General Aptitude and Reasoning
What the section tests
Logical deduction, pattern recognition in sequences and shapes, analogies, classification (odd one out), spatial reasoning, and short data-sufficiency or syllogism items. The skill being measured is structured thinking under time pressure, not prior knowledge.
Concepts to master
- Number series. Check differences first, then ratios, then alternating or two-interleaved sequences.
- Analogies. Identify the precise relationship (part to whole, cause to effect, category to example) and apply it in the same direction.
- Syllogisms. Reason only from the stated premises, never from real-world knowledge. "All A are B" does not let you conclude "all B are A".
- Odd one out. Find the shared property of all but one item; the odd item must break that property.
- Spatial items. Track rotations carefully: a 90° turn changes orientation, not shape.
Traps to watch
- Options designed to look right because they repeat a number from the question.
- Assuming extra information that is plausible but not given.
- Confusing "some" with "all", or reversing a conditional ("if P then Q" does not mean "if Q then P").
- Answering the wrong question: reread the stem before selecting.
Rule of thumb
Write the relationship in a single sentence, then test each option against that sentence. If two options seem possible, look for the rule that explains every case, not just one.
Worked example
Series: 3, 6, 11, 18, 27, ? Differences are 3, 5, 7, 9, so the next difference is 11 and the answer is 38.