Indian Institute of Technology Madras
BS Degree Programme · Examination & Study Paper
Business Data Management
All 2025 papers
Examination Instructions & Guidelines
- Solve on notebook/paper first before checking solutions.
- MCQ: Exactly 1 option is correct. Negative marking applies.
- MSQ: One or more options correct. Select all to score.
- NAT: Numerical response. No negative marking.
- Scientific calculator allowed for all calculations.
- Official answer key is sealed at the end of this sheet.
End Term · 31 Aug 2025 (FN)End Term
- Q1MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
In the context of economic circular flow, what do firms primarily provide to the factor market?
- AGoods and services
- BWages and rent
- CRaw materials
- DCapital investment
- Q2MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which Excel function would you use to find a value in the first column of a table and return a value from a specified column?
- AINDEX
- BMATCH
- CVLOOKUP
- DHLOOKUP
- Q3MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which of the following is a non-government source of economic data in India?
- ANational Sample Survey (NSS)
- BEconomic Census
- CCentre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE)
- DAnnual Survey of Industries (ASI)
- Q4MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What does a bimodal distribution in consumer spending data typically indicate?
- AUniform spending across all consumers
- BTwo distinct consumer groups with different spending patterns
- CRandom spending behavior
- DDeclining consumer confidence
- Q5MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
In a saturated market where 75% of existing customers show upgrade interest but new customer acquisition is limited, what should companies prioritize?
- AAggressive new customer acquisition campaigns
- BGeographic expansion to untapped markets
- CUpgrade incentives and retention programs for existing customers
- DPrice reduction strategies
- Q6MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) primarily measures:
- AAverage time to convert inventory to sales
- BAverage time to collect accounts receivable
- CAverage time to pay suppliers
- DAverage production cycle time
- Q7MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which chart type is most appropriate for showing the relationship between two continuous variables?
- ABar chart
- BPie chart
- CScatter plot
- DHistogram
- Q8MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Internal Pool Sourcing refers to:
- AHiring external consultants
- BFilling positions from within the organization
- COutsourcing recruitment processes
- DCreating talent pools for future hiring
- Q9MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
To reduce credit losses, a FinTech company should:
- ADecrease credit score approval threshold
- BIncrease credit score approval threshold
- CEliminate credit checks
- DApprove all applications
- Q10MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
A customer purchases on ClipKart using HFCD Credit Card via PayBlade. What is the correct payment flow sequence?
- ACustomer → HFCD → ClipKart
- BCustomer → HFCD → PayBlade → ClipKart
- CCustomer → PayBlade → HFCD → ClipKart
- DCustomer → ClipKart → HFCD → PayBlade
- Q11MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Personalized recommendations on e-commerce platforms primarily aim to:
- AIncrease website traffic
- BReduce server load
- CImprove conversion rates based on user behavior
- DStandardize user experience
- Q12MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which of the following best describes a lead indicator?
- AA metric that reflects past performance
- BA measure used to predict future trends
- CA statistic that measures current output
- DA financial result already realized
- Q13MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which Excel function would you use to calculate the average of a filtered range, ignoring hidden rows?
- AAVERAGE
- BSUBTOTAL
- CAGGREGATE
- DFILTER
- Q14MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What is the primary objective of conducting an A/B test?
- ATo test system scalability
- BTo compare performance of two or more variants
- CTo validate data quality
- DTo measure user satisfaction
- Q15MSQ2 Marks·Choose all correct options
Which of the following is NOT a typical function of pivot tables?
- ASummarizing large datasets
- BCreating new records in source data
- CGrouping data by categories
- DCalculating aggregated values
- Q16MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option

- ATreatment improved both metrics
- BTreatment improved conversion but reduced transaction value
- CControl performed better on all metrics
- DNo significant difference between groups
- Q17MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option

