Frequently asked Interview Questions

Frequently asked Questions

1. Tell me about yourself. I
2. Why should I hire you?
3. What is your long-range objective? Where do you want to be 10 or 15 years from now?
4. How has your education prepared you for your career?
5. Are you a team player?
6. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How was it resolved?
7. What is your greatest weakness?
8. If I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they say?
9. What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?
10. If you had to live your life over again, what would you change?
11. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths?
12. Can you name some weaknesses?
13. Define success. Failure.
14. Have you ever had any failures? What did you learn from them?
15. Of which three accomplishments are you most proud?
16. Who are your role models? Why?
17. How does your college education or work experience relate to this job?
18. What motivates you most in a job?
19. Have you had difficulty getting along with a former professor/supervisor/co-worker and how did you handle it?
20. Tell me about yourself.
21. What are your hobbies?
22. Why did you choose to interview with our organization?
23. Describe your ideal job.
24. What can you offer us?

EDUCATION
25. Why did you choose your major?
26. Why did you choose to attend your college or university?
27. Do you think you received a good education? In what ways?
28. In which campus activities did you participate?
29. In what ways do your college education or work experience relate to this job?
30. Which classes in your major did you like best? Least?
31. Which elective classes did you like best? Least? Why?
32. If you were to start over, what would you change about your education?
33. Do you plan to return to school for further education?


EXPERIENCE
31. What job related skills have you developed?
32. Did you work while going to school?
33. What did you learn from these work experiences?
34. What did you enjoy most about your last employment? Least?
35. Have you ever quit a job? Why?
36. Give an example of a situation in which you worked under deadline pressure.
37. Have you ever done any volunteer work? What kind?
38. How do you think a former supervisor would describe your work?

CAREER GOALS

39. Do you prefer to work under supervision or on your own?
40. What kind of boss do you prefer?
41. Would you be successful working with a team?
42. Do you prefer large or small organizations? Why?
43. What other types of positions are you considering?
44. How do you feel about working in a structured environment?
45. Are you able to work on several assignments at once?
46. How do you feel about working overtime?
47. How do you feel about travel?
48. How do you feel about the possibility of relocating?
49. Are you willing to work flextime?

GENERAL

50. What motivates you most in a job?
51. Have you had difficulty getting along with a former professor/ supervisor/co-worker and how did you handle it?
52. Have you ever spoken before a group of people? How large?
53. Why should we hire you rather than another candidate?
54. What do you know about our organization (products or services)?
55. Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years?
The following may not be directly asked, but you should address them:
56. How can you increase their profits?
57. How can you further develop their product line?
58. How can you increase the efficiency of their existing systems?
59. How can you help their business grow?
60. How can you help their department prosper?
61. How can you make your manager look good?
Before you begin interviewing, think about these questions and your possible responses. Discuss them with a career advisor.








Great Questions To Ask
1. Please describe the duties of the job for me.
2. What kinds of assignments might I expect the first six months on the job?
3. Are salary adjustments geared to the cost of living or job performance?
4. Does your company encourage further education?
5. How often are performance reviews given?
6. What products (or services) are in the development stage now?
7. Do you have plans for expansion?
8. What are your growth projections for next year?
9. Have you cut your staff in the last three years?
10. How do you feel about creativity and individuality?
11. Do you offer flextime?
12. Is your company environmentally conscious? In what ways?
13. In what ways is a career with your company better than one with your competitors?
14. Is this a new position or am I replacing someone?
15. What is the largest single problem facing your staff (department) now?
16. May I talk with the last person who held this position?
17. What is the usual promotional time frame?
18. Does your company offer either single or dual career-track programs?
19. What do you like best about your job/company?
20. Once the probation period is completed, how much authority will I have over decisions?
21. Has there been much turnover in this job area?
22. Do you fill positions from the outside or promote from within first?
23. What qualities are you looking for in the candidate who fills this position?
24. What skills are especially important for someone in this position?
25. What characteristics do the achievers in this company seem to share?
26. Is there a lot of team/project work?
27. Will I have the opportunity to work on special projects?
28. Where does this position fit into the organizational structure?
29. How much travel, if any, is involved in this position?
30. What is the next course of action? When should I expect to hear from you or should I contact you?
31. Who was the last person that filled this position, what made them successful at it, where are they today, and how may I contact them?
Great Questions You'll Be Asked
TECHNICAL
1. Please describe any technical hobbies or interests you have.
2. How do you approach a technical problem? Give an example.
3. What exposure have you had to (software, hardware, product marketing, budgeting, etc.)?
4. Briefly describe a technical project that you found challenging or rewarding.
5. What have you done above and beyond class or course work especially in an area related to your major?
6. Have you published any papers or projects?
7. Have you ever been in a situation where you found yourself without the specific technical knowledge to perform a task essential to your project? What did you do?

