Reasoning and General Intelligence
Reasoning and General Intelligence tests pattern recognition rather than calculation. CEPTAM Tech-A draws on both verbal and non-verbal items: series, analogy, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense, ranking, syllogism, seating arrangement, figure series, mirror and water images, and paper folding.
Core rules
- Number series: check differences, then ratios, then squares/cubes, then alternating patterns.
- Coding-decoding: note the shift per letter and whether positions run forward or backward.
- Blood relations: draw a family tree; never assume gender from a name.
- Direction sense: sketch each turn and use Pythagoras for net displacement.
- Syllogism: a valid conclusion must hold in every possible Venn diagram.
- Seating: fix one definite position first, then place relative clues.
Worked example
Find the next term: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ?. Differences are 4, 6, 8, 10, so the next difference is 12 and the term is 42. The same series is n(n+1) for n = 1, 2, 3..., confirming 6 x 7 = 42. Checking by two independent rules is the fastest safeguard.
Traps
In syllogism, 'All A are B' does not imply 'All B are A'. In direction questions, distinguish left/right after a turn from the original facing. In ranking, total = rank from top + rank from bottom - 1. In non-verbal series, track rotation, reflection and the number of sides separately.
Key points
- Test differences before ratios in number series.
- Draw diagrams for blood relations and directions instead of doing them mentally.
- A syllogism conclusion must be true in all possible diagrams.
- Total persons = top rank + bottom rank - 1.
- In coding, verify the letter shift in both directions.