Reasoning and Analytical Ability
What Reasoning and Analytical Ability tests
This section checks whether you can find the rule behind a pattern and apply it without assumptions: analogies, odd-one-out, coding–decoding, series (number, letter, symbol), blood relations, direction sense, syllogisms, seating arrangements, ranking, clocks and calendars.
Rules worth memorising
- Ranking: Total = Left rank + Right rank − 1; the number of people between two positions = (Left of A) − (Left of B) − 1.
- Directions: chart the turns on paper. Facing south, a right turn points west; facing north, a right turn points east.
- Blood relations: draw a tree; never carry a relationship in your head beyond two steps.
- Syllogism: a conclusion fails only if a diagram satisfies every premise and still contradicts it; no and only a few statements need Venn sketches.
- Coding: check the shift letter by letter (first, last, middle) before assuming a whole-word cipher.
Worked example
If POLICE is coded as QPMJDF, how is THIEF written? Reasoning: P→Q, O→P, L→M shows a uniform +1 shift. Apply it: T→U, H→I, I→J, E→F, F→G. Answer: UIJFG. Confirm with the last letter (E→F) before committing to an option.
Traps that cost marks
- In direction questions the starting facing direction is often stated in the second sentence.
- In syllogisms, a possibility statement such as it is possible that all… is true unless a premise forbids it.
- Clock: angle = |30H − 5.5M|; the hour hand moves with the minutes.
- Seating: immediate left and second to the left are different; in circular arrangements fix one person first.