Formulae on basic mathematics

CONCEPTS & FORMULAE on BASIC MATHS
NUMBER THEORY
TYPES OF NUMBERS
􀂃 Natural Number: 1,2,3,4,5,6………
􀂃 Even: 0,2,4,6,8……
􀂃 Odd: 1,3,5,7……
􀂃 Whole Number: 0,1,2,3,4,5,6……..
􀂃 Integer:..…-3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3……
􀂃 Fraction: -3/8, 2/9 ………
􀂃 All of above are Rational numbers
􀂃 Irrational number: Π, √3, √(4/7) ………..
􀂃 All of above are Real numbers.
􀂃 Imaginary/complex number: i, √(-1), 3+i, …….
􀂃 Prime number: 2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19……
􀂃 Composite number: 4,6,8,9…..
􀂃 Unique number: 1
􀂃 Special numbers
-even prime: 2
-pair of relative primes: (4,9), (8,15) etc
-perfect number: 6, 28, 496 etc where sum of divisors is twice the number itself.
By NON MATHS STUDENTS is meant a student who has studied maths only till 10th standard. If a concept in CAT is out
of range of 10th standard maths then the concept is usually explained in the exam paper itself. For example - Fibonacci
Series. Hence you should be aware of such numbers but don’t need to cram them.
Important Points
􀂃 If ‘n’ is even then (n -1) or (n +1) is odd and vice versa.
􀂃 Sum or difference of two even or two odd numbers is always even. Sum or difference of one even and one
odd number is always odd.
􀂃 Product of even numbers is even and of odd numbers is odd. Product of even and odd is even number. Similar
properties can be extrapolated for exponents as they are only repeated multiplication.
􀂃 If n >1 and odd then (n-1)n(n+1) is always divisible by 24.
NON MATHS STUDENTS: There are hundreds of such relations possible and if it is hard to remember all of them, verify
by inserting a few values. Then cancel out the choices to arrive at the right answer.
􀂃 If 1 to ‘n’ is a continuous series of counting (Natural) numbers then
- if ‘n’ is even then there are n/2 even and odd numbers. The 2 middle numbers are n/2, (n+2)/2
- if ‘n’ is odd then there are (n - 1)/2 even and (n +1)/2 odd numbers. The middle number is (n+1)/2
DIVISIBILITY
-2: number formed by last digit is divisible by 2
-4: number formed by last 2 digits is divisible by 4
-8: number formed by last 3 digits is divisible by 8
-3: sum of digits divisible by 3
-9: sum of digits divisible by 9
-5: number formed by last digit is divisible by 5
-25: number formed by last 2 digits is divisible by 25
-125: number formed by last 3 digits is divisible by 125
-10: last digit is 0
-100:last two digits are 0
-1000: last three digits are 0
-6: number is divisible by both 2 & 3
-12: number is divisible by both 4 & 3
-15: number is divisible by both 5 & 3
-18: number is divisible by both 9 & 2
-11: subtract the sum of digits in odd places from sum of digits in even places. If result is divisible by 11 then
number is divisible by 11
NON MATHS STUDENTS: There are divisibility rules for 7,13,17, 19 etc. But rather than cramming them, one should
learn to extrapolate the rules of divisibility of basic numbers like 2,3,5 to larger numbers like 8,9,25.
􀂃 To check if number is prime: check if the number is divisible by a prime number smaller than its square root.
SURDS
􀂃 ( a) a a a =
􀂃 (n a )(n b )= n ab
􀂃
n
n
b