- ACampus Hiring
- BJob Portal
- CEmployee Referral
- DSocial Media
Read the passage below, then answer Q18–Q19
Based on the following sales data, answer the given subquestions
Product Sales Data (Rs. in thousands):
Product A: 45,000
Product B: 32,000
Product C: 58,000
Product D: 28,000
Product E: 37,000
Q18MCQ2 Marks·Choose one optionWhat is the market share of Product C as a percentage?
- A27.5%
- B29.0%
- C30.5%
- D32.0%
- Q19MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which product has the second-highest market share?
- AProduct A
- BProduct B
- CProduct D
- DProduct E
Read the passage below, then answer Q20–Q21
Q20NAT2 Marks·Write the numberWhat is the total monthly revenue?
Your answer:- Q21MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which product has the highest Days of Inventory?
- AAlpha
- BBeta
- CGamma
- DDelta
Read the passage below, then answer Q22–Q23
Based on the following product data, answer the given subquestions:
Planned Production Hours: 480
Lost Time Hours: 48
Design Speed: 200 units/hour
Actual Speed: 180 units/hour
Total Units Produced: 77,760
Good Units: 74,772
Q22NAT2 Marks·Write the numberCalculate Availability (in %)
Your answer:- Q23NAT2 Marks·Write the number
Calculate Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) (in %)
Your answer:
End Term · 31 Aug 2025 (AN)End Term
- Q24MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What happens to the demand curve when consumer income increases for a normal good?
- AShifts to the left
- BShifts to the right
- CRemains unchanged
- DBecomes steeper
- Q25MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which Excel function would you use to find a value in the first column of a table and return a value from a specified column?
- AINDEX
- BMATCH
- CVLOOKUP
- DHLOOKUP
- Q26MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which of the following is primarily used as a surrogate indicator?
- ADirect sales data
- BNumber of vehicle registrations to estimate automobile market size
- CCustomer survey responses
- DCompany financial statements
- Q27MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
A niche market strategy focuses on:
- ABroad customer segments with general needs
- BSpecific customer groups with specialized needs
- CMass production for cost efficiency
- DGeographic expansion
- Q28MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
For a company facing declining market share, which strategy would be most appropriate?
- AMaintain current pricing
- BReduce marketing spend
- CAnalyze competitors and differentiate offerings
- DExit the market immediately
- Q29MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
ABC Analysis primarily categorizes inventory based on:
- APhysical size of items
- BAlphabetical order
- CAnnual monetary usage/value
- DStorage location
- Q30MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which is NOT a benefit of implementing an ERP system?
- AImproved data accuracy
- BIncreased data redundancy
- CBetter process efficiency
- DEnhanced business visibility
- Q31MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
For analyzing seasonal sales patterns, which approach is most effective?
- AMaintain constant inventory levels
- BAdjust inventory based on historical seasonal trends
- CIgnore seasonal variations
- DFocus only on peak season data
- Q32MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
In an A/B test for a mobile app redesign, the control group should receive:
- AThe new app design
- BThe current/original app design
- CA mix of old and new designs
- DNo app access
- Q33MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
A document outlining job requirements, budget, and skills needed is called:
- AJob Description
- BIndent
- CAppraisal Form
- DPerformance Review
- Q34MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
When should A/B testing ideally be conducted?
- AAfter full deployment to all users
- BBefore developing the solution
- CBefore full deployment to validate changes
- DOnly during system maintenance
- Q35MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
E-commerce platforms use scarcity nudges by:
- AShowing unlimited stock availability
- BDisplaying 'Only 3 left in stock' messages
- CHiding product information
- DRemoving time limits on offers
- Q36MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
If a company identifies a strong seasonal pattern in sales data, the optimal inventory approach is to:
- AKeep inventory constant all year
- BIncrease inventory uniformly
- CAdjust safety stock and reorder levels based on seasonal forecasts
- DEliminate safety stock entirely
Read the passage below, then answer Q37–Q38
Smartphone Sales Analysis (Units in thousands):

