GATE Paper Pattern

Number of Questions: 65
• 1 Mark Questions: 30
• 2 Mark Questions: 35
Total Marks: 100
Duration: 3 Hours
Types of Questions
• MCQ (with 33% negative marking)
• NAT
• MSQ
Subjects & Weightages
General Aptitude (GA): 15 Marks
Mathematics: 13 Marks
Core Subjects – 8 to 10: 72 Marks
Syllabus

SUBJECT: General Aptitude

Quantitative Aptitude
Fundamentals* Data Interpretation*
Ratio & Proportions* Sequence & Series
Percentage & Applications* Logarithms
Averages & Elementary Statistics* Geometry & Mensuration
Mixtures & Alligations Functions & Graph
Time & Work* Clocks
Time, Speed and Distance Permutation & Combinations
Set Theory & Venn Diagrams* Probability#
Analytical, Spatial & Verbal Aptitude
Analytical Aptitude Spatial Aptitude
Syllogism* Transformation of shapes*
Inference & Assumptions* Paper folding & Cutting*
Analogy Patterns in 2 and 3 dimensions*
Directions Verbal Aptitude
Arrangements Basic Grammar
Basic Vocabulary
Quantitative Aptitude

SUBJECT: General Aptitude

Fundamentals

SUBJECT: General Aptitude

Types of Numbers
Real Numbers (R)
• Numbers which can be plotted in Number Line
Imaginary Numbers (i or ‘iota’)
• i = √-1
• i = i, i2 = -1, i3 = -i, i4 = 1 and so on
Complex Numbers (a + bi or a + ib)
• a, b are real numbers and ‘i’ is an imaginary
Types of Numbers
Rational numbers (Q)
• Any number that can be written in the form of p/q
• Finite (terminating) or recurring decimals
• 5, 22/7, 3/2, -11/13, -13/17, 0, √25 etc
Irrational Numbers (R-Q)
• Any number that can’t be written in the form of p/q
• Non-terminating and Non-recurring decimals
• √3, √5, cube root(100), π, etc.
Types of Numbers
Natural numbers (N) = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ……….}
Whole numbers (W) = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ……….}
Integers (Z) = {……, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, …….}
Fractions
Proper Fraction
• Numerator < Denominator
• E.g. 2/3, 1/10, 50/100 etc
Improper Fraction
• Numerator > Denominator
• E.g. 3/2, 5, 8/3 etc
Mixed Fraction
• Combination of a natural number and proper fraction
• E.g.
Even and Odd Numbers
Even Numbers
• Multiple of 2 (form 2k, where k is an integer)
Odd Numbers
• Not a multiple of 2 (form 2k ± 1, where k is an integer)
Is ZERO Even or Odd?
Properties of Even and Odd Number
Addition & Subtraction Exponent
○ E±E=E ○ O(O or E) = O (exponent ∈ W)
○ O±O=E ○ EO = E (exponent ∈ W)
○ O±E=O ○ EE = E (exponent ∈ N) (E0 = 1)
Multiplication
○ E × (O or E) = E
○ O×O=O
Warm-up
If x & y are even and p & q are odd, categorize the following in even and odd
A. x2 + p 3
B. y+x
C. x*p – q4
D. (p + y3)2
Practice Problem
GATE Question (ME–2017–1 M)
GATE Question (ME-2018-2 M)
Absolute Value
Distance of a number from the origin of a number line.

Symbol: |a| or abs()

● |-5| or |5| = 5, abs (-7) = 7
● |x - 3| = 8 means x - 3 = 8 or x - 3 = - 8
● |x - y| ⇒ x - y if x > y
y - x if y > x
● Minimum absolute value is ZERO.
Practice Problems
● If |4p−7|=3, p = ?
● If |2−4x|=1, x = ?
● If |2x−3|=4−x, x = ?
● If |0.5k + 4| = |4k – 6|, k = ?
● What is the minimum value of |6 – 2x|?
● For what value of x, the value of 9 – |2x – 6| will be maximum?
● For what value of x, the value of |2x – 6| + 7 will be minimum?
GATE Question (CS, EE–2017–2 M)
BODMAS or PEMDAS

BODMAS

B – Brackets First

O – Orders / ‘of’

DM- Division and Multiplication (left to right) (÷ and ×)

AS – Addition and Subtraction (left to right) (+ and -)

Practice Questions
•9–3÷⅓+1=?

• 909 ÷ 9 - 100 + 50 × 2 - (4 × 20 + 2 × 20 - 1000 ÷ 10) = ?

