Quantitative Aptitude – Tables
A beginner‑friendly guide for AWS Certification candidates
1. What is a Table?
| Table | Everyday Analogy |
|---|---|
| A grid of rows and columns that holds numbers or words | A grocery list that shows what you need and how many of each item |
| Each row is a separate item or record | Each line in the grocery list is one item (eg. “Apples – 2 kg”) |
| Each column is a category or attribute | Each column tells you something about the item (eg. “Price”, “Weight”) |
Short sentences
- A table arranges data in rows and columns.
- Rows: individual items.
- Columns: attributes of those items.
2. Types of Tables You’ll See
| Type | Why It’s Useful | Simple Example |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency Table | Shows how many times something occurs. | “How many students scored each mark?” |
| Distribution Table | Breaks data into groups. | “Number of books in price ranges: ₹0‑₹100, ₹101‑₹200…” |
| Cross‑Tabulation | Shows relationship between two categories. | “Gender vs. Pass/Fail” |
| Summary Table | Gives totals, averages, mins, maxes. | “Total sales, average sale, highest sale” |
3. How to Read a Table
- Look at the headings (top of columns, left of rows).
They tell you what each number means. - Find the row or column you need.
If you need “age of students”, look at the “Age” column. - Read the cell where the required row and column meet.
That is your answer.
Analogy
Think of a table like a phone book:
- Column “Name” → people’s names.
- Column “Phone” → their numbers.
To find someone’s number, look at the name row and read the phone column.
4. Common Table‑Based Problems
| Problem Type | What to do | Quick Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Find a missing value | Use the surrounding numbers or totals. | Check if the row/column sum is given. |
| Calculate an average | Sum all values in the column ÷ number of entries. | Use the “Total” row if present. |
| Determine a percentage | (Part ÷ Whole) × 100. | Whole is often the column total. |
| Compare two columns | Subtract one column’s value from the other. | Look for the biggest difference. |
| Identify a trend | See if numbers are increasing or decreasing. | Think of a “step ladder” that goes up or down. |
5. Tiny Example
Problem
A table shows how many books each student read in a week.
| Student | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| B | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| C | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
- How many books did student B read on Tuesday?
Answer: 1 (look at B’s row, Tuesday column). - What is the total number of books read by all students?
Answer: 6 + 3 + 7 = 16 (add the “Total” column). - Which student read the most books?
Answer: C (7 > 6 > 3).
6. Quick Tips for Exam Day
- Read the headings first – they hold the key.
- Check for totals – they save time.
- Use simple arithmetic – addition, subtraction, division.
- Double‑check the row/column you’re in – avoid picking the wrong cell.
- Practice with real tables – grocery lists, schedules, exam marks.
7. Mini‑Quiz
| Question | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. A table has the following row: `X | 5 | 7 | 12`. Which column shows the sum? | 5 |
| 2. If column “Total” is 20 and two entries are 7 and 5, what is the third? | 8 | 10 | 13 | 6 |
Answers
- C (the last column is the Total).
- A (20 – 7 – 5 = 8).
Final Thought
Tables are like organized lists. Once you learn to read the headings and look up the right cell, you can answer most questions quickly and accurately. Keep practicing with simple tables, and you’ll master this skill for the AWS certification exam!