(Online Course) CSAT Paper - II : General Mental Ability: Analogy

Meaning of Analogy:

Analogy means ‘Similar items’. There is three types of Analogy
(a) Number Analogy
(b) Letter Analogy
(c) Word Analogy

In questions based on analogy, a pair of numbers/letters/words is given that have certain relationship between them. This pair is followed by a third numbers/letters/words. The candidate is required to identify the relationship between the pair of numbers/letters/words given and find out the FOURTH numbers/letters/wore such that the relationship between the third and the fourth numbers/letters/words is similar to the relationship that exists between the first and the second numbers/letters/words.

Number Analogy:

Typical relationships between the numbers in a given pair can be any of the following :

• One number is a multiple of the other.
• One number is the square or square root of the other.
• One number is the cube or cube root of the other.
• The two numbers can be consecutive, even, odd or prime numbers.

Example 1: 3 : 81 : : 6 : ?
(a) 1296
(b) 1269
(c) 1692
(d) 1926

Solution. (a) n : n4 relation here (3) and (3)4 = (81)
Similarly, (6) and (6)4 = 1296

Example 2: Find the missing term 10 : 100 : : ? : 121
(a) 10
(b) 11
(c) 12
(d) 13

Solution. (b) Square of first term is the second term.
102 = 100, so 112 = 121

Letter Analogy:

The questions based on letter analogy are similar to number analogy. Here, the questions are based on the relationship between two groups of letters on each side of the sign : : . Normally, three pairs of letters are given followed by a question mark where the fourth pair of letters is supposed to come.

Example 3 : Find the missing term : YWZX : USVT : : MKNL : ?
(a) IGGH
(b) IGJH
(c) IGJJ
(d) IGHH

Solution. (b) Alphabets are used in reverse order. In the first term, the order of alphabet is 2, 4, 1 and 3 and in the second term, the order is 6, 8, 5 and 7. So, the missing term is IGJH.

Example 4 : ? : I K M O : : Q S U W : YA C E
(a) ACEG
(b) ADEG
(c) ACDG
(d) ADDG

Solution. (a) In each group, one letter is skipped between every two consecutive letters. So, the missing term will be ACEG.

Word Analogy:

In word analogy questions there is a certain relationship between the two given words on one side of ’ : : ’ and one word is given on the other side. Students are asked to find the correct alternative that has same relationship with that word.

Example 5 : Sailor : Ship : : Lawyer : ?
(a) Legal
(b) Law
(c) Court
(d) Ruling

Solution. (c) ‘Sailor’ works at ‘Ship’, similarly ‘Lawyer’ works at ‘Court’.

Example 6: Love : Hate : : Create : ?
(a) Make
(b) Renovate
(c) Destroy
(d) Building

Solution. (c) ‘Hate’ is just opposite of ‘Love’. Similarly, ‘Destroy’ is just opposite of ‘Create’.