• [(18 – 6) ÷ 4] + [72 – 12 ÷ 3 of 2] = ?

• What will come in the place of the question mark ‘?’,

• 200 – 7 × 5 × ? ÷ 3 = 60
2
• Evaluate: 6 ÷ 2 × 3+ 4
Divisibility Rules
● Dividend = Divisor × Quotient + Remainder
● Divisibility rules are shortcuts to determine if a number is divisible by
another number without performing the actual division
● Example: What integer value should be added to the number 562348
so that is completely divisible by 5?
● Example: What is the minimum possible integer value, which when
added to the number 562348, it becomes completely divisible by 5?
Divisibility Rules
Number Divisibility Rule
2 Units place is either 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8
4 Last 2 digits is divisible by 4 or 00
8 Last 3 digits is divisible by 8 or 000
5 Units place is either 0 or 5
10 Units place is 0
3 Sum of digits must be divisible by 3
9 Sum of digits must be divisible by 9
11 If the difference between the sum of its digits in odd places and the sum of the
digits in even places is either 0 or a multiple of 11
6 Should be Divisible by 2 and 3 both
12 Should be Divisible by 3 and 4 both
15 Should be Divisible by 3 and 5 both
GATE Question (EE–2018-1 M)
GATE Question (EC–2018-1 M)

