SSC CGL Quant Preparation, Tips and Complete Strategy

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Quantitative Aptitude section of the Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (SSC CGL) exam is one of the most challenging sections for many candidates. This section is designed to test a candidate’s ability to solve mathematical problems quickly and accurately. To excel in this section, candidates need to have a strong foundation in mathematics, along with excellent problem-solving skills.

SSC CGL Quant Preparation Tier I and Tier II

SSC CGL Quant is considered one of the toughest paper to clear and prepare. So to ease the preparation journey of the candidates. We broke down the entire syllabus into easy to tough chapters section-wise. In this blog, we will discuss some useful tips and strategies to help candidates prepare for the SSC CGL Maths Syllabus and improve their chances of scoring well in the exam.

Understand the SSC CGL Maths Syllabus

Before starting preparation, it is important to know the exact SSC CGL syllabus. The maths section in SSC CGL mainly covers the following topics:

SectionTopics
ArithmeticPercentage, Profit & Loss, Discount, Simple & Compound Interest, Ratio & Proportion, Average, Mixture & Allegation, Time & Work (Pipes & Cistern), Time Speed Distance (Boats & Streams, Trains), Partnership, Problems on Ages
AlgebraAlgebraic Identities, Linear and Quadratic Equations, Simplification
Geometry & MensurationLines and Angles, Triangles (properties, congruence, similarity), Circles (tangent, chord, angle properties), Quadrilaterals & Polygons, Mensuration (2D & 3D: cube, cuboid, cylinder, cone, sphere, hemisphere)
TrigonometryTrigonometric Ratios (sin, cos, tan, cot, sec, cosec), Trigonometric Identities, Heights and Distances
Data InterpretationBar Graphs, Line Graphs, Pie Charts, Tabular Data

SSC CGL Quant Topics Difficulty-wise

To score well in SSC CGL Tier-I and Tier-II Quant, it is important to approach topics based on their difficulty. Start with easy topics to build speed and confidence, move to moderate ones to strengthen your problem-solving skills, and finally focus on difficult topics, which require practice and mastery of formulas and shortcuts. This structured approach helps cover the syllabus efficiently and maximizes your scoring potential.

Difficulty LevelTopics
EasySimplification
Interest
Percentage
Average, Ratio & Proportion, Age-Based Problems
ModerateSpeed, Time & Distance
Profit & Loss
Number Series
Number System
Mensuration
Data Interpretation
DifficultTime & Work
Mixture Problems
Algebra
Geometry
Trigonometry

SSC CGL Quant Preparation Strategy & Topic Order

To prepare effectively for SSC CGL Quantitative Aptitude, it is important to follow a structured order rather than studying topics randomly. Start with Arithmetic, as it forms the foundation of most Quant questions-especially topics like Percentage, Interest, and Profit & Loss, which are widely used across chapters. Once your basics are clear, gradually move to application-based topics and then to advanced areas like Geometry, Algebra, and Trigonometry. Building concepts first and then practicing regularly will help you improve accuracy as well as speed.

StageTopic
1Percentage
2Simple & Compound Interest
3Profit & Loss
4Ratio & Proportion
5Number System
6Average
7Time & Work
8Mixture & Alligation
9Pipes & Cisterns
10Partnership
11Time, Speed & Distance
12Boats & Streams
13Trains
14Geometry
15Mensuration
16Indices & Surds
17Algebra
18Trigonometry
19Statistics & Data Interpretation

Why Previous Year Papers are important for SSC CGL Maths?

Solving previous year papers gives you:

  • A clear idea of exam pattern
  • The difficulty level of questions
  • Repeated and high-weightage topics

Try to solve at least the last 5–6 years’ papers before the exam.

SSC CGL Quant Preparation Best Book for SSC CGL Quant Preparation

Here are some great SSC CGL Books that are referred by many SSC CGL toppers. The best books for SSC CGL Quant Preparation is given in the table below.

Books NameAuthor/Publication
Advance MathsRakesh Yadav
Magical Book on Quicker MathsM Tyra
Data Interpretation DecodedOliveboard
SSC Elementary and Advanced MathsKiran
NCERT Maths from Grade 6 to Grade 11NCERT 
Quantitative AptitudeDr. R.S Agarwal

Quantitative Aptitude Weightage in Tier 1 and 2

Quantitative Aptitude is a major scoring section in SSC CGL exams. The number of questions, marks, duration, and negative marking differ between Tier-I and Tier-II. Understanding the weightage helps in planning your preparation strategy effectively.

TierQuestionsMaximum MarksDurationNegative Marking
Tier-I2550All sections combined: 60 minutes0.50 marks
Tier-II3090Paper I (Quant + Reasoning): 60 minutes1 mark

Practice SSC CGL Quantitative Aptitude Questions Live

Below are some quantitative aptitude questions for SSC CGL for your practice. Attempt them live and check your score as per the real exam marking scheme.

Practice SSC CGL Quantitative Aptitude Questions Live Score: 0.00

Q1) A person who studies human societie of work in 12 days and 16 days respectively. They work together for 4 days, then A leaves. How many more days will B take to finish the remaining work?

Q2. A train 120 m long crosses a platform 180 m long in 18 seconds. Find the speed of the train in km/h.

Q3. The sum of three consecutive AP terms is 54. Product of first and third terms is 288. Find the terms.

Q4. A boat goes 20 km downstream in 2 hours and returns in 4 hours. Find the speed of the stream.

Q5. A merchant mixes sugar at ₹40/kg and ₹50/kg to get 90 kg at ₹46/kg. Find quantity of cheaper variety.

Q6. Find the unit digit of 7²⁰²⁵ + 3²⁰²⁵.

Q7. If sin A = 3/5, find cos A and tan A.

Q8. The average of 5 numbers is 20. If a 6th number 28 is added, find the new average.

Q9. The sum of squares of two consecutive positive integers is 365. Find the integers.

Q10. Solve: x² + 5x + 6 = 0

Q11. A and B can do a piece of work in 15 days and 20 days respectively. They work together for 5 days. What fraction of work remains?

Q12. Find the simple interest on ₹5000 at 8% per annum for 3 years.

Q13. Find the HCF of 120 and 150.

Q14. The perimeter of a square is 64 cm. Find its area.

Q15. A bag contains 5 red, 6 blue and 4 green balls. Find the probability of drawing a red ball.

Quiz Summary

Attempted
0
Correct
0
Wrong
0
Unattempted
0
Final Score: 0.0

FAQs

Q1. What is the weightage of Quant in SSC CGL Tier – 1?

Ans. 25 questions of a total of 50 marks from Quant are asked in SSC CGL Tier-1

Q2. What is the weightage of Quant in SSC CGL Tier – 2?

Ans. 30 questions of a total of 90 marks from Quant are asked in SSC CGL Tier- 2

Q3. How to prepare for maths for SSC CGL without coaching?

Ans. Analyse Previous Year’s Papers, make a proper Study Plan, Learn tricks, and practice Mock tests for Tier-1 and Tier-2.

Q4. What is the level of Maths in SSC CGL?

Ans. According to the notification, the questions in quantitative aptitude will be of Class 10 level

Q5. What posts are SSC CGL-qualified aspirants eligible for?

Ans. Clearing the SSC CGL exam qualifies a candidate for Group–B and Group–C posts in the various departments of the Government of India.

Q6. What qualification in the educational background is required to appear for the SSC CGL exam?

Ans. The minimum educational qualification required to appear for the SSC CGL exam is graduation.