a
= n
b
a
􀂃
m n a = mn a
􀂃 Rationalization by multiplication with conjugate
-for surds (√a+√b) x (√a-√b) or
-for complex numbers (a+ib) x (a-ib)
HCF and LCM
􀂃 HCF of fraction
= (HCF of Numerator)/(LCM of Denominator)
􀂃 LCM of fraction
= (LCM of Numerator)/(HCF of Denominator)
􀂃 For two positive numbers ‘a’& ‘b’
a x b = LCM (a, b) x HCF(a, b)
EXPONENTS
􀂃 m0 = 1
􀂃 mp x mq = mp+q
􀂃 mp x mr x mq = mp+r+q and so on
􀂃 mp / mq = mp-q
􀂃 mq / mp = mq-p
􀂃 (mp )q = mpq
􀂃 m1/p = p√m = m-p
􀂃 mq/p = p√mq = m-p/q
􀂃 (m x n)p = mp x np
􀂃 (m / n)p = mp / np
LOGS
If ax=N, then Log a N = x.
E.g. 63 = 216, then Log 6 216 = 3
Log to base ‘e’ are called natural log.
Log to base 10 are called common log.
If the base of the log is not indicated it should be understood as 10. e.g. log 100 = 2.
Important Points
Log 1 = 0
Log a a = 1
Log m*n = Log m + Log n
Log (a*b*c...) = Log a + Log b + Log c .......
Log (a/b) = Log a – Log b
Log am = m Log a
Log a b × log b a = 1
aloga N = N.
logamn=n logam
logbn = loga n/loga b
logb a =
b
a
c
c
log
log , where c is any number.
NON MATHS STUDENTS: While exponent and log would seem a whole different type of operation, they are not. As
multiplication is an extension of addition similarly exponent is an extension of the multiplication concept. Keep this in mind
while studying logs and exponents.
MEAN AND PROGRESSION
MEAN
􀂃 Mode: Most frequent number in a given set.
􀂃 Median: In a series of ‘n’ numbers, arranged in ascending order, Median is the middle number if ‘n’ is odd Or
the average of the 2 middle numbers if ‘n’ is even.
􀂃 Average: of ‘a’ and ‘b’ is (a+b)/2
􀂃 Average: of ‘a’, ’b’ and ‘c’ is (a+b+c)/3
Arithmetic Mean:
􀂃 AM of ‘a’ and ‘b’ is (a + b)/2
􀂃 Weighted Arithmetic Mean: WM = (w1a1 +w2a2 +……wnan) / (w1+w2+….wn)
􀂃 In a series of ‘n’ numbers AM = (a1 + a2+ …..an)/n
Geometric Mean:
􀂃 GM of ‘a’ and ‘b’ is (a x b)1/2
􀂃 GM of ‘a’ and ‘b’ and ‘c’ is (a x b x c)1/3
􀂃 In a series of ‘n’ numbers GM = (a1 x a2 x …..an)1/n
Harmonic Mean:
􀂃 HM of ‘a’ and ‘b’ is 2ab/(a+b)
􀂃 HM of ‘a’ and ‘b’ and ‘c’ is 3abc/(ab + bc + ac)
􀂃 In a series of ‘n’ numbers HM = n / (1/x1 + 1/x2 + ….. 1/xn )
Relationship Between Means
􀂃 AM x HM = (GM)2
􀂃 HM < GM < AM
NON MATHS STUDENTS: Progressions are an extension of the concept of means where the consequent numbers are
related.
PROGRESSION
Arithmetic Progression (A. P)
􀂃 a2
= a1 + d
􀂃 an = ⎟⎠
⎞
⎜⎝
⎛ − + +
2
an 1 an 1
􀂃 an = a + (n – 1)d
􀂃 Sn = a1 + (a1 + d) + (a1 + 2d) + ... + [a1 + (n-1)d]
􀂃 Sn = n[2a1 + (n-1)d] /2
􀂃 Sn = n[a1 + an]/2
􀂃 sum of first n natural numbers = n(n+1)/2
Geometric Progressions
􀂃 a2
= a1 x r
􀂃 an = arn-1
􀂃 Sn = a + ar + ar2 + ………… + arn-2 + arn-1
􀂃
( )
( )
( )
( ) ⎪
⎪
⎭
⎪ ⎪
⎬
⎫
<
−
−
=
>
−
−
⇒
; r 1
1 r
a 1 rn
Sn
; r 1
r 1
a rn 1
Sn =
􀂃 If |r| is very small compared to 1 then rn tends to zero and
1 r
a
S
−
∞ =
􀂃
Σ
+ +
=
6
2 n(n 1)(2n 1)
n
􀂃
Σ
+
= ⎥⎦
⎤
⎢⎣
⎡ 2
2
3 n(n 1)
n
􀂃 If the nth term of any series is an3 + bn2 + cn + d , the sum to ‘n’ terms will be aΣn3 + bΣn2 + cΣn + dn.
Substituting above two formulas for Σn2 and Σn3 we can arrive at sum of such a term.
SIMPLE APPLICATIONS
RATIOS, PROPORTIONS AND VARIATIONS
