100+ Arithmetic CAT Questions 2026 with Answers PDF Download

Overview: Regular practice of Arithmetic CAT questions 2026 is very important if you want to score well in the final exam. To help you out, we have provided the important formulas and key CAT arithmetic questions that will boost your preparation and give you an extra edge in the CAT 2026 exam

• This section forms a major part of the Quantitative Aptitude portion and checks your understanding of basic maths concepts like percentages, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, time and work, and ratio and proportion. 

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• These topics may seem simple, but they often appear in tricky ways in the exam. Practising them regularly helps you get faster, more accurate, and also makes it easier to identify and improve your weak areas.

This article offers an in-depth analysis of Arithmetic CAT questions, covering the CAT syllabus, weightage, strategies, and tips for mastering this crucial segment.

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Basics for Understanding Arithmetic CAT Questions 2026

Arithmetic forms a crucial part of the Quantitative Ability section in the CAT exam. Mastering arithmetic concepts is essential as CAT arithmetic questions often test your problem-solving speed and accuracy on topics like percentages, ratios, time, work, and more.

1) Number Systems

Number systems form the backbone of arithmetic. It includes the study of various types of numbers and their properties.

• Natural Numbers (N): Positive integers starting from 1 (1, 2, 3, ...).
• Whole Numbers (W): Natural numbers including zero (0, 1, 2, 3, ...).
• Integers (Z): All positive and negative whole numbers, including zero (..., -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, ...).
• Rational Numbers (Q): Numbers that can be expressed as a fraction of two integers where the denominator is not zero (e.g., 1/2, -3/4).
• Irrational Numbers: Numbers that cannot be expressed as a simple fraction (e.g., √2, π).
• Real Numbers (R): All rational and irrational numbers.
• Prime Numbers: Natural numbers greater than 1 with no positive divisors other than 1 and itself (e.g., 2, 3, 5, 7).
• Composite Numbers: Natural numbers greater than 1 that are not prime (e.g., 4, 6, 8, 9).

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Important List of Arithmetic CAT Questions for 2026

Here is the list of important easy-level arithmetic questions for CAT 2026:

Question 1: A shopkeeper gives a discount of 10% on a shirt marked at 500. What is the selling price?

1. Rs. 450
2. Rs. 460
3. Rs. 470
4. Rs. 480

Correct Answer: Rs. 470

Question 2: A person covers a distance of 120 km in 3 hours. What is the speed?

1. 30 km/hr
2. 40 km/hr
3. 50 km/hr
4. 60 km/hr

Correct Answer: 50 km/hr

Question 3: Find the average of the first 5 odd numbers 

1. 4
2. 5
3. 6
4. 7

Correct Answer: 6

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Question 4: A man spends 80% of his income. If his income is Rs. 40,000, what is his savings?

1. Rs. 6,000
2. Rs. 7,000
3. Rs. 8,000
4. Rs. 9,000

Correct Answer: Rs. 7,000

Question 5: A train travels 60 km in 1.5 hours. What is the speed in km/hr? 

1. 30
2. 35
3. 40
4. 45

Correct Answer: 40

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Medium Level Arithmetic CAT Questions for 2026

Question 1: The ratio of two numbers is 4:5. If their sum is 180, find the numbers.

1. 80 and 100
2. 70 and 110
3. 60 and 120
4. 90 and 90

Correct Answer: 70 and 110

Question 2:A train is moving at 60 km/hr. How much time will it take to cover 450 meters?

1. 27 sec
2. 30 sec
3. 25 sec
4. 20 sec

Correct Answer: 30 sec

Question 3: If the cost price of an item is Rs. 250 and the profit is 20%, find the selling price.

1. Rs. 280
2. Rs. 300
3. Rs. 320
4. Rs. 350

Correct Answer: Rs. 320

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Question 4: A and B together can do a work in 20 days. B alone can do it in 30 days. In how many days can A alone do the work?

1. 60 days
2. 50 days
3. 40 days
4. 30 days

Correct Answer: 50 days

Question 5: A man spends 30% on rent, 20% on food, and saves Rs. 20,000 which is 25% of his income. What is his total income?