If the number 715■423 is divisible by 3 (■ denotes the missing digit in the

thousandths place), then the smallest whole number in the place of ■
is_________.
(A) 0
(B) 5
(C) 2
(D) 6
Practice Question
How many of the following numbers are divisible by 6?
● 45794
● 327804
● 378927
● 46924
Practice Problem
Replace the @ in the number 6@106 by a suitable digit so that the number
formed is exactly divisible by 11.
(A) 3
(B) 4
(C) 2
(D) 1
Practice Problem
The smallest number which when added to 43079 makes it exactly divisible
by 9 is:
(A) 4
(B) 5
(C) 6
(D) 7
Practice Problem
How many combinations of ‘x’ and ‘y’ are possible, if 4266xy is divisible by
45?
(A) 0
(B) 1
(C) 2
(D) 3
Practice Problem
The number 27P5216R is divisible by 45 and P, R > 0. What is P + R?
(A) 13
(B) 4
(C) 17
(D) 11
Practice Question
If the nine-digit number ‘8475639AB’ is divisible by 99, then what is the
value of A and B?
A. A = 3, B = 9
B. A = 5, B = 3
C. A = 4, B = 6
D. A = 4, B = 8
Quiz
1. Find the number of possible values (a,b) can
take such that 76542a3b is divisible be 18.
2. The difference between a two digit number
and its reverse is 17. How many such 2 digit
natural numbers are possible?
3. The difference between a two digit number
and its reverse is 36. How many such 2 digit
natural numbers are possible?
Prime Numbers
• What is Prime Number?
• Can Even number be Prime Number?
• Composite Numbers?
• Relative Prime?
Prime Numbers from 1 – 100
Prime Check
Prime Check for a Number ‘N’
• Step-1: Find a Perfect Square (R2) greater than and closest to N.
• Step-2: Create a set P of Prime numbers from 2 to R.
• Step-3: Check the divisibility of ‘N’ by each elements of P. If it is not
divisible by any of the prime numbers in the set, then it is Prime else
not.
• Check whether following numbers are Prime or Not?
• 1157, 1319, 1449, 2909
Factors
● Factors: A factor is one of two or more numbers that divides a given
number without a remainder.
● Factors are also referred as Divisors
● Find the Factors of 40, 36, 23
How to find number of factors?
Find the number of distinct integral divisors of 60.
Formula:
• Prime Factorisation of N = Px × Qy × Rz × …. (P, Q & R ∈ Prime Numbers)
• Number of Divisors/Factors of N= FT = (x+1)(y+1)(z+1)….
If P is Even i.e. 2
• Number of Odd Factors of N= FO = (y+1)(z+1)….
• Number of Even Factors of N = FE = FT - FO
Find the number of Even Factors for 600
GATE Question (CS–2014–2M)
The number of distinct integral factor of 2014 is_______.
Squares & Cubes
Perfect Squares and Cubes:
• Create a table of PS and PC from digit 1 to 10 and analyse the unit digit
• 2, 3, 7, 8 Can never be unit digit of a Perfect Square
• Prime Factorization of 324 and 8000?
Practice Question
If we subtract three from a number, it becomes a perfect square. The
original number cannot end in which of the following?
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 7
(D) 0
Practice Questions
• Find the smallest number ‘m’ such that m × 1200 is a perfect square.
• Find the smallest number ‘m’ such that m × 729 is a perfect cube.
• Find the smallest number ‘m’ such that m × 2160 is a perfect square.
GATE Question (CS,EE–2017–1M)
Find the smallest number ‘y’ such that y × 162 is a perfect cube.
(A) 24
(B) 27
(C) 32
(D) 36
HCF & LCM
Highest Common Factor (HCF):
● Greatest Possible number which can divide all the numbers
● Also referred as Greatest Common Divisor (GCD)
Least Common Multiple (LCM):
● Smallest multiple that two or more numbers have in common
Smart Approach:
● Find Prime factorisation for all the numbers
● HCF: Multiplication of common prime numbers keeping lowest powers
● LCM: Multiplication of all prime numbers keeping highest powers
Warm-up
● Find the HCF and LCM of 120 and 180
● Find the HCF and LCM of 210, 495 and 980
● What is the length of the longest measuring scale that can measure
exactly the lengths 7m, 3.85m, and 12.95m?
● Find the least possible number which is divisible by all the numbers 32,
36 and 40
Divisible by n1, n2, n3….. is same as Divisible by LCM of (n1, n2, n3…)
Practice Question
Three policemen at three different places on the ground blow a whistle
after every 42 sec, 60 sec, and 78 sec respectively. If they all blow the
whistle simultaneously at 9:30:00 hours, then at what time do they whistle
again together?
GATE Question (ME-2021-1M)
A digital watch X beeps every 30 seconds while watch Y beeps every 32
seconds. They beeped together at 10 AM. The immediate next time that
they will beep
A. 10:08 AM
B. 11:00 AM
C. 10:00 PM
D. 10:42 AM
GATE Question (EE-2022-1M)
Three bells P, Q, and R are rung periodically in a school. P is rung every 20
minutes; Q is rung every 30 minutes and R is rung every 50 minutes.
If all the three bells are rung at 12:00 PM, when will the three bells ring
together again the next time?
A. 5:00 PM
B. 5:30 PM
C. 6:00 PM
D. 6:30 PM
H.W.
Practice Question
Six bells commence tolling together and toll at intervals of 2, 4, 6, 8 10 and
12 seconds respectively. In 30 minutes, how many times do they toll
together ?
A. 4
B. 10
C. 15
D. 16
Practice Questions
1. The least number which should be added to 2497 so that the sum is
exactly divisible by 5, 6, 4 and 3 is
2. The greatest number of four digits which is divisible by 15, 25, 40 and
75 is:
3. Find the least possible number of 5 digits which is divisible by all the
numbers 32, 36 and 40
HCF with Remainders
Find the largest possible number with which when 60 and 98 are divided it
leaves the remainder 3 in each case.
Case-1: Different or Same Remainders & Remainders are known
• Subtract the remainders from respective numbers and find HCF
Case-2: Same Remainders & Remainders are unknown
• Take HCF of difference of the numbers
Practice Questions
1. Find the largest possible number by which when 76, 132 and 160 are
divided the remainders obtained are the same.
2. The greatest number which on dividing 1657 and 2037 leaves
remainders 6 and 5 respectively, is:
LCM with Remainders
Case-1: Same Remainders for all the divisors
• Find LCM then add the Remainder
Case-2: Different Remainders but Difference between respective divisors
and remainder is Same
• Find LCM then subtract the difference
GATE Question (CS–2018-1M)
What is the smallest natural number which when divided by 20 & by 42 &
76 leaves a remainder ‘7’ is__________?
(A) 3047
(B) 6047
(C) 7987
(D) 63847
Practice Question
What is the least possible number which when divided by 18, 35 or 42 it
leaves 2, 19, 26 as the remainders, respectively
Practice Questions
● LCM of 40 and N is 600. How many values of N are possible?
● LCM of 10, 20 & N is 60. How many values of N are possible?
Relationship between HCF and LCM
● LCM × HCF of pair of numbers = Product of the Numbers
● LCM (A , B) × HCF (A , B) = A × B
● The HCF of a group of numbers will be always a factor of their
LCM. i.e. LCM is always divisible by HCF
Relationship between HCF and LCM
● Highest common factor and lowest common multiple of two numbers
are 18 and 1782 respectively. One number is 162, find the other.
● The product of two numbers is 4107. If the H.C.F. of these numbers is
37, then the greater number is:
Practice Question
The H.C.F. of two numbers is 23 and the other two factors of their L.C.M. are
13 and 14. The larger of the two numbers is among the following options is:
A. 276
B. 299
C. 322
D. 345
Practice Question
The product of two numbers is 2028 and their H.C.F. is 13. The number of
such pairs is:
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
Laws of Indices
Practice Question
● 0.04(-1.5) =
● 173.5 × 17x = 178, then x=?
● If 3(x-y) = 27 and 3(x+y) = 243 then x = ?
● 2560.16 × 2560.09 = ?
● 257.5 × 52.5 ÷ 1251.5 = 5x, then x=?
Practice Problem
320 + 320 + 320 = ?
A. 960
B. 920
C. 360
D. 321
GATE Question (EC, EE, IN-2012-1M)
If (1.001)1259 = 3.52 and (1.001)2062 = 7.85, then (1.001)3321 = ?
(A) 11.37
(B) 4.23
(C) 2.23
(D) 27.64
GATE Question (CE, IN–2017–1M)
Campus Recruitment Question (CDAC)
GATE Question (CE–2023–2M)
GATE Question (CS, EE–2016–1M)
GATE Question (EC, ME-2016–1M)
Practice Problem
If mn = 361, ‘m’ and ‘n’ being natural numbers, which of the following
could be a value of (m – n)/2?
(A) 9.5
(B) 180
(C) 17
(D) None of the above
GATE Question (EC, ME–2014–1M)
GATE Question (EC, ME–2016–2M)
GATE Question (CS–2018-2M)
GATE Question (ME–2024-1M)
The real variable x, y, z, and the real constants p, q, r satisfy