Based on the above data, answer the given subquestions.
Q37MCQ2 Marks·Choose one optionWhich brand has the highest total annual revenue?
- ASamsing
- BOrange
- CTwoPlus
- DZiome
- Q38MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What is Orange's market share by revenue?
- A18.5%
- B21.2%
- C32.0%
- D36.4%
Read the passage below, then answer Q39–Q41
TechCorp Manufacturing Data for March 2024:
Week 1: Planned 500 units, Produced 480 units, Defects 24
Week 2: Planned 520 units, Produced 500 units, Defects 20
Week 3: Planned 480 units, Produced 465 units, Defects 18
Week 4: Planned 550 units, Produced 530 units, Defects 25
Based on the above data, answer the given subquestions.
Q39NAT2 Marks·Write the numberCalculate the overall Quality percentage for March (in %)
Your answer:- Q40MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option
Which week had the best Performance percentage?
- AWeek 1
- BWeek 2
- CWeek 3
- DWeek 4
- Q41NAT2 Marks·Write the number
What is the average Availability assuming 8-hour shifts with 0.5 hours lost time per day? (in %)
Your answer: - Q42MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option
For the given data, which formula correctly calculates total sales for 'Electronics' category sold by 'John'? Data Range A2:C10 contains: Column A: Salesperson names Column B: Category Column C: Sales amount
- A=SUMIFS(C2:C10,A2:A10,"John",B2:B10,"Electronics")
- B=SUMIF(A2:A10,"John",C2:C10)+SUMIF(B2:B10,"Electronics",C2:C10)
- C=VLOOKUP("John",A2:C10,3,FALSE)
- D=COUNTIFS(A2:A10,"John",B2:B10,"Electronics")
- Q43MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option
E-commerce A/B Test Results: Version A (Control): 1000 visitors, 50 purchases, Avg order value Rs.1,200 Version B (Treatment): 1000 visitors, 65 purchases, Avg order value Rs.1,150 Which metric shows improvement in Version B?
- AConversion rate only
- BAverage order value only
- CBoth conversion rate and total revenue
- DNeither metric improved
- Q44MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option

- APriya > Raj > Nina > Sam
- BPriya > Sam >Raj >Nina
- CSam > Priya > Raj > Nina
- DNina > Priya > Raj > Sam
- Q45NAT2 Marks·Write the number
DigitalPay earns revenue as follows: - 2.5% transaction fee on all payments - 15% annual interest on credit transactions - 8% loss rate on credit (unpaid amounts) March transactions: Debit payments: Rs.10,00,000 Credit payments: Rs.5,00,000 Credit defaults: Rs.40,000 Calculate net profit for March:
Your answer:
Quiz 2 · 3 Aug 2025 (AN)Quiz 2
- Q46MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option

- AThe reference to cell B1 will adjust when the formula is copied to other cells.
- BThe reference to cell B1 is absolute and will not change when the formula is copied to other cells.
- CThe reference to cell A1 is absolute and will not change when the formula is copied to other cells.
- DThe reference to cell A1 is absolute, but reference to B1 is relative.
- Q47MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What are the roles that the Government plays in the economic circular flow model?
- AProducer and Consumer
- BModerator and Participant
- CBoth Producer and Consumer & Moderator and Participant
- DNone of these
- Q48MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which of the following factors is most critical in determining the market potential for a new product ?
- AThe size of the target market and percentage of potential customers interested in the product.
- BHistorical sale data of unrelated products.
- CCost of production and distribution.
- DCurrent market share of existing products.
- Q49MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
In Excel, the SUBTOTAL function is used to perform calculations on a filtered range of data. Which of the following statements about the SUBTOTAL function is correct?
- ASUBTOTAL can only calculate the sum of a range and ignores hidden rows in the filtered data.
- BSUBTOTAL can perform various calculations, including sum, average, count, and more, and it ignores rows hidden by filters.
- CSUBTOTAL performs calculations only on rows that are manually hidden, not those hidden by filters.
- DSUBTOTAL can calculate results based on data in any worksheet, regardless of whether the data is visible or hidden.
- Q50MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which of the following is typically NOT performed when using a pivot table in data analysis ?
- AFiltering data to display only specific records.
- BCreating new records in the original dataset.
- CGrouping data by categories or fields to analyze trends and patterns.
- DSummarizing data by aggregating values, such as sum, count, or average.
- Q51MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which chart can be used to represent the intensity or size of a data ?
- AScatter Plot
- BBubble Chart
- CHistogram
- DBox Plot
- Q52MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What does SOR refer to in e-commerce?
- ASales of Resource
- BSale or Return
- CSales of Return
- DSales on Regular
- Q53MSQ2 Marks·Choose all correct options
Which of the following statements best describes the difference between a niche market and a mass market?
- AA niche market targets a small, specific group of customers with specialized needs, while a mass market targets a large, broad group of customers with general needs.
- BA niche market involves offering lower-priced products to a wide audience, whereas a mass market involves offering high-end products to a small, exclusive group.
- CA niche market typically requires large-scale advertising campaigns to reach a broad audience, while a mass market relies on word-of-mouth and targeted marketing.
- DA niche market focuses on standard products that appeal to everyone, while a mass market customizes products to fit individual customer preferences.
- Q54NAT1 Mark·Write the number
Determine the percentage change in total revenue when income increases from Rs 15000 to Rs 25000. (upto 3 decimals, hint : if your ans is 98% then enter 0.98 as your answer). Income level 1 1) Income = Rs 15,000 2) Qty demanded = 60 units 3) Price per qty = Rs 40 Income level 2 1) Income = Rs 25,000 2) Qty demanded = 90 units 3) Price per qty = Rs 38
Your answer: - Q55NAT2 Marks·Write the number
Your answer: Read the passage below, then answer Q56–Q57