1. Rs. 80,000
2. Rs. 70,000
3. Rs. 60,000
4. Rs. 90,000

Correct Answer: Rs. 90,000

Question 6: If the marked price of a product is Rs. 1,000 and two successive discounts of 20% and 10% are given, find the selling price.

1. Rs. 700
2. Rs. 800
3. Rs. 720
4. Rs. 750

Correct Answer: Rs. 800

Question 7: A car travels from A to B at 60 km/hr and returns at 40 km/hr. What is the average speed?

1. 48 km/hr
2. 50 km/hr
3. 52 km/hr
4. 54 km/hr

Correct Answer: 52 km/hr

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Question 8: A sum of Rs. 10,000 is invested at 10% per annum for 2 years compounded annually. Find the amount

1. Rs. 12,100
2. Rs. 11,500
3. Rs. 12,000
4. Rs. 11,80

Correct Answer: Rs. 11,500

Question 9: If x% of y is equal to y% of x, what is the relation between x and y?

1. x = y
2. x > y
3. x < y
4. Cannot be determined

Correct Answer: x > y

Question 10: A man walks at 5 km/hr. How long will he take to cover 1.25 km?

1. 10 min
2. 12 min
3. 15 min
4. 18 min

Correct Answer: 12 min

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Difficult Level Arithmetic CAT Questions for 2026

Question 1: A shopkeeper marks an item 50% above cost and gives a 20% discount. What is the profit percentage?

1. 10%
2. 15%
3. 20%
4. 25%

Correct Answer: 20%

Question 2: A person can row downstream at 12 km/hr and upstream at 8 km/hr. What is the speed of the current?

1. 2 km/hr
2. 4 km/hr
3. 6 km/hr
4. 3 km/hr

Correct Answer: 3 km/hr

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Question 3: A, B and C can do a work in 10, 20, and 30 days respectively. If they all work together, how long will they take?

1. 5.45 days
2. 6 days
3. 7.5 days
4. 4.5 days

Correct Answer: 7.5 days

Question 4: A invests Rs. 5000 at 10% CI, B invests Rs. 5000 at 12% SI. After 2 years, who has more money and by how much?

1. B has Rs. 150 more
2. A has Rs. 150 more
3. Equal
4. B has Rs. 100 more

Correct Answer: A has Rs. 150 more

Question 5: A reduction of 20% in price enables a person to buy 25% more quantity. What is the ratio of old price to new price?

1. 4:3
2. 5:4
3. 3:2
4. 6:5

Correct Answer: 3:2

Question 6: A train crosses a pole in 15 seconds and a platform of 150 m in 25 seconds. Find the length of the train.

1. 225 m
2. 250 m
3. 275 m
4. 200 m

Correct Answer: 275 m

Question 7: If 3 men or 5 women can do a job in 12 days, in how many days can 6 men and 5 women do it?

1. 4 days
2. 5 days
3. 6 days
4. 3 days

Correct Answer: 4 days

Question 8: A sum triples in 8 years at simple interest. In how many years will it become 5 times?

1. 16 years
2. 18 years
3. 20 years
4. 14 years

Correct Answer: 14 years

Question 9: Two pipes fill a tank in 20 and 30 mins respectively. A third pipe empties the tank in 15 mins. In how much time will all 3 working together fill the tank?

1. 60 mins
2. 40 mins
3. 30 mins
4. 50 mins

Correct Answer: 40 mins

Question 10: A man travels 1/3 of the distance at 10 km/hr, next 1/3 at 20 km/hr, and last 1/3 at 30 km/hr. What is the average speed?