Given that the denominators are non-zero, the value of px + qy + rz is

A. 0
B. 1
C. pqr
D. p2 + q2 + r2
GATE Question (CE–2024-1M)
GATE Question (EC–2024-1M)
The greatest prime factor of (3199-3196 )is
A. 13
B. 17
C. 3
D. 11
GATE Question (CE–2018-1M)
Unit Digit (XY)
Unit Digit of 234123 × 19656 + 10818 is ______
Unit Digit (XY)
X X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 X7 X8
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 4 8 6 2 4 8 6
3 3 9 7 1 3 9 7 1
4 4 6 4 6 4 6 4 6
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
7 7 9 3 1 7 9 3 1
8 8 4 2 6 8 4 2 6
9 9 1 9 1 9 1 9 1
Points to Remember
● 0, 1, 5, 6 → No Cyclicity
● Unit Digit of (Even Number)4n = 6
● Unit Digit of (Odd Number)4n = 1 (Except Number ending with 5)
● Unit Digit of XY = Unit Digit of XRemainder (Y/4) (Y ∉ Multiples of 4)
Practice Problem
Find the unit digit of the answers in following:
(i) 73253 =
(ii) 52242 × 56293 =
(iii) 38250 + 46333 =
(iv) 2222 × 3333 × 4444 × 5555 =
GATE Question (EE-2016–2M)
GATE Question (CE-2017–2M)
GATE Question (CE-2020–2 M)

The unit’s place in 26591749110016 is _______

GATE Question (EE-2023–2M)

The digit in the unit’s place of the product 3999 × 71000 =

Algebraic Expression
• (a + b)2 = a2 + b2 + 2ab 🡺 a2 + b2 = (a + b)2 – 2ab
• (a - b)2 = a2 + b2 - 2ab 🡺 a2 + b2 = (a - b)2 + 2ab
• (a + b)2 = (a – b)2 + 4ab
• a2 - b2 = (a + b)(a - b)
• (a + b)3 = a3 + 3ab(a + b) + b3
• (a - b)3 = a3 - 3ab(a - b) - b3
• a3 + b3 = (a + b)(a2 - ab + b2)
• a3 - b3 = (a - b)(a2 + ab + b2)
Algebraic Expression
• (a + b + c)2 = a2 + b2 + c2 + 2(ab + bc + ca)
• a3 + b3 + c3 – 3abc = (a + b + c)(a2 + b2 + c2 – ab – bc – ac)
• (a – b) + (b – c) + (c – a) = 0
• (a – b)2 + (b – c) 2 + (c – a) 2 = 2(a2 + b2 + c2 – ab – bc – ac)

Pattern Observation is very important

Practice Problem
Practice Problem
GATE Question (EE, CS–2014–1M)
If (z+ 1/z)2 = 98, compute (z2 + 1/z2)
Practice Problem
Practice Problem
GATE Question (IN–2018–2M)
 GATE Question (EC–2021–1M)

(A) 7
(B) 11
(C) 3
(D) 9
 GATE Question (CS–2021–1M)

(A) 6
(B) 2
(C) 8
(D) 4
GATE Question (ME, EC–2015–2M)