 250 × 1.18 for the final value.
- Always press MC to clear old values so you don’t carry over mistakes into new questions
2. Follow the Mental Math vs Calculator 80/20 Rule
- 80% of simple operations like fractions, ratios, and divisibility checks are faster mentally
- 20% of heavier calculations, like large products, tricky percentages, and final decimal values, should be done on the CAT on-screen calculator.
- For example, finding 22.5% of 360 is easier by breaking it into 20% of 360 (which is equal to 72) + 2.5% of 360 (which is equal to 9).
3. Practice Daily to Build Speed
- Spend 10 minutes daily solving 5 large multiplications, such as 527 × 8,4, using the calculator.
- Use the calculator only to verify mental math after solving.
- Practice with official CAT mock tests, since they use the same on-screen calculator format.
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