If q: r :: s: t then r: q :: t: s
If q: r:: s: t then q : s : : r : t
If q: r:: s : t then ( q + r ) : r : : ( s + t ) : t
If q: r:: s : t then ( q - r ) : r : : ( s - t ) : t
If q : r :: s: t then (q + r):(q – r )::(s+ t ):(s–t)
If ......
v
u
s
r
q
p
= = then =
+ +
+ +
q s v
p r u
each of the individual ratios.
Direct Variation
A ∝ B
A = k x B, where k is a constant
Inverse variation
A∝ 1/B
A = k/B
Or A x B = k
PERCENTAGE, INTEREST, PROFIT AND LOSS
􀂃 % Change = 100
Original quantity
Absolute value change
×
􀂃 Interest
If A = Total amount , P = Principal, t = time
is = simple Interest rate, ic = Compound Interest rate
A = P x ((is x t)+ 100))/100
or
A = P x ((ic +100)/100)t
Interest Charged = A - P
􀂃 Profit and Loss
If CP = Cost Price, SP = Selling Price
P = Profit, L = Loss
SP – CP = if +ve is profit , if –ve is loss
P% = (SP – CP) x 100/ CP
Confusing Terms in Profit and Loss
􀂃 MP (Marked Price) - price displayed on the label
􀂃 Discount - article is sold at a price less than the list price . Discount = MP – SP
􀂃 If there is no discount then MP = SP
􀂃 Margin is P % with respect to SP rather than CP
Margin % =
SP
P × 100
􀂃 Mark up is the increment on the CP before being sold to the customer.
Markup % = 100
CP
M
×
P − CP
NON MATHS STUDENTS: Profit/Loss can be the easiest to score in CAT. What actually makes it tough is the inability to
understand various terms. The same is the case with speed/time and questions on work.
SPEED
􀂃 Speed = distance / time
􀂃 Average speed = total distance/total time
􀂃 Velocity – only difference between speed and velocity is that the later takes relative distance into account.
􀂃 Terms in a race
-Lead - A gives 5 meters/seconds lead to B in a 100 meters/seconds race. This means that A would start
running when B has already covered 5 meters OR 5 seconds after B has started.
-Win - A wins 100m race from B by 5 meters/seconds. This means that A has reached the winning post when B
was 5m away OR 5 seconds before B
- Dead Heat - when all the participants reach the winning post at the same time.
􀂃 If a number of events of different duration start simultaneously then the duration after which they will again
be in a simultaneous position is the LCM of their individual duration
􀂃 Clocks – The relative speed of minute hand to clock hand is 5.5°/minute.
WORK
􀂃 Amount of work = ‘number of people working’ x ‘their speed’ x ‘amount of time they work’
Speed can vary between men, women, and children or even between two dissimilar groups.
􀂃 Time taken to fill a tank with water = ‘Volume of Empty portion of tank’ / ‘Net volume being pumped’
ALGEBRA
􀂃 Polynomial: Any expression of the form
Coeff. ← axn + bxn-1 + cxn-2 + …………….. + z
n∈I ↓
Var.
􀂃 Some Results
(a + b) ² = a² + 2ab + b²
(a - b) ² = a² - 2ab + b²
(a + b) ² = (a – b) ² + 4ab.
(a + b) (a – b) = a² - b²
(a+b)³ = a³+3ab(a+b)+b ³
(a – b) ³ = a³-3ab(a–b)–b³
a³ + b³ = (a+b)(a²-ab+b²)
a³ - b³ = (a–b)(a²+ab+b²)
(a + b + c) ² = a² + b² + c² + 2 (ab + bc + ca).
(a+b+c+d) ² = a²+b²+c²+d²+2a(b+c+d )+2b(c+d)+2cd
(x+a)(x+b)(x+c)=x³+(a+b+c)x²+(ab+bc+ca)x+a b c
a³+b³+c³-3abc = (a+b+c)(a²+b²+c²-ab–bc–ca)
If a+b+c = 0, then a³ + b³ + c³ = 3abc
