Reasoning and Mental Ability
Reasoning and Mental Ability tests logical thinking through verbal and non-verbal items: analogies, classification, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, syllogisms, clocks and calendars, seating, and pattern completion. The exam expects quick pattern recognition with a written trace, not guesswork.
Core rules
- Series: check differences, ratios, squares and cubes, alternating patterns, and letter positions.
- Coding: convert letters to positions A=1 to Z=26; test shift, reversal, and position-sum rules.
- Blood relations: draw a family tree; use consistent male and female symbols.
- Directions: sketch axes; track facing direction separately from movement direction.
- Syllogism: draw minimal Venn diagrams; a conclusion must follow in every possible diagram.
Worked example
Question: Find the next term: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ? Reasoning: The differences are 4, 6, 8, 10, increasing by 2. The next difference is 12, so 30 + 12 = 42. Alternatively, the terms are 1×2, 2×3, 3×4, 4×5, 5×6, so the next is 6×7 = 42. Answer: 42.
Traps
- Assuming a single arithmetic difference when the series alternates.
- In blood relations, treating the mother’s brother as a paternal uncle instead of a maternal uncle.
- In directions, turning left or right relative to the person’s facing direction, not the page.
- In syllogisms, accepting a possibility conclusion as definitely true.