General Intelligence and Reasoning
What this domain tests
Reasoning questions test pattern recognition and logical deduction: series, analogies, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, syllogisms, seating arrangement, and non-verbal figures. Speed comes from recognising the pattern type quickly.
Core concepts
- Number series use differences, ratios, squares, cubes, or alternating operations. Letter series use alphabetical positions and reverse positions (A = 1, Z = 26).
- Coding-decoding may shift letters, reverse the alphabet, or assign numbers to positions. Check both the letter and number parts independently.
- Blood relations are best drawn as a family tree; use gender labels only when the question supplies them. Direction problems track net displacement with north/south and east/west components.
- In syllogism, valid conclusions must follow from every possible diagram. "Some A are B" does not imply "all A are B".
- Seating puzzles use fixed clues first, then relative positions; circular arrangements need clockwise/anticlockwise care.
Worked example
Find the next term: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ?. The differences are 4, 6, 8, 10, so the next difference is 12. Therefore the next term is 30 + 12 = 42. Equivalently, the terms are n(n+1) for n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, so the next is 6×7 = 42.
Traps
Do not assume a relation that the question does not state. In syllogism, a possible diagram is not enough for a definite conclusion. In directions, turning left or right changes the facing direction, not just the position. Avoid overcomplicating a simple alphabetical shift.
Key points
- Series: check differences, ratios, squares, and cubes.
- Letter position: A = 1, Z = 26.
- Draw family trees for blood relations.
- Syllogism conclusions must hold in all diagrams.
- Track facing direction in direction puzzles.