Based on the above data, answer the given subquestions.
Q56MCQ1.5 Marks·Choose one optionBased on this information, at what inventory level should you trigger a re-order for gear assemblies?
- AInitiate a re-order when the inventory level drops to 70 units
- BInitiate a re-order when the inventory level drops to 50 units
- CInitiate a re-order when the inventory level drops to 30 units
- DInitiate a re-order when the inventory level drops to 15 units
- Q57NAT1.5 Marks·Write the number
After how many days should you trigger a re-order
Your answer: Read the passage below, then answer Q58–Q60
Q58MCQ2 Marks·Choose one optionWhich SKU has the highest Days of Inventory?
- ALAP002
- BLAP003
- CLAP006
- DLAP007
- Q59MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option
If the profit margin for the sale of a laptop is 10%, what is the total profit earned from the sale of LAP005?
- A42505
- B40890
- C41782
- D40473
- Q60MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What percentage of total revenue do the SKUs LAP004 and LAP005 contribute together?
- A10%
- B20%
- C15%
- D25%
End Term · 13 Apr 2025 (FN)End Term
- Q61MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What does the law of demand state?
- AAs the price of a good increases, the quantity demanded decreases
- BAs the price of a good decreases, the quantity demanded decreases
- CAs the price of a good increases, the quantity supplied decreases
- DAs the price of a good decreases, the quantity supplied increases
- Q62MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which function would you use to count the number of cells that meet a specific condition?
- ACOUNT
- BCOUNTA
- CCOUNTIF
- DCOUNTSUM
- Q63MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
In a saturated smartphone market where 70% of current users express interest in upgrading their phones in the next two months, and the no. of new smartphone users remain unchanged, what should companies/manufacturers prioritize?
- AExpand distribution channels to reach untapped geographic regions.
- BFocus on females as their target customers.
- CInvest in research and development to create innovative features for new customers.
- DDevelop targeted upgrade incentives and promotions for current users looking to replace their old devices
- Q64MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What does the Days of Sales of Inventory indicate?
- AThe average number of days required by a company to turn its inventory into sales.
- BThe number of days when inventory is zero in a year
- CTotal number of days when inventory sales is zero due to lack of inventory
- DThe average number of inventory stockout days in a month
- Q65MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which of the following factors is most critical in determining the market potential for a new product ?
- AThe size of the target market and percentage of potential customers interested in the product.
- BHistorical sale data of unrelated products.
- CCost of production and distribution.
- DCurrent market share of existing products.
- Q66MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Which metric is most important to monitor during an A/B test?
- ATotal number of users tested in the experiment
- BUptime of the system
- CKey performance indicators (KPIs) specific to the experiment
- DModel training time
- Q67MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Arrange the following steps while working with unstructured data in a ranking modelling: I. Normalizing II. Preprocessing III. Ranking IV. Composite score
- AI -> II -> III -> IV
- BII -> I -> IV -> III
- CI -> II -> I -> IV -> III
- DI -> II -> I -> III -> IV
- Q68MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
If a FinTech company wants to cut down losses, which of the following should they do?
- ADecrease approval cutoff of credit score
- BIncrease interest rate
- CIncrease approval limit for loans
- DIncrease approval cutoff of credit score
- EGive more loans
- Q69MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option
PayBuddy conducted an A/B test to understand if their new Funding Instrument recommendation strategy works well. Following are the details of the control and treatment groups. From the given table, which of the following statements are true? i. Value of Credit transactions increased with the new recommendation strategy ii. Value of Debit transactions increased with the new recommendation strategy iii. Value of both Credit and Debit transactions increased with the new recommendation strategy iv. Value of Credit transactions decreased with the new recommendation strategy v. Value of Debit transactions decreased with the new recommendation strategy

