Logical and Abstract Reasoning
Logical and Abstract Reasoning
This domain tests pattern recognition and formal deduction without relying on numerical calculation. Items include syllogisms, seating and direction puzzles, coding-decoding, analogies, number or figure series, and matrix patterns. The aim is to find the rule that generates the item, then apply it consistently.
Core rules
- In syllogisms, test validity, not real-world truth. 'All A are B' does not convert to 'All B are A'.
- 'Some A are B' means at least one overlap; it does not establish that some A are not B.
- For series, check differences, ratios, alternating rules and positions before guessing.
- For figures, track rotation, reflection, number of sides, shading and element movement separately.
- In coding, map letters or symbols by position; verify the rule on every given example.
Worked example
Premises: All auditors are accountants. Some accountants are field officers. Question: Must some auditors be field officers? No. The accountants who are field officers may be a different subset from the auditors. The conclusion is possible but not guaranteed. A valid conclusion is 'some accountants are field officers', which simply restates the second premise.
Traps
- Reversing 'all' statements.
- Treating 'some' as 'some but not all'.
- Finding a rule that fits one example but not all.
- Ignoring a second transformation in a figure sequence.
- Overcomplicating when a simple difference pattern works.