Jasmine Grover Content Strategy Manager
Content Strategy Manager
Pie charts are specific categories of data visualization in which the data is depicted as a circle. In a pie chart, a circle is divided into numerous sectors or segments, with each sector or segment representing a specific proportion or percentage of the whole. In such a diagram, the sum of all the given items is multiplied by 360 degrees, and the angles representing the various items are calculated proportionally. The entire diagram resembles a pie, and its components resemble pie portions. The purpose of the pie chart is to illustrate the breakdown of a continuous variable into its component portions.
A single pie chart can only depict a single continuous variable. Therefore, pie charts are less versatile in terms of data representation than bar charts, x-y graphs, and tables. However, their utility lies in the fact that their data depiction is cleaner and that they provide a quick notion of the relative distribution of the continuous variable across sectors.
Topics to be covered in the article are:-
- Types of Pie charts questions
- Previous year questions on CAT
- How to approach questions on pie charts in CAT
Types of Pie charts questions
Most commonly asked questions in CAT are from the following types:-
- Single pie chart question
- Double pie chart question
- Pie-chart & graph question
- Pie-chart & Tables question
Previous year questions on CAT
Directions (Q. Nos. 1-3) Answer these questions on the basis of the information given below.
Each of the following pie charts gives the percentage split up of the total time spent by a certain student towards preparation of CAT 2005. (CAT 2011)
Split up by Nature of Study
Split up by Area of Study
Split up by Place of Study
Ques 1. If atleast 5% of the time spent on each area of study was spent on solved examples of that area, then the time spent on solved examples in any area of study, as percentage of the total time spent on that area of study, is at most.
(a) 21(1/6)% (b) 30% (c) 38(1/3)% (d) 55%
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (d)
5% of the time spent on each area equals 5% of the total time devoted to preparation.
Deduct first this 5% from the total time spent on solved examples, which is 10% of the total time. There is 5% of total time remaining. This remaining 5% may only pertain to a single field of study. To achieve the requisite percentage maximum, as little time as feasible must be expended on the area. Therefore, it could be either DS or LA, accounting for 10% of total preparation time.
Now, 5% = 50% of 10%, and 5% of 10% has already been allocated.
Therefore, 50% + 5% = 55% of the time devoted on a specific area of study, say DS.
Ques 2. The number of areas of study for which the cirtical analysis was done at friends’ place alone is atmost.
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 5 (d) 6
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (c)
The student cannot complete the entire critical analysis at his or her friend's home. At least one subject's critical analysis must be left at a friend's house. At a friend's home, he or she covered critical analysis of no more than five subjects.
Ques 3. At the most what percentage of total time was spent on test taken in VA and LA?
(a) 10% (b) 20% (c) 66(2/3)% (d) 100% 3
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (c)
The maximum amount of time that would have been spent on tests in VA = Lower value of tests and VA = Less than 10% and 15% = 10%. Time that would have been spent on revision in LA = the lesser of 20% and 10%, which is 10%. He would have devoted 10% + 10% = 20% of his TIME seminars to the aforementioned topics. Consequently, % of time devoted on the preceding two activities is = 10%+10%30%=2030=6623%
Directions (Q. Nos. 4-8) Read the graph carefully and answer the questions that follow. (CAT 2010)
One of the graph below represent the market share of five different brands of bikes sold in a particular city.
The total number of bikes sold was 25000. The other one shows the unit sales price and the Tax the brand is subjected to. Tax is calculated on the sales price.
Market Share (Total units = 25000)
Ques 4. What is the difference in number of units sold by the most popular brand and the second most popular brand?
(a) 800 (b) 1000 (c) 1200 (d) 1400
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (b)
As is evident from the pie chart, brand D is the most prominent brand, followed by brand C.
26% of Brand D and 22% of Brand C were sold.
The difference amounts to 4% of the total market = 25000 × 4100=1000
Ques 5. Which brand earned the maximum revenue before tax?
(a) A (b) B (c) C (d) D
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (d)
Revenue earned by brand A = ((18x25000)/100)x14500=65250000
Revenue earned by brand B = ((14x25000)/100x13000 = 56000000
the revenue earned by C =66,000,000.
the revenue earned by D = ((26 x 25000)/100) x 13000 = 84500000
Ques 6. Which brand earned the maximum revenue after tax?
(a) A (b) B (c) C (d) D
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (d)
Revenue earned after tax = Revenue earned before tax− Tax
| Sales Tax% | Revenue earned before tax | Tax paid | Revenue earned after tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand A 14 | 65250000 | 9135000 | 65115000 |
| Brand B 11 | 56000000 | 6160000 | 49840000 |
| Brand C 10 | 66000000 | 6600000 | 59400000 |
| Brand D 9 | 84500000 | 7605000 | 76895000 |
| Brand E 11 | 67500000 | 7425000 | 60075000 |
| Total | 339250000 | 36925000 | 302325000 |
Therefore, brand D earned the maximum revenue after tax.
Ques 7. Whenever Amit sings, Bharat gets a headache and Chandu complains. If Chandu is not complaining, which of the following statements must be true?
(a) Amit is singing and Bharat has a headache
(b) Bharat has a headache but Amit is not necessarily singing
(c) Amit is singing, but Bharat does not necessarily have a headache
(d) Amit is not singing
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (d)
Since, when Amit sings, Bharat develops a headache and Chandu lodges a complaint. Then, we are informed that Chandu is not grumbling. Using the contra positive, the following logic results. If neither Bharat nor Chandu has a toothache or is complaining, then Amit must not be singing. Therefore, if Chandu is not complaining, Amit cannot be singing, and option (d) is the correct response.
