BDS Admission Test Logical Reasoning Syllabus

Logical Reasoning syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Logical Reasoning in BDS Admission Test, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Critical Thinking

   2 topics

   • Assumptions and arguments
   • Evaluating conclusions
2. 2

   Letter and Symbol Series

   2 topics

   • Identifying patterns
   • Completing series
3. 3

   Logical Deduction

   2 topics

   • Syllogisms
   • Drawing valid conclusions
4. 4

   Logical Problems

   2 topics

   • Analytical puzzles
   • Arrangement problems
5. 5

   Course of Action

   2 topics

   • Identifying appropriate responses
   • Decision-making scenarios
6. 6

   Cause and Effect

   2 topics

   • Identifying causal relationships
   • Distinguishing cause from effect

Logical Reasoning flashcards for BDS Admission Test

19 of 50 cards from the Logical Reasoning deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In logical reasoning, what is an assumption?

   An assumption is an unstated premise that is taken for granted and must be true for the argument's conclusion to follow logically from its stated premises.

2. What are the three essential components of a logical argument?

   A premise (evidence/reason), a conclusion (the claim being supported), and the inference (the logical link connecting premise to conclusion).

3. How do you identify the conclusion of an argument?

   Locate the main claim the author wants you to accept; it is often signalled by words like 'therefore', 'thus', 'hence', 'so', or 'consequently', and is supported by the other statements.

4. What are common premise-indicator words?

   Because, since, for, as, given that, due to, owing to, and 'for the reason that' — they introduce supporting evidence.

5. What is the difference between a necessary assumption and a sufficient assumption?

   A necessary assumption must be true for the argument to work (its negation destroys the argument); a sufficient assumption, if added, guarantees the conclusion but need not itself be required.

6. What is the 'negation test' for finding an assumption?

   Negate a candidate assumption; if the argument falls apart or the conclusion no longer follows, that statement is a required assumption of the argument.

7. What does it mean to evaluate a conclusion?

   To judge whether the conclusion is adequately and validly supported by the given premises, checking for relevance, sufficiency of evidence, and absence of logical gaps.

8. What is a strengthening statement in argument evaluation?

   A statement that, if added, makes the conclusion more likely to be true by supporting a premise, confirming an assumption, or ruling out an alternative explanation.

9. What is a weakening statement in argument evaluation?

   A statement that, if added, makes the conclusion less likely to be true by attacking a premise, the assumption, or introducing an alternative explanation.

10. What is a logical fallacy?

    An error in reasoning that makes an argument invalid or unsound, even though it may appear persuasive.

11. What is a circular argument (begging the question)?

    A fallacy in which the conclusion is assumed within the premises, so the argument's premise restates the conclusion rather than proving it.

12. What is an ad hominem fallacy?

    Attacking the person making the argument rather than addressing the argument itself.

13. In number-series questions, what is a key first step to find the pattern?

    Calculate the differences between consecutive terms; if the differences are constant it is arithmetic, and if they grow check for second differences, multiplication, or squares/cubes.

14. What rule governs an arithmetic series and how do you find its nth term?

    Each term increases by a constant common difference d; the nth term is a + (n-1)d, where a is the first term.

15. What rule governs a geometric series and how do you find its nth term?

    Each term is multiplied by a constant common ratio r; the nth term is a × r^(n-1), where a is the first term.

16. In the series 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, what is the rule and the next term?

    Differences are 4, 6, 8, 10 (increasing by 2), so the next difference is 12 and the next term is 42; equivalently term n = n(n+1).

17. What pattern produces the series 1, 4, 9, 16, 25?

    Perfect squares of consecutive integers (1², 2², 3², 4², 5²); the next term is 36.

18. What is the Fibonacci pattern in a series?

    Each term is the sum of the two preceding terms (e.g., 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13).

19. In a letter series, how are positions of letters typically used?

    Letters are converted to their alphabet position numbers (A=1 … Z=26), then numeric patterns such as +2, skip-one, or reverse are applied.

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