Reasoning and Mental Ability
Reasoning and Mental Ability tests pattern recognition and logical deduction: series, analogies, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, syllogism, seating arrangement, clocks and calendars.
Core rules
- Letter series use forward and backward positions and skip patterns; write the alphabet with positions 1-26.
- Coding-decoding often shifts each letter by a fixed step or reverses the word; test the rule on every letter before choosing.
- Blood relations: draw a family tree and mark gender; do not assume gender from a role word alone.
- Directions: fix north at the top, track turns as right or left, and compute net displacement with right-angle triangles when needed.
- Syllogism: a conclusion must follow from every possible diagram, not just one favourable diagram.
Worked example
If PEN is coded as QFO, how is BOOK coded? Each letter moves one step forward: P→Q, E→F, N→O. Apply the same rule: B→C, O→P, O→P, K→L, so BOOK becomes CPPL. Reasoning: confirm the shift on all three letters of the given word; a single-letter coincidence is not enough.
Traps
Do not reverse right and left when a person faces south. In blood relations, do not confuse maternal uncle with paternal uncle. In syllogism, reject conclusions that need an extra assumption. In series, check two alternating patterns before deciding the rule is broken.