IBPS PO Reasoning Ability Syllabus

In Inequality, what definite conclusion follows from the chain A > B > C, and can B equal C?

A > C is definite (strict greater-than is transitive). B is strictly greater than C, so B and C can never be equal.

In Inequality, why can no definite relation be drawn between A and C from 'A > B < C'?

The inequality reverses direction at B (A and C are both greater than B). A and C are not directly comparable, so the A-C relationship is indeterminate.

In Inequality, what combined result comes from 'A >= B' and 'B > C' regarding A and C?

A > C (strict). Combining 'greater-or-equal' with 'strictly greater' yields strictly greater, since A is at least B and B is strictly above C.

In Coded Inequality, what do the symbols mean if 'A @ B' means A is not smaller than B and 'A # B' means A is not greater than B?

'Not smaller than' means A >= B (greater than or equal). 'Not greater than' means A <= B (less than or equal).

What is a Blood Relations problem, and what are the two main formats asked?

It tests family relationships among people. The two main formats are: (1) conversational/pointing puzzles ('pointing to a photo, he said...'), solved by tracing relations from the speaker, and (2) coded relations using symbols (e.g. A + B means A is the father of B), solved by decoding each symbol.

In Blood Relations, decode: 'Pointing to a man, a woman said, He is the son of the brother of my mother.' How is the man related to the woman?

Mother's brother is the woman's maternal uncle; the uncle's son is the woman's cousin. So the man is her cousin (specifically, her maternal cousin).

In Direction and Distance Sense, what are the four cardinal and four ordinal directions?

Cardinal: North (up), South (down), East (right), West (left). Ordinal (intermediate): North-East, South-East, South-West, North-West, each lying between the two cardinals named.

In Direction Sense, facing North, after turning right then right again, which direction do you face?

South. Each 90-degree right turn goes North to East to South to West to North; two right turns from North land on South.

In Direction and Distance, which formula gives the shortest straight-line distance after perpendicular movements?

Pythagoras: shortest distance = square root of (a-squared + b-squared), where a and b are the net horizontal and net vertical displacements.

In Direction Sense, if you face South, in which compass direction is something on your left?

When facing South, your left hand points East, so the object is to your East.

What is Data Sufficiency in Reasoning, and what exactly must you decide?

A question is followed by two or more statements; you must judge whether the statements provide ENOUGH information to answer - not actually solve it. You assess sufficiency individually and combined.

State the standard five Data Sufficiency answer options used in IBPS PO.

(a) Statement I alone is sufficient, II alone is not; (b) Statement II alone is sufficient, I alone is not; (c) Each statement alone is sufficient; (d) Both together are still NOT sufficient; (e) Both together are sufficient but neither alone is.

In Data Sufficiency, what is the most common mistake and the correct mindset?

Common mistake: fully solving the problem (wasting time) or carrying Statement I's info into evaluating Statement II. Correct mindset: evaluate each statement independently for sufficiency first, then together only if needed, deciding only whether a unique answer is determinable.

What is Coding-Decoding, and name three common coding patterns.

It tests deciphering the rule that encodes words/numbers. Common types: (1) Letter-shift coding (letters shifted by fixed positions), (2) Number/substitution coding (letters replaced by numbers or position values), and (3) New-pattern/coded-sentence coding (each word mapped to a code).

In letter-shift Coding-Decoding, if 'CAT' is coded 'DBU', what is the rule and how is 'DOG' coded?

Rule: shift each letter forward by +1 (C to D, A to B, T to U). Applying +1 to DOG gives E, P, H, i.e. 'EPH'.

In coded-sentence (new-pattern) Coding-Decoding, what is the technique to crack it?

Compare two sentences that share a common word; the code common to both stands for that shared word. Repeat across overlapping sentences until every word's code is identified.

What is an Alphanumeric and Symbol Series, and what kind of questions are asked?

A sequence mixing letters, numbers, and symbols. Questions ask about elements by position, by neighbours (e.g. a number immediately preceded by a letter and followed by a symbol), or count elements meeting a stated condition.

In an alphabet-position question, which letter is 'as far from the beginning as R is from the end', and how is it found?

R is the 18th letter, so from the end it is 26 - 18 + 1 = 9th. The 9th letter from the beginning is I. (Rank from other end = 27 - rank.)

In a number series, how do you find the next term of 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ...?

The differences are 4, 6, 8, 10 (increasing by 2), so the next difference is 12 and the next term is 30 + 12 = 42. (Each term equals n(n+1).)

What is a Machine Input-Output problem, and what stays constant across the steps?

A machine rearranges an input line of words/numbers over successive steps until a final output. The shifting LOGIC (the rule applied each step) stays constant; only the arrangement changes. You must deduce that rule from the given steps.

In Machine Input-Output, why can't you usually find the input from an intermediate step?

The operation is not reversible - from an intermediate step you cannot know what was already arranged before. Hence questions ask only about forward steps or the final output, never backward to the original input.

What is an Analogy question, and what is the key to solving it?

An Analogy gives a pair A : B with a specific relationship and asks for a matching pair C : D with the SAME relationship. The key is to precisely identify the relationship (e.g. cause-effect, part-whole, function, synonym) and apply identical logic.

What is Classification (Odd One Out), and how is it solved? Give an example.

All but one item share a common property; you find the odd one. Solve by discovering the rule linking the majority, then spotting the breaker. Example: in Triangle, Square, Circle, Rectangle, the odd one is Circle (it has no straight sides or corners, unlike the polygons).

What is an Assumption in 'Statement and Assumptions', and when does an assumption 'hold'?

An assumption is something taken for granted - an unstated idea the speaker must believe for the statement to make sense. It holds only if it is implicit (hidden) in the statement, not already openly stated and not extreme or unrelated.

In 'Statement and Conclusions', what is the golden rule about using outside knowledge?

Draw conclusions ONLY from the given statement, treating it as true; do not use real-world/external knowledge. A conclusion follows only if logically and directly implied by the statement itself.

In a Cause and Effect question, what is the main trap to avoid?

Avoid assuming causation from mere correlation. Two events occurring together (or one after another) does not prove one caused the other; they may share a common cause or be independent.

In 'Course of Action', when is a suggested action considered to 'follow'?

When it is a practical, logical, and appropriate step that directly addresses the problem in the statement and is likely to improve or solve it - not when it is impractical, extreme, or merely restates the problem.

In Critical Reasoning, what is the difference between an Inference and an Assumption?

An inference is a conclusion logically drawn FROM the statements (it follows after the passage). An assumption is an unstated premise the argument depends on, taken for granted BEFORE the conclusion. Inference comes out of the passage; assumption is built into it.

What are Logical Connectives, and what does the conditional 'If P, then Q' guarantee?

Connectives like 'if-then', 'either-or', 'unless', 'only if' link statements. 'If P then Q' guarantees that whenever P is true, Q is true; its valid contrapositive is 'If not Q, then not P'. It does NOT mean 'If Q then P' or 'If not P then not Q'.

In Passage Inference / Critical Reasoning, what does it mean for an option to 'strengthen' versus 'weaken' an argument?

A strengthening statement adds support making the conclusion more likely true. A weakening statement introduces a fact or alternative that makes the conclusion less likely or breaks the link between premises and conclusion.