How to Solve Reasoning Questions ?
A person with a higher logical reasoning ability is better equipped to work in positions that require quick decision making. So, it is not a surprise that the logical reasoning questions commonly appear in any placement tests, competitive exams or entrance exams.
Tips on How to Solve Reasoning Questions
The Reasoning Ability section is one of the most crucial parts of any competitive exam. You need to be aware of the different types of reasoning questions that are asked, as also practice to develop the ability to solve them as quickly as you can.
Test of Reasoning questions can be broadly classified in following head:
- Analytical Reasoning: A number of clues are given based on on which you have to answer a set of questions. To solve such questions make a table of the clues and then answer based on your analysis.
- Logical Reasoning: In such questions, either a large table is given or some clues are given in the form of a riddle. You have to arrive on your answers after figuring out the elements of the riddle or table.
- Mathematical Reasoning: You are required to do some simple maths to solve such questions. For example finding the missing number based on some mathematical equation on which the given series has been made; or finding how many triangles can exist of a particular perimeter, and so on.
- Games: These type of questions are mostly been asked in CAT and other Management Entrance Tests. On basis of a given data you have to find out either the odd or matches played/lost. Such questions require processing of lots of data.
- Puzzles: Such questions are generally long and require more than a minute to solve. A number of conditions are given that give limitations to the answers. Sometimes there might be just one question to be answered, which makes it a tie consuming exercise. You need to practice a lot of puzzles from books and on internet to train yourself to solve such questions in shortest possible time.
- Miscellaneous Reasoning: This is a combination of data and reasoning and the questions cannot be solved by conventional methods of data interpretation. The charts need to be interpreted using logic.
ANALYTICAL REASONING
The questions can be easy to extremely difficult. A systematic arrangement of facts and step-by-step approach is required. Generally, a large number of statements are given and you have to process all the statements to come to the answer. The task becomes easy if you are able to spot the crucial statements first and proceed to others thereafter. Following steps will be useful while attempting such questions:
- Read the given information and decide how best the information can be arranged.
- Arrange the information in tables, charts or maps.
- Look for the crucial statements fist that give the maximum information.
- Use arrows, crosses and other notations for different elements.
- Do not proceed sequentially.
- Tackle one or two variables at a time, completely ignoring the other variables.