1. 16.36 km/hr
2. 20 km/hr
3. 22 km/hr
4. 18.5 km/h

Correct Answer: 22 km/hr

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Must Solve Arithmetic CAT Questions for 2026

Question 1: If y is a negative number such that 2y2log35 = 5log23, then y equals:

1. Log2 (1/5)
2. Log2 (1/3)
3. log2 (1/3)
4. log2 (1/5)

Correct Answer: log2 (1/3)

Question 2: The number of real-valued solutions of the equation 2x+2−x=2−(x−2)22^x + 2^{-x} = 2 - (x - 2)^22x+2−x=2−(x−2)2

1. 0
2. 1
3. Infinite
4. 2

Correct Answer: 1

Question 3:  A train traveled at one-third of its usual speed, and hence reached 30 minutes late. On the return journey, the train initially traveled at its usual speed for 5 minutes but then stopped for 4 minutes for an emergency. The percentage by which the train must now increase its usual speed so as to reach the destination at the scheduled time is nearest to:

1. 58
2. 67
3. 50
4. 61

Correct Answer: 50

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Question 4: The mean of all 4-digit even natural numbers of the form ‘aabb’, where a>0a > 0a>0, is:

1. 5050
2. 4864
3. 5544
4. 4466

Correct Answer: 5544

Question 5: An alloy is prepared by mixing metals A, B, and C in the proportion 3:4:7 by volume. Weights of the same volume of metals A, B, and C are in the ratio 5:2:6. In 130 kg of the alloy, the weight of metal C is:

1. 84
2. 96
3. 70
4. 48

Correct Answer: 70

Question 6: If f (5 + x) = f (5 - x) for every real x, and f (x) = 0 has four distinct real roots, then the sum of these roots is

1. 20
2. 40
3. 0
4. 10

Correct Answer: 20

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Important Arithmetic Formulas for CAT 2026

Topic	Concept	Formula / Explanation
Number Systems	Prime Numbers	A number > 1 with no divisors other than 1 and itself
	LCM (Least Common Multiple)	Smallest positive integer divisible by both a and b
	HCF (Highest Common Factor)	Largest positive integer that divides both a and b without remainder
Percentages	Percentage Formula	Percentage = (Part / Whole) * 100
	Percentage Increase/Decrease	[(New - Original) / Original] * 100
Profit and Loss	Profit	Profit = SP - CP
	Loss	Loss = CP - SP
	Profit Percentage	Profit % = (Profit / CP) * 100
	Loss Percentage	Loss % = (Loss / CP) * 100
Simple and Compound Interest	Simple Interest (SI)	SI = (P * R * T) / 100
	Compound Interest (CI)	CI = P * (1 + R / 100)^T - P
Ratio and Proportion	Ratio	a : b = a / b
	Proportion	If a / b = c / d, then ad = bc
Time, Speed, and Distance	Speed	Speed = Distance / Time
	Distance	Distance = Speed * Time
	Time	Time = Distance / Speed
Time and Work	Work	Work = Days * Work Rate
	Work Rate	Work Rate = Work / Days
Mixtures and Alligations	Weighted Average	(Σ Weight × Value) / (Σ Weights)
	Alligation Rule	(Cheaper / Dearer) = (Dearer - Mean) / (Mean - Cheaper)
Pipes and Cisterns	Filling Time	Part filled in 1 hour = 1 / x
	Emptying Time	Part emptied in 1 hour = 1 / y
Arithmetic Progression	Nth Term of AP	aₙ = a + (n - 1)d
	Sum of First n Terms	Sₙ = n / 2 [2a + (n - 1)d]

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Importance of Arithmetic CAT Questions 2026

CAT Arithmetic Questions is a core part of the CAT Quant section and comes from topics we’ve been studying since school days. Concepts like percentages, profit & loss, and ratios are easy to grasp and CAT previous year papers will help you understand how these concepts are applied in the actual exam.. That’s why it's often seen as low-hanging fruit in the exam.

These Arithmetic CAT questions are mostly formula-based and don’t need heavy calculations. If you’ve practised enough, you can solve them in a jiffy. It’s all about speed and smart thinking under pressure.

Conclusion

Practising a variety of Arithmetic CAT questions 2026 regularly can help to develop problem-solving skills. It will also improve your speed and accuracy. Try to solve as many as CAT arithmetic questions you can.

Get a comprehensive overview of the CAT 2026 syllabus to guide your preparation for all sections of the exam.