Pattern 14·Core CAT·L2

Election / Voting

Medium FrequencyImportant 60–90 sec

USE WHEN

Valid/invalid votes, turnout, candidates and winning margin are expressed in percentages.

BEST METHOD

Percentage Funnel

TARGET

60–90 sec

MASTERY

not started

Recognition Cues

turnout, valid votes, margin
candidate shares
election funnel

How to Recognise

Valid/invalid votes, turnout, candidates and winning margin are expressed in percentages.

Core Concept

Work from total voters → votes cast → valid votes → candidate shares.

Valid votes = Total\times Turnout\%\times Valid\%; winner margin = difference in candidate shares of valid votes.

Athena Shortcut

Build a percentage funnel before calculating.

Alternative Method · Percentage Funnel

Convert voters → polled → valid → candidate share step by step.

Timed drill

Identify the base or invariant before you calculate.

1:30

Attempt first · Standard Example

80% of 10,000 voters vote. 5% of votes are invalid. Valid votes?

Attempt first · CAT-Level Example

In a two-candidate election, 80% vote, 5% votes are invalid, and winner gets 55% of valid votes. Margin?

Common Trap

Candidate percentages usually apply to valid votes, not total registered voters.

3-level practice ladder

Attempt all three before checking solutions

Foundation

75% of 20,000 registered voters vote; 4% of votes are invalid. In a two-candidate contest the winner gets 52% of valid votes. Find winning margin.

CAT Standard

80% of registered voters vote. One candidate gets 30% of votes and the remaining 70% is split among three candidates in ratio 1:2:3. If the winner beats the runner-up by 2,000 votes, find registered voters.

Advanced / Hybrid

90% of 12,000 voters vote; 5% of cast votes are invalid. Winner gets 60% of valid votes. Find winner's valid votes.

PYQ Mapping

Verified mappingCAT 2022 · Slot 2

cat 2022 slot 2: election turnout, percentage vote share, ratio split and winning margin.

Pattern Connections

#15 Percentage Distribution #16 Percentage Points vs Percentage Change #23 Percentage Equations

Core Concept

Work from total voters → votes cast → valid votes → candidate shares.

Valid votes = Total\times Turnout\%\times Valid\%; winner margin = difference in candidate shares of valid votes.

Attempt all three before checking solutions

Foundation

75% of 20,000 registered voters vote; 4% of votes are invalid. In a two-candidate contest the winner gets 52% of valid votes. Find winning margin.

CAT Standard

80% of registered voters vote. One candidate gets 30% of votes and the remaining 70% is split among three candidates in ratio 1:2:3. If the winner beats the runner-up by 2,000 votes, find registered voters.

Advanced / Hybrid