Reasoning and Computer Aptitude: Logic Puzzles and Digital Basics
Reasoning and Computer Aptitude
Reasoning covers puzzles and seating arrangements, syllogism, inequality, coding–decoding, blood relations and series; computer aptitude covers hardware, software, shortcuts, internet terms and security basics. Both halves reward precise reading of conditions.
Reasoning rules
- Syllogism conversions: All A are B gives Some B are A; Some A are B gives Some B are A; No A is B gives No B is A.
- Inequality: combine only same-direction relations; treat "either or" as valid only for complementary pairs such as A ≥ B and A < B.
- Puzzles: draw a fixed grid, separate definite from possible placements, and start from the most restrictive clue.
Computer facts
- 1 byte = 8 bits; 1 KB = 1024 bytes; 1 nibble = 4 bits.
- Ctrl+Shift+Esc opens Task Manager, Ctrl+Z undoes, F5 refreshes, Alt+F4 closes a window.
- OSI has seven layers; HTTP and HTTPS conventionally use ports 80 and 443.
- RAM is primary memory and is volatile; SSD and HDD are secondary storage.
Worked example
Statements: All pens are books. Some books are red. Conclusions: I. Some pens are red. II. Some red are books. "Some books are red" converts to "Some red are books", so II follows. No statement links pens to red, so I does not follow. Answer: only II follows.
Traps that cost marks
- Treating "some" as excluding "all" in possibility-based syllogism questions.
- Accepting "either or" when the two conclusions are not complementary.
- Missing a negative clue in a seating puzzle, such as "not adjacent" or "not at an end".
- Confusing primary with secondary memory, or antivirus with firewall.