Important Test-Taking Strategies for Answering Logical and Analytical Questions
Logical questions-based tests are mostly employed by the recruiters as part of their assessment techniques for certain positions. These tests are specifically designed to highlight the extent of the abilities of the individual for a particular position. It typically assesses the way, you interpret the numbers, figures, words or diagram that follows a particular set of pattern. You are required to identify the pattern that best fits into the sequence.
Analytical reasoning or questions are meant to test your ability to articulate and respond to complex ideas and situations. These questions are not meant to assess your specific knowledge on a specific subject matter. They are focused on analyzing your ability to construct and evaluate the response and arguments during the exam.
Logical Questions
There are different types of logical questions and they are divided into the following categories-
Deductive reasoning questions
They involve a series of word problems that consist of an argument or certain stated facts followed by certain possible answers. You are required to make a deduction from certain facts to identify the right answer.
For example-
All footballers are fit and healthy.
All famous sports players are footballers.
If it is assumed that the above is true then which of the following is logical deduction?
Option 1- All footballers are famous sports people.
Option 2- All famous people are fit and healthy.
Option 3- All fit and healthy people are footballers.
Option 4- All footballers players are men.
Based on deductive reasoning, the only logical answer is Option-3.
Inductive reasoning questions
These questions are in the form of certain patterns, diagrams, shapes, and sequences. You are required to infer the answer to reach the conclusion or find the missing part of a pattern or the next part of any specific sequence.
For example-
These are the questions that involve certain images or shapes in a certain sequence. You are required to identify the correct sequence in the diagram.
Diagrammatic reasoning questions
These questions are based on visual problems where you are provided with a diagram with input and output provided. You are required to make certain logical connections about the given processes to achieve the answer.
For example-
Diagrammatic questions involve set of pictures, images or the diagrams in a specific sequence. You are required to make interpretations or logical connections to reach the conclusion.
Critical reasoning questions
These questions are word-based scenarios where you are provided with evidence and conclusions. You are required to analyze the strength of the argument, find a relevant assumption, and make deductions.
For example-
In such types of questions, you need to deduce whether the inferred statement is true, false, or impossible to deduce. You are provided with a statement, an inference, and based on the information provided you have to reach the conclusion.
Test strategies for Logical Questions
- Make use of elimination techniques
- Establish the rules and pattern
- Follow the instructions carefully
- Timing is important
- Isolated conditions
- Linked conditions
- Implied link conditions
- Ranking based questions
- Distributing based questions
- Scheduling based questions
- Network-based questions
- Topologies based questions
- General based questions
- To successfully answer these questions, you should begin with making a diagram. The diagrammatic representation will help solve the questions effectively and will make the solving process simpler.
- You are not required to answer the questions for a logical game set in a certain order. This is because answering the questions to the later questions in a series helps you derive the information you need to answer an earlier question.
- When you are stuck in a question, then skip it and move on to the next. When you are answering the question in a set does not help to find the right answer, then start working on it by eliminating the answers that must be wrong. And accordingly, make an educated guess from the remaining.
- Make sure if possible don't skip the first question. You can simply make sure to get the right answer by eliminating the wrong ones.
- Remember that identifying wrongs makes one right. Identifying wrong answers is a lot easier than searching for the right one. For many questions, violations of rules are easy to spot. In addition to this, the answers that don't violate any specific rules can be harder to see.
- Stay calm
You need to work in an effective way to ensure you can answer the questions within a stipulated time. You can quickly glance at a certain series of questions and then look for potential answers by quickly eliminating the ones that are not correct.
When you are looking for a particular question or a scenario your first step should be to work out the specific pattern. There may be more than one pattern therefore it is important to methodically check it thoroughly at once.
Clear instructions would be provided in the exam and on how to complete the questions. This also includes the right way to answer the questions. Therefore take time to read all the instructions carefully.
Logical questions are mostly timed and if you spend too much time on one question then you may not have the time to complete all questions. So, as a process work out how long you are going to spend on each question and then move on.
Analytical Questions
These questions are based on a certain set of conditions or rules. Each question begins with a few introductory sentences that describe the specific situation. The introduction suggests what you are being asked to do with a specific problem.
Rules
After the introduction, rules are defined in the form of short statements that must be followed before answering the question. The conditions must be followed while answering the question.
Types of conditions-
It is a condition that fixes a rule to a single entity and it does not depend on any other entity.
These conditions are linked to one or more entities. For example- In certain questions, you will find that Mr. A sits next to Mr. Y and so on.
These are not stated in the conditions and instead, they are implied by and deduced from the defined set. For example- If in conditions 1, ball 1 is to the left of ball 2, and in second condition ball 3 is to the left of ball 1, then we can deduce that ball 2 is to the left of ball 3.
Types of Analytical Questions
In such questions, you are asked to place an entity or an object in some order according to the ranking.
These types of questions are similar to ranking questions with the exception that you will not have a simple linear arrangement for ordering the entities or objects.
These questions require you to arrange schedules of some events or organize them.
These questions are based on problems that provide you a series of a link between entities, people, and places.
For example- These include the questions that are based on towns connected by certain series of roads.
These questions require you to arrange certain sections of people or places in the geographical arrangement.
These are general types of questions. For example- Any type of tasks that require performance, or grouping.
Strategies for Analytical Questions
Few analytical questions can often be nerve-racking and can add to your frustrations if you are not able to solve them in time. In such situations, take a deep breath and stay calm. Get back on the question and apply the relevant method which needs to solve them.
In the end, just make sure you keep practicing the questions in different formats. It will help you deal with the questions during the exam right on time. In addition to this, it will also enable you to utilize effective techniques that can help you find the correct result.
We hope all the strategies mentioned above will be helpful for you while dealing with the logical and analytical sections during the exam. Examsample Team wishes you all the best!!