CLAT Mathematics. Both these words are quite (in)famous for the reaction they cause in the mind of young students. CLAT, being the sole major law exam every law aspirant banks their career on (ok, maybe not sole, but definitely the most important) naturally brings a certain nervousness and fear in the heart of students , and a many a sweat on their brows.
Mathematics, on the other hand, needs no introduction. If there was a poll on the most hated subjects of all time, I’m sure maths would figure near the top. But together, trust me, they lose all their potency. If you really want it, the mathematics section of CLAT is the easiest thing to crack you’ll find when you give the paper next year. If CLAT 2010 is anything to go by, (which it isn’t) it’ll be a question of what you can do faster-read the question or solve the question.
But to assume THAT level of easiness every year would be foolish. After all, maths is maths, and if the paper setter is in a bad mood, it can screw your life. But what we are sure of is that if your approach is right, you’ll always solve it, and solve it well.
A quick analysis of CLAT tells us that the level of maths is basic to say the least, and requires familiarity with numbers, rather than knowledge of advanced calculus. This brings us to our first point:
LOVE the numbers.
Exactly. That’s it. The secret. Presto. Voila. Love the numbers. You must have a familiarity with numbers that makes your girlfriend/boyfriend jealous. Look for numbers in everything – in cricket (score!), in the calendar (bore!), while spending your money (need more?). In CLAT, all you need is speed. And there is no better way to achieve this than regular practice. Trust me, regular practice is boring. Which is why if you LOVE your numbers, you’ll find a way to practice without getting bored. Now, how do you love something as mundane as a number [after all, it gives no satisfaction]. This is what I’ll teach you right here. The gyan for a successful abhyaan.
So, LESSON 1: THE CAR NUMBER GAME
This is the easiest way to increase your speed in basic calculation. Now, we all know getting stuck in traffic is bad, and this is a way out of it. The rules are simple:
1) Find a car – cars…They are everywhere, no probs here.
2) Read the number-It must be four digit and must not contain zero
3) Make it zero- Perform any mathematical operation on the four separate digits (except the stupid stuff like multiplying and dividing by zero) TO MAKE THE RESULT ZERO.
e.g. 3719
3+7=10
1+9=10
10-10=0
5482
5-4=1
Cube root of 8=2
2/2 =1
1-1=0
Do it to as many car numbers as you find(mentally , and fast-10 seconds and you lose). Play it with friends to see who wins. By the time the year is over, you’ll be performing basic mathematical operations faster than a f***ing calculator.
20 questions in 2 minutes = Good for your CLAT score
If you’re good, you’ll do them in 70 seconds. That’s what I did.