- ABoth (i) & (v)
- BOnly (iii)
- COnly (i)
- DBoth (ii) & (iv)
- EOnly (v)
- Q70MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option
PePhone is a FinTech firm that processes payments. Following are sources of revenue for the company – 3.5% of transaction amount as transaction fee from merchant for all types of transactions (credit and debit), 18% p.a. interest on credit transactions and incurs a loss of credit if not paid back. Calculate the overall profit for the company based on the below table – (Assume payback of credit in a year) Note: Declined transactions will not get credit but customers will complete the payment through PePhone using their bank details.

- A– 211.0
- B– 192.72
- C–131.94
- D– 162.18
- Q71MSQ1 Mark·Choose all correct options
Which of the following conditions can use the concept of "weighted average" to analyse expenditure data?
- ABy considering importance of expenditure categories
- BBy considering the population size of different regions
- CBy adjusting for inflation over time
- DBy analyzing the impact of income levels on expenditure
- Q72MSQ2 Marks·Choose all correct options
In Excel, the SUBTOTAL function is used to perform calculations on a filtered range of data. Which of the following statements about the SUBTOTAL function is correct?
- ASUBTOTAL can only calculate the sum of a range and ignores hidden rows in the filtered data.
- BSUBTOTAL can perform various calculations, including sum, average, count, and more, and it ignores rows hidden by filters.
- CSUBTOTAL performs calculations only on rows that are manually hidden, not those hidden by filters.
- DSUBTOTAL can calculate results based on data in any worksheet, regardless of whether the data is visible or hidden.
Read the passage below, then answer Q73–Q74
Based on the sample data given answer the subquestions.
Q73MCQ1 Mark·Choose one optionDetermine the percentage change in total revenue when income increases from Rs 15000 to Rs 25000.
- A41.2%
- B42%
- C42.5%
- D41.8%
- Q74MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What is the type of goods based on the given table?
- ANormal Goods
- BInferior Goods
- CLuxury Goods
- DNone of these
Read the passage below, then answer Q75–Q77
Based on following data, answer the given subquestions:
Q75MCQ2 Marks·Choose one optionThe total revenue of the firm is:
- A67125
- B66895
- C65285
- D67565
- Q76MCQ2 Marks·Choose one option
In terms of sales trend, which product has a continuously increasing trend?
- AGadget X
- BWidget A
- CWidget C
- DGadget Q
- Q77MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
What percentage of total revenue do Widgets contribute?
- A30.1%
- B42.4%
- C25.6%
- D35.5%
Read the passage below, then answer Q78–Q81
Based on the data in the table, Calculate the missing values X1, X2, X3 & X4 and answer the given subquestions.
Q78NAT1 Mark·Write the numberX1:
Your answer:- Q79NAT1 Mark·Write the number
X2:
Your answer: - Q80NAT1.5 Marks·Write the number
X3 (in%):
Your answer: - Q81NAT1.5 Marks·Write the number
X4 (in%):
Your answer: Read the passage below, then answer Q82–Q84
Match the following

Based on the above data, answer the given subquestions.
Q82MCQ1 Mark·Choose one optionA form created by HR that outlines the budgetary details, skills and capabilities required etc.
- AAppraisal
- BIndent
- CEmployee referral
- DNone of these
- Q83MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
Organization source talent by asking their existing employees to recommend candidates from their existing networks.
- AAppraisal
- BIndent
- CEmployee referral
- DNone of these
- Q84MCQ1 Mark·Choose one option
The process of evaluating an employee’s current and/or past performance
- AAppraisal
- BIndent
- CEmployee referral
- DNone of these
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