Inductive Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning asks you to find the pattern and predict what comes next, or to decide which general rule best explains a set of examples. Unlike deduction, induction yields probability, not certainty - so the best answer is the one most strongly supported, not the only possible one.
Concepts to master
- Pattern types: numeric sequences (add, multiply, alternate), visual sequences (rotation, shading), and verbal categories.
- Differences between terms: compute the gap between consecutive items; if the gaps themselves form a pattern, you have found the rule.
- Alternating sequences: two interleaved patterns in one list.
- Generalization: which rule covers all the examples without exceptions.
- Counterexamples: one exception breaks a proposed rule.
Traps that appear
- A rule that fits the first few terms but fails later.
- Overly narrow rules that describe one example rather than the set.
- Overly broad rules that sweep in cases not shown.
- Arithmetic slips in sequences with two operations.
Worked example
Sequence: 3, 6, 12, 24, ?
Gaps: +3, +6, +12 - doubling, which is itself a pattern, but simpler: each term doubles. 3×2=6, 6×2=12, 12×2=24, so the next is 48. Always test the simplest rule first; here doubling explains every step, so you do not need the gap pattern.
Rule of thumb
Find the rule, then verify it against every term you were given. A rule that works for all terms beats a cleverer rule that works for most.