Ques 8. Atul will eat the apple if Bhanu does not cook. Based only on the information above, which of the following must be true?
(a) Atul will not eat the apple if Bhanu cooks
(b) If Atul did not eat the apple, Bhanu did cook
(c) If Atul eats the apple, then Bhanu did not cook
(d) If Bhanu does not cook, Atul will not eat the apple
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (b)
The sentence can be rewritten as follows: "If Bhanu does not cook, Atul will consume the fruit. Whenever you encounter a "If... then" sentence in a Logical Reasoning question, the only thing that must be true is the "contrapositive"; take the opposite of each portion of the statement and reverse them. "If Atul did not eat the apple, then Bhanu did cook." Choice (b) is an ideal complement for this.
Directions (Q. Nos. 9-10) The pie charts give the data about a textile manufacturing unit exporting to different countries. (CAT 2002)
The total value is 5760 million Euro and the total quantity is 1.055 million tonnes.
Ques 9. Which country has the highest price for its supply?
(a) Pakistan (b) Turkey (c) Switzerland (d) India
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (c)
Since the total value of supply and quantity is the same for each country, the query can be answered with an approximation.
Price for its supply for Pakistan = (17/18) = 0.94
Price for its supply for Turkey = 28/27 = 1.03
Price for its supply for Switzerland = 1.25 and
Price for its supply for India = 0.90.
Switzerland has the highest price for its supply.
Ques 10. What is the price in Euro/kg for Turkey?
(a) 6.3 (b) 5.6 (c) 4.8 (d) 4.5
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (b)
1.055 million tonnes = 1,055 million kg.
∴Price in Euro/kg for Turkey = 5760/1055 = 5.46
Nearest to this number is 5.6 so (b) is the answer.
Directions (Q. Nos. 11-13) The questions are based on the pie charts given below.
Chart 1 Shows the distribution of twelve million tonnes of crude oil transported through different modes over a specific period of time.
Chart 2 Shows the distribution of the cost of transporting this crude oil. The total cost was Rs.30 million. (CAT 2001)
Ques 11. The cost (in rupees per tonne) of oil moved by rail and road happens to be roughly
(a) 3 (b) 1.5 (c) 45 (d) 48
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (b)
Volume transported by rail and road = (22 + 9) = 31% of 12 = 3.72 million tonnes
Cost of transportation by rail and road= (12 + 6) = 18% of 30 = Rs. 5.4 million.
∴Cost is Rs per tonne = 5.4/3.72 = 1.45 1.5
Ques 12. From the charts given, it appears that the cheapest mode of transport is
(a) Road (b) Rail (c) Pipeline (d) Ship
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (a)
Cheapest mode of transportation is as follows:-
Road = 6/22 = 0.27
Rail = 12/9 = 1.33
Pipeline = 65/49 = 1.32
Ship = 10/9 = 1.11
Therefore, Cheapest is the roadways.
Ques 13. If the cost per tonne of transport by ship, air and road are represented by P, Q and R respectively; which of the following is true?
(a) R > Q > P (b) P > R > Q (c) P > Q > R (d) R > P > Q
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (c)
Cost of transportation through air = 7/11 = 0.63.
Rank of modes of transport based on cost of transportation.
Ship>Air>Road.
i.e., P>Q>R
Directions (Q. Nos. 14-17) Answer the questions based on the following information. (CAT 1999)
Consider the information provided in the figure below relating to India’s foreign trade in 1997-98 and the first eight months of 1998-99. Total trade with a region is defined as the sum of exports and imports from that region. Trade defined as the excess of imports over exports. Trade deficit may be negative
- USA B. Germany C. Other EU D. UK E. Japan F. Russia G. Other East Europe H. OPEC
- Asia J. Other LDCs K. Others
Source of Imports
Destination of Exports
Ques 14. What is the region with which India had the highest total trade in 1997-98 ?
(a) USA (b) Other EU
(c) OPEC (d) Others
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (c)
Total trade = Import + Export.
Total trade for USA
(A)=(9+19)=28%,
Other EU
(C)=(12+14)=26%,
OPEC
(H)=(23+10)=33%,
Others
(K)=(1+1)=2%.
Highest is for OPEC
Ques 15. In 1997-98, the amount of Indian exports, million US dollars, to the region with which India had the lowest total trade, is approximately
(a) 750 (b) 340 (c) 220 (d) 440
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (b)
India had the least amount of total trade with the other regions represented by K.
Therefore, export to region K= 1% of $33,979,000,000, or $340,000,000.\
Ques 16. In 1997-98, the trade deficit with respect to India, billion US dollars, for the region with the highest trade deficit with respect to India, is approximately equal to
(a) 6.0 (b) 3.0 (c) 4.5 (d) 7.5
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (a)
The region H trade deficit is the greatest at (40,779 x 0.23 - 33,979 x 0.1) = (9,398 - 3,398)
= 5,981 million or $ 6 billion.
Ques 17. What is the region with the lowest trade deficit with India in 1997-98 ?
(a) USA (b) Asia
(c) Others (d) Other EU
Click here for the answer
Solution:- (a)
Lowest trade deficit is represented by region A and is equal to (40,779 × 0.09 − 33,979 × 0.19) &-2785.9 million.
How to approach questions on pie charts in CAT
- Basic proficiency on percentage and multiplication will help you solve questions faster.
- Practicing questions on two pie-charts and combination with other types of DI questions will help you read and adapt to this type questions to reduce the time invested in each question.
Comments