Reasoning and Logical Analysis
Reasoning and Logical Analysis tests verbal and non-verbal reasoning through syllogisms, seating, blood relations, coding, series, directions, ranking, clocks, calendars, cubes and inequalities. The aim is to test valid deduction under time pressure, not memorised answers.
Core tools
- Syllogism: convert statements into Venn diagrams and accept only what must be true.
- Seating: fix the facing direction first; for circular arrangements, mark left and right from each person’s perspective.
- Blood relations: draw a family tree with gender and generation labels.
- Series and coding: check differences, products, squares, cubes, alternate series and letter positions.
- Clocks and calendars: use relative speed, where the minute hand gains 5.5° per minute, and odd-day counting.
Worked example
Statements: All pens are books. Some books are red. Conclusions: I. Some pens are red. II. Some red are books. Draw books as a large circle, pens inside it, and red overlapping books but not necessarily pens. Conclusion I is only a possibility, so it does not follow. “Some books are red” converts to “Some red are books”, so II follows. Answer: only II follows.
Traps
- Treating a possibility as a definite conclusion.
- Ignoring “some not” and “no” statements.
- Reversing left and right in circular seating.
- Counting the starting day twice in calendar problems.
- Choosing an answer from a diagram that adds information not present in the statements.
Write the diagram or symbol line before choosing; most errors are misread conditions, not difficult logic.