Logical / Abstract Reasoning
What this domain tests
Logical and Abstract Reasoning tests rule discovery rather than learned facts. You may see letter or number series, symbol sequences, grids, syllogisms or short deductive puzzles. The exam is checking whether you can find the smallest rule that explains the data, apply it consistently, and reject options that fit only part of the pattern.
Core rules
- Check more than one attribute: position, orientation, count, shading, size, and alternation.
- Look for two interleaved sequences before assuming one complex rule.
- In syllogisms, validity depends on form, not on whether the conclusion is factually true.
- Use elimination: an option that breaks one confirmed rule is out.
- Prefer the simplest rule that fits all given terms; avoid inventing exceptions.
Worked example
Find the next letter: A, C, F, J, O, ? Write the gaps: A→C = +2; C→F = +3; F→J = +4; J→O = +5. The gaps increase by one each time, so the next gap is +6. O + 6 letters = U (P=1, Q=2, R=3, S=4, T=5, U=6). Answer: U. A common wrong answer is R, obtained by assuming a constant +3 gap after the first few terms.
Traps that cost marks
- Assuming a constant difference when the gaps themselves change.
- Ignoring a second rule, such as alternating fill or a separate shape sequence.
- Treating a conclusion as invalid because you disagree with its content in a syllogism.
- Overfitting: a rule that needs a special exception is usually wrong.