CAT Algebra Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Let $a_n$ be the $n^{th}$ term of a decreasing infinite geometric progression. If $a_1+a_2+a_3 = 52$ and $a_1a_2+a_2a_3+a_3a_1 = 624$, then the sum of this geometric progression is

If $9^{x^2+2x-3} - 4\left(3^{x^2+2x-2}\right) + 27 = 0$, then the product of all possible values of $x$ is

If $a,b,c$ and $d$ are integers such that their sum is 46, then the minimum possible value of $(a-b)^2 + (a-c)^2 + (a-d)^2$ is

The equations $3x^2 - 5x + p = 0$ and $2x^2 - 2x + q = 0$ have one common root. The sum of the other roots of these two equations is

The set of all real values of $x$ for which $(x^2 - |x + 9| + x) > 0$, is

Let $f(x) = \dfrac{x}{(2x-1)}$ and $g(x) = \dfrac{x}{(x-1)}$. Then, the domain of the function $h(x) = f(g(x)) + g(f(x))$ is all real numbers except

Let $3 \leq x \leq 6$ and $[x^2] = [x]^2$, where $[x]$ is the greatest integer not exceeding $x$. If set $S$ represents all feasible values of $x$, then a possible subset of $S$ is

The number of non-negative integer values of $k$ for which the quadratic equation $x^2 - 5x + k = 0$ has only integer roots, is

In the set of consecutive odd numbers $\{1, 3, 5, \ldots, 57\}$, there is a number $k$ such that the sum of all the elements less than $k$ is equal to the sum of all the elements greater than $k$. Then, $k$ equals

A value of $c$ for which the minimum value of $f(x) = x^2 - 4cx + 8c$ is greater than the maximum value of $g(x) = -x^2 + 3cx - 2c$, is

For any natural number $k$, let $a_k = 3^k$. The smallest natural number $m$ for which $\{(a_1)^1 \times (a_2)^2 \times \ldots \times (a_{20})^{20}\} < \{a_{21} \times a_{22} \times \ldots \times a_{(20+m)}\}$, is

If $a - 6b + 6c = 4$ and $6a + 3b - 3c = 50$, where $a$, $b$ and $c$ are real numbers, the value of $2a + 3b - 3c$ is

Stocks A, B and C are priced at rupees 120, 90 and 150 per share, respectively. A trader holds a portfolio consisting of 10 shares of stock A, and 20 shares of stocks B and C put together. If the total value of her portfolio is rupees 3300, then the number of shares of stock B that she holds, is

If the equations $x^2 + mx + 9 = 0$, $x^2 + nx + 17 = 0$, and $x^2 + (m + n)x + 35 = 0$ have a common negative root, then the value of $2m + 3n$ is

Consider two sets $A = \{2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13\}$ and $B = \{1, 8, 27\}$. Let $f$ be a function from $A$ to $B$ such that for every element $b$ in $B$, there is at least one element $a$ in $A$ such that $f(a) = b$. Then, the total number of such functions $f$ is

A shop wants to sell a certain quantity (in kg) of grains. It sells half the quantity and an additional 3 kg of these grains to the first customer. Then, it sells half of the remaining quantity and an additional 3 kg of these grains to the second customer. Finally, when the shop sells half of the remaining quantity and an additional 3 kg of these grains to the third customer, there are no grains left. The initial quantity, in kg, of grains is

If $(a+b \sqrt{n})$ is the positive square root of $(29-12 \sqrt{5})$, where $a$ and $b$ are integers, and $n$ is a natural number, then the maximum possible value of $(a+b+n)$ is

The sum of all real values of $k$ for which $\small \left( \dfrac{1}{8} \right)^k \times \left( \dfrac{1}{32768} \right)^{\frac{1}{3}} = \left( \dfrac{1}{8} \right) \times \left( \dfrac{1}{32768} \right)^{\frac{1}{k}}$ is

Suppose $x_{1}, x_{2}, x_{3}, \ldots, x_{100}$ are in arithmetic progression such that $x_{5}=-4$ and $2 x_{6}+2 x_{9}=x_{11}+x_{13}$, Then, $x_{100}$ equals

If $(x+6\sqrt{2})^{\frac{1}{2}} - (x-6\sqrt{2})^{\frac{1}{2}} = 2\sqrt{2}$, then x equals

A function $f$ maps the set of natural numbers to whole numbers, such that $f (xy) = f (x) f (y) + f (x) + f (y)$ for all $x, y$ and $f (p) = 1$ for every prime number $p$. Then, the value of $f (160000)$ is

The sum of the infinite series is $\frac{1}{5}\left(\frac{1}{5}-\frac{1}{7}\right)+\left(\frac{1}{5}\right)^{2}\left(\left(\frac{1}{5}\right)^{2}-\left(\frac{1}{7}\right)^{2}\right)+\left(\frac{1}{5}\right)^{3}\left(\left(\frac{1}{5}\right)^{3}-\left(\frac{1}{7}\right)^{3}\right)+\ldots .$. equal to

If x and y are real numbers such that $|x| + x + y = 15$ and $x + |y| - y = 20$, then $(x - y)$ equals

The roots $\alpha, \beta$ of the equation $3 x^{2}+\lambda x-1=0$, satisfy $\frac{1}{\alpha^{2}}+\frac{1}{\beta^{2}}=15$. The value of $\left(\alpha^{3}+\beta^{3}\right)^{2}$, is