TU CMAT Bachelors key terms

A conclusion drawn from stated evidence rather than directly asserted. In verbal reasoning, the correct inference must follow necessarily from the passage, not from outside knowledge or personal opinion.

An unstated premise that must be true for an argument to hold. Spotting hidden assumptions is central to evaluating whether a conclusion is adequately supported by its evidence.

A stated reason or piece of evidence offered in support of a conclusion. Distinguishing premises from conclusions is the first step in analysing any argument-based question.

The main claim an argument tries to establish. It is usually signalled by words such as therefore, hence, or thus, and everything else in the passage supports it.

A question type in which sentences of a paragraph are given in scrambled order and must be rearranged into a coherent sequence using logical links, pronouns, and connectors.

The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers back to. Correctly matching pronouns to their antecedents is a standard technique for ordering sentences in para jumbles and cloze passages.

The way sentences are linked together so a paragraph reads as one connected unit, achieved through connectors, repeated key words, and consistent pronoun reference.

A relationship question pairing two words in a fixed logical relation, such as part to whole or cause to effect, and asking you to find a pair with the same relation.

A word with a meaning close to another word. Synonym questions test vocabulary breadth, and the best answer must match the precise shade of meaning, not just the general topic.

A word with an opposite meaning to another word. Answer choices often include near-opposites, so the correct option must be the true contrary rather than merely a different word.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words, such as 'to bite the bullet'. Idiom questions test recognition of standard usage.

A verb combined with a preposition or adverb that creates a new meaning, such as 'put off' meaning postpone. The particle changes the sense, so it must be learnt as a unit.

A fraction expressed out of one hundred. Percentage problems involve finding a part, a whole, or a rate of change, and often require converting between fractions, decimals, and percents.

A comparison of two or more quantities of the same kind, written as a : b. Ratios are used to divide amounts in given proportions and to compare rates.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal. In direct proportion both quantities grow together; in inverse proportion one rises as the other falls.

Interest calculated only on the original principal, using the formula SI = P × R × T ÷ 100, where P is principal, R the annual rate, and T the time in years.

Interest calculated on both the principal and previously earned interest, so the amount grows faster than under simple interest over the same period and rate.

The sum of a set of values divided by the number of values. Average questions often involve changes when a value is added or removed from the set.

An arrangement of items in which order matters, as in seating people in a row. The number of permutations of n distinct items taken r at a time is n! ÷ (n − r)!.

A selection of items in which order does not matter, such as choosing a committee. The number of ways to choose r items from n is n! ÷ [r!(n − r)!].

The likelihood of an event, calculated as favourable outcomes divided by total equally likely outcomes. Values always lie between zero and one inclusive.

A form of deductive reasoning with two premises and a conclusion, such as 'All A are B; all B are C; therefore all A are C'. Venn diagrams help test validity.

A diagram of overlapping circles used to represent sets and their relationships. It is the standard tool for checking whether syllogistic conclusions follow from the given statements.

Reasoning from general statements to a specific conclusion that must follow if the premises are true. Deduction guarantees the conclusion, unlike induction, which only makes it probable.

Reasoning from specific observations to a general rule. The conclusion is probable rather than certain, because future cases may contradict the pattern observed so far.

A puzzle type that describes family links through statements or coded symbols and asks how two people are related. Drawing a family tree is the usual solving method.

A puzzle requiring people to be placed in rows or around a table from clues about who sits next to, opposite, or left of whom. Fixed and facing directions must be tracked carefully.

A puzzle tracking movement in terms of north, south, east, and west, often with turns, to find the final distance or direction from the starting point.

A sequence of numbers following a hidden rule, such as adding successive squares or multiplying by increasing factors, where the next term must be identified.

A puzzle in which words or numbers are converted into a code by a rule such as letter shifts or reversals, and a new word must be encoded or decoded using that rule.

The government's use of taxation and public spending to influence the economy. Expansionary fiscal policy raises spending or cuts taxes to boost demand during a slowdown.

Actions by a central bank, such as the Reserve Bank of India, to control money supply and interest rates. It is the main tool for managing inflation and currency stability.

The rate at which a central bank lends short-term funds to commercial banks against securities. Raising it makes borrowing costlier and is used to cool inflation.

A sustained rise in the general price level, which reduces the purchasing power of money. It is commonly measured by the Consumer Price Index and Wholesale Price Index.

Gross Domestic Product, the total market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. It is the standard headline measure of economic size.

The difference between a country's exports and imports of goods. A surplus means exports exceed imports; a deficit means imports are larger.

Currencies held by a country, especially reserves maintained by its central bank to settle international transactions and stabilise the exchange rate.

The set of controllable elements a firm uses to reach customers, traditionally the four Ps: product, price, place, and promotion. Services marketing often adds people, process, and physical evidence.

Dividing a broad market into smaller groups of buyers with similar needs, such as by age, income, or lifestyle, so that offers and messages can be tailored to each group.

The specific group of customers a business chooses to serve with its product or service, selected after segmentation on the basis of size, growth, and fit with its strengths.

The extra value a product gains from being associated with a recognised brand name, reflected in customer loyalty, willingness to pay more, and resistance to competitor offers.

A planning tool that lists a firm's internal strengths and weaknesses alongside external opportunities and threats, helping managers match capabilities to the business environment.

A distinctive capability that a firm performs especially well and that is hard for rivals to copy, such as engineering design or supply-chain efficiency, giving it a lasting competitive advantage.

The sales volume at which total revenue equals total cost, so the business makes neither profit nor loss. It is found by dividing fixed costs by contribution per unit.

An expense that does not change with the level of output in the short run, such as rent or insurance. Fixed costs must be covered before any profit is earned.

A cost that rises or falls directly with the quantity produced, such as raw materials or packaging. The gap between price and variable cost per unit is the contribution.

The funds available for day-to-day operations, calculated as current assets minus current liabilities. Shortages can stall operations even when a business is profitable.