NON MATHS STUDENTS: Many students try to cram the above formulas without actually knowing how they came
about. Work on them by expanding the Left hand side to get RHS. Same goes for Linear and quadratic equations.
􀂃 Divisibility Rule
xn +an is exactly divisible by (x + a); if n is odd, but not if n is even
(xn-an) is divisible by (x + a) if n is even but not if n is odd
Linear equations
The system of linear equations a1x + b1y + c1 = 0; a2x + b2y + c2 = 0 will have
Unique solution, if
b2
b1
a2
a1
≠
No solution, if
c2
c1
b2
b1
a2
a1
= ≠ .
Infinite no. of solutions, if
c2
c1
b2
b1
a2
a1
= =
Quadratic Equations
An equation of the form ax2 + bx + c = 0 where a, b, c are real numbers and a ≠ 0
2a
x b b 4ac
− ± 2 −
=
Discriminant D = b2 – 4ac
Sum of roots
a
= α + β = − b
Product of roots
a
= αβ = c
Difference of roots = α - β = (α + β)2 − 4αβ
If D>0, then D = real, so roots are real and unequal
If D = 0, then roots are real and equal
If D<0, then D =imaginary, so roots are imaginary and conjugate
If D is Perfect Square, roots are rational and unequal, & if D is not a perfect square, roots are irrational and
conjugate
The same equation can also be written as
x2 – (α + β ) x + α β = 0
BASIC GEOMETRY
AREA and VOLUMES
􀂃 Polygon Formulas
N = number of sides
Sum of the interior angles = (N - 2) x 180°
Each interior angle = (N-2) x 180°/N
Sum of exterior angles = (N+2) 180°
􀂃 You need at-least 3 lines to form a plane figure (triangle) and 4 lines to form a solid (tetrahedron).
Perimeter Formulae
Square = 4side
Rectangle = 2(sum of adjacent sides)
Triangle = a + b + c
Circle = 2Πr
Length of a Circular Arc: (with central angle Ө)
If the angle is in degrees, then length = Ө/180 x Π r
If the angle is in radians, then length = r x Ө
PLANE SURFACES - Area
square = (side)2
rectangle = (side 1) x (side 2)
parallelogram = length of a side x perpendicular distance between them
trapezoid = average of parallel sides x perpendicular distance between them
circle = Πr2
ellipse = Πr1r2
triangle = ½(base x perpendicular)
equilateral triangle = √3 a2/4
triangle = (1/2)ab sine C
triangle = s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c) when s = (a+b+c)/2
Area of Circle Sector: (with central angle Ө)
if the angle Ө is in degrees, then area=(Ө /360) x Πr2
if the angle Ө is in radians, then area = (Ө /2)Πr2
360° = 2Π radians
SOLIDS - Area
Surface Area of a Cube = 6a2
Surface Area of a Cuboid = 2ab + 2bc + 2ac
Surface Area of Any Prism = (perimeter of shape end surface) * L + Area of two ends
Surface Area of a Sphere = 4Πr2
Surface Area of a Cylinder = 2Πr2 + 2Πr h
SOLIDS -Volume
cube = a3
cuboid = a x b x c
Any irregular prism = (Area of Base) x perpendicular height between them
cylinder = Πr2h
pyramid = (1/3) Area of Base x perpendicular height
cone = 1/3Πr2h
sphere = (4/3) Πr3
ellipsoid = (4/3) Πr1r2r3
NON MATHS STUDENTS: Questions on area and volumes usually ask you to arrive at a dimension of a figure on the
basis of comparison with a different figure. E.g. if a cube completely resides in a sphere, what will be the relationship of the
sphere’s radii to the cube’s side.

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