Paper IPaper I · General Mental Ability

General Mental Ability, Subject Index

Navigation hub for the CAPF Paper I General Mental Ability module: reasoning, quantitative aptitude, and data interpretation

CAPF wiki•2 min read•9 sections

At a glance

PaperPaper ISubjectGMASyllabusGeneral Mental Ability: logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude including numerical ability, and data interpretationImportanceHigh

IndexGMAReasoningQuantitative AptitudeData InterpretationPaper 1

This is the most learnable and highest-yield part of CAPF Paper I: unlike the static-fact subjects, every mark here is earned by method and practice, so a candidate who drills these formulas and figure rules can lock in a large, reliable block of marks.

The clause covered is "General Mental Ability: logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude including numerical ability, and data interpretation". For the official clause mapping see syllabus index.

How to score this section

Treat it as a skills paper, not a knowledge paper. Learn each formula once, then solve until the method is automatic. Speed comes from pattern recognition, not from working every sum from first principles in the hall. Use the negative-marking maths in exam strategy and shortcuts to decide when to guess and when to skip.

Notes in this module

Quantitative aptitude and numerical ability

number system and simplification, types of numbers, divisibility rules, LCM and HCF, BODMAS, surds and indices.
percentage ratio and average, percentage, ratio and proportion, averages, mixtures and alligation.
time speed distance and time and work, TSD, trains, boats and streams, time and work, pipes and cisterns.
profit loss and interest, profit, loss and discount, simple interest, compound interest.
mensuration and geometry, area and volume of standard shapes and solids, angle and triangle results, Pythagoras.
permutation combination and probability, factorials, nPr and nCr, arrangements, selections, basic probability.
clocks and calendars, clock angles and hand positions, odd days, leap years, day-of-week calculation.

Data interpretation

data interpretation, tables, bar and line graphs, pie charts, fast reading, worked sets.

Reasoning

verbal reasoning, series, analogy, classification, coding and decoding, blood relations, direction sense.
logical reasoning, syllogisms, statements and conclusions, seating arrangement, puzzles, ranking.
non verbal reasoning, figure series, analogy, classification, mirror and water images, paper folding, embedded figures.
alphanumeric series and input output, letter-number-symbol series, position counting, letter positions, machine input-output rules.
data sufficiency, the question type, option codes, the do-not-solve discipline, judging when statements are enough.

Strategy

exam strategy and shortcuts, time management, when to skip, negative-marking maths, calculation speed, a consolidated formula cheat sheet.

Practice

full practice set 50 questions, fifty mixed authored questions across the whole module with a full answer key and explanations.

Suggested study order

number system and simplification (the arithmetic base everything rests on).
percentage ratio and average (the single most-reused toolkit).
profit loss and interest and time speed distance and time and work (the classic word-problem families).
mensuration and geometry, then permutation combination and probability and clocks and calendars (formula-driven, quick to master).
data interpretation (built on percentages, ratios, and averages).
verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, then non verbal reasoning; add alphanumeric series and input output and data sufficiency for the remaining reasoning types.
full practice set 50 questions for a timed mixed drill once the topics are learnt.
exam strategy and shortcuts last, then revise it before every mock.

topic frequency for what to prioritise.
Index for last-week drill sheets, once created.

Now reinforce it

Drill this with a practice set.

Go to practice

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