Reasoning and Mental Ability: Pattern Logic
What to prepare
Reasoning questions test structured thinking. Cover series completion (number, letter, alphabet), coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, seating arrangement, syllogism, analogy and classification, and non-verbal patterns such as mirror images and figure counting.
Traps to expect
- In blood relations, avoid assuming gender from a role word; 'cousin' or 'child' can be either.
- In direction sense, draw the path on paper; left/right flips when facing south.
- In syllogism, only accept conclusions that are definitely true, not merely possible.
- In coding, check whether letters shift forward or backward and by how many positions.
Worked example
If in a code CAT is written as DBU, each letter moves one step forward. So DOG becomes EPH.
Rule of thumb
For alphabet-position questions, memorise EJOTY (E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25) to locate letters fast. For arrangements, fix the most constrained clue first, then place others around it. Practise drawing diagrams rather than solving in your head.