Linear and Quadratic Equations CAT PYQs , 41 Questions with Solutions
Master Linear and Quadratic Equations for CAT 2026 with practice questions and detailed explanations
This includes solving quadratic equations, as well as linear and polynomial equations. It’s a core algebra area.
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Quadratics have appeared frequently – often 1–2 questions per year.
- For example, CAT 2019 had 13 algebra questions (which included several on equations).
- CAT 2020 and 2021 had around 1 question on quadratics per slot.
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Linear equations (including systems of equations) also pop up; e.g., CAT 2020 had 1–2 per slot.
In aggregate, Algebra (especially quadratics, linear equations, and inequalities) formed a major chunk – about 6–8 questions per paper.
Key point: Almost every CAT paper from 2017–2024 featured at least one equation-solving question, since “quadratics… and linear equations… form a major number of questions” in algebra.
Weightage Over Past Years
| Year | Q.NONumber of questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Hard |
| 2024 | 3 | Hard |
| 2023 | 7 | Hard |
| 2022 | 7 | Hard |
| 2021 | 2 | Hard |
| 2020 | 5 | Medium |
| 2019 | 5 | Medium |
| 2018 | 2 | Hard |
| 2017 | 3 | Medium |
CAT 2025 Linear and Quadratic Equations questions
Question 1
Slot-1
The number of non-negative integer values of for which the quadratic equation has only integer roots is
Question 2
Slot-1
Question 3
Slot-1
A value of for which the minimum value of is greater than the maximum value of , is
Question 4
Slot-1
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
Question 5
Slot-2
The equations and have one common root. The sum of the other roots of these two equations is
Question 6
Slot-3
Question 7
Slot-3
In a school with 1500 students, each student chooses any one of the streams out of science, arts, and commerce, by paying a fee of Rs 1100, Rs 1000, and Rs 800, respectively. The total fee paid by all the students is Rs 15,50,000. If the number of science students is not more than the number of arts students, then the maximum possible number of science students in the school is
CAT 2024 Linear and Quadratic Equations questions
Question 1
Slot-1
If the equations , and have a common negative root, then the value of is
Question 2
Slot-2
If and are real numbers such that , then the value of is
Question 3
Slot-2
CAT 2023 Linear and Quadratic Equations questions
Question 1
Slot-1
The equation has as one of its roots. If the other two roots are real, what is the minimum possible non-negative integer value of ?
Question 2
Slot-1
The number of integer solutions of the equation
is:
Question 3
Slot-1
Let and be the two distinct roots of the equation , such that and are the distinct roots of the equation . Then, the value of is
Question 4
Slot-1
Question 5
Slot-2
Let be the largest integer such that the equation has no real roots. If is a positive real number, then the least possible value of is
Question 6
Slot-2
If then the difference between the maximum and minimum possible values of is:
Question 7
Slot-3
A quadratic equation has two real roots. If the difference between the reciprocals of the roots is , and the sum of the reciprocals of the squares of the roots is , then the largest possible value of is:
CAT 2022 Linear and Quadratic Equations questions
Question 1
Slot-1
Let be non-zero real numbers such that , and . If the set consists of al integers such that , then the set must necessarily be
Question 2
Slot-1
Question 3
Slot-2
The number of integer solutions of the equation is
Question 4
Slot-2
Let and be real numbers. If and are roots of , then equals
Question 5
Slot-2
Let be a quadratic polynomial in such that for all real numbers . If and , then is equal to
Question 6
Slot-3
If is a root of the equation , and is a root of the equation , where and are integers, then the value of is
Question 7
Slot-3
Suppose is any integer such that the equation has no real roots and the equation has two distinct real roots for . Then, the number of possible values of is
CAT 2021 Linear and Quadratic Equations questions
Question 1
Slot-1
If is a constant such that has exactly three distinct real roots, then the value of is
Question 2
Slot-2
CAT 2020 Linear and Quadratic Equations questions
Question 1
Slot-1
Question 2
Slot-1
The number of distinct real roots of the equation (x + ) 2 - 3(x + ) + 2 = 0 equals
Question 3
Slot-2
Let f(x) = x² + ax + b and g(x) = f(x + 1) - f(x - 1). If f(x) ≥ 0 for all real x, and g(20) = 72, then the smallest possible value of b is
Question 4
Slot-2
Question 5
Slot-3
Let and be positive integers. If and have real roots, then the smallest possible value of is
CAT 2019 Linear and Quadratic Equations questions
Question 1
Slot-1
The number of solutions of the equation is
Question 2
Slot-1
Question 3
Slot-2
Question 4
Slot-2
The quadratic equation has two roots and , where is an integer. Which of the following is a possible value of ?
Question 5
Slot-2
Let be a real number. Then the roots of the equation are real and distinct if and only if
CAT 2018 Linear and Quadratic Equations questions
Question 1
Slot-1
Question 2
Slot-2
If and are integers such that and for all real numbers , then the largest possible value of is
CAT 2017 Linear and Quadratic Equations questions
Question 1
Slot-1
If and , then the largest positive integer for which the equation has two distinct real roots, is:
Question 2
Slot-1
Question 3
Slot-2
The minimum possible value of the sum of the squares of the roots of the equation is
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