CAT 2017 Slot 1 DILR Set 1 Q1–Q4

A DILR caselet from the Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR) section of CAT 2017 Slot 1, with 4 questions (Routes & Networks). Answers are CAT's official key.

The set

This set relies on a figure in the original paper, which is not reproduced here. The questions and answers are below.

A new airlines company is planning to start operations in a country. The company has identified ten different cities which they plan to connect through their network to start with. The flight duration between any pair of cities will be less than one hour. To start operations, the company has to decide on a daily schedule.

The underlying principle that they are working on is the following:

Any person staying in any of these 10 cities should be able to make a trip to any other city in the morning and should be able to return by the evening of the same day.

Question 1

If the underlying principle is to be satisfied in such a way that the journey between any two cities can be performed using only direct (non-stop) flights, then the minimum number of direct flights to be scheduled is:

  1. A
    45
  2. B
    90
  3. C
    180
  4. D
    135

Answer: (C) 180 Routes & Networks MCQ

A worked solution for this question is being written. Meanwhile, practise it in a timed mock and see how other aspirants did.

Question 2

Suppose three of the ten cities are to be developed as hubs. A hub is a city which is connected with every other city by direct flights each way, both in the morning as well as in the evening. The only direct flights which will be scheduled are originating and/or terminating in one of the hubs. Then the minimum number of direct flights that need to be scheduled so that the underlying principle of the airline to serve all the ten cities is met without visiting more than one hub during one trip is:

[Figure in the original paper]

  1. A
    54
  2. B
    120
  3. C
    96
  4. D
    60

Answer: (C) 96 Routes & Networks MCQ

A worked solution for this question is being written. Meanwhile, practise it in a timed mock and see how other aspirants did.

Question 3

Suppose the 10 cities are divided into 4 distinct groups G1, G2, G3, G4 having 3, 3, 2 and 2 cities respectively and that G1 consists of cities named A, B and C. Further, suppose that direct flights are allowed only between two cities satisfying one of the following:

1. Both cities are in G1
2. Between A and any city in G2
3. Between B and any city in G3
4. Between C and any city in G4

Then the minimum number of direct flights that satisfies the underlying principle of the airline is: (TITA)

TITA: type in the answer. There are no options and no negative marking.

Answer: 40 Routes & Networks TITA

A worked solution for this question is being written. Meanwhile, practise it in a timed mock and see how other aspirants did.

Question 4

Suppose the 10 cities are divided into 4 distinct groups G1, G2, G3, G4 having 3, 3, 2 and 2 cities respectively and that G1 consists of cities named A, B and C. Further, suppose that direct flights are allowed only between two cities satisfying one of the following:

1. Both cities are in G1
2. Between A and any city in G2
3. Between B and any city in G3
4. Between C and any city in G4

However, due to operational difficulties at A, it was later decided that the only flights that would operate at A would be those to and from B. Cities in G2 would have to be assigned to G3 or to G4.
What would be the maximum reduction in the number of direct flights as compared to the situation before the operational difficulties arose? (TITA)

TITA: type in the answer. There are no options and no negative marking.

Answer: 4 Routes & Networks TITA

A worked solution for this question is being written. Meanwhile, practise it in a timed mock and see how other aspirants did.

Same concept in other years

See every question on Network of roads/lines with travel times or distances; routes and schedules.

More Routes & Networks questions from CAT

All 41 Routes & Networks questions asked since 2017.