NTS NAT-ICS Analytical Reasoning Syllabus

Analytical Reasoning syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Analytical Reasoning in NTS NAT-ICS, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Scenario-Based Logic

   3 topics

   • Reading the Conditions
   • Drawing Inferences from Rules
   • Building Logic Diagrams
2. 2

   Arrangement and Ordering

   3 topics

   • Linear Arrangements
   • Circular Arrangements
   • Ranking and Sequencing
3. 3

   Grouping and Selection

   3 topics

   • Committee and Team Formation
   • Conditional Selection Rules
   • Matching and Pairing
4. 4

   Logical Deduction

   3 topics

   • Syllogisms
   • Statements and Conclusions
   • Statements and Assumptions
5. 5

   Data Sufficiency

   2 topics

   • Single Statement Sufficiency
   • Combining Statements
6. 6

   Cause and Effect

   2 topics

   • Identifying Cause and Effect
   • Course of Action Questions

Analytical Reasoning flashcards for NTS NAT-ICS

20 of 50 cards from the Analytical Reasoning deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In analytical reasoning, what is meant by 'reading the conditions' of a puzzle?

   It is the careful, literal interpretation of the setup rules and constraints exactly as worded, without adding assumptions, so you know precisely what is allowed and forbidden before solving.

2. What is the difference between the 'setup' (scenario) and the 'rules' (conditions) in an analytical reasoning problem?

   The setup describes the entities and the general situation (e.g., 6 people in a row), while the rules are the specific constraints that limit how those entities can be arranged.

3. Why must you treat the word 'unless' carefully when reading conditions?

   'A unless B' means 'if not B then A' (A holds whenever B does not). It introduces a conditional, not a simple either/or, and is logically equivalent to 'not B → A'.

4. What does the conditional rule 'If A then B' tell you, and what is its valid contrapositive?

   It tells you A guarantees B. Its valid contrapositive is 'If not B then not A'. It does NOT tell you that B implies A.

5. When reading conditions, how do you interpret 'A and B cannot both be selected'?

   At most one of A or B is chosen; they are mutually exclusive. If A is in, B is out, and if B is in, A is out, but both may be absent.

6. How do you interpret the rule 'At least one of A or B must be selected'?

   You cannot leave out both; one, the other, or both may be chosen, but never neither. Equivalently: 'not A → B'.

7. What is an inference in analytical reasoning?

   A new fact that must be true as a logical consequence of combining two or more given rules, even though it is not stated explicitly.

8. What is the key difference between something that 'must be true', 'could be true', and 'cannot be true'?

   'Must be true' holds in every valid arrangement; 'could be true' holds in at least one valid arrangement; 'cannot be true' holds in no valid arrangement.

9. How do you combine 'If A then B' and 'If B then C' to draw an inference?

   By chaining (hypothetical syllogism): you infer 'If A then C'.

10. What inference follows from combining 'If A then B' with the fact that B is false?

    A must also be false (by contrapositive: not B → not A).

11. Why are conditional rules with negative triggers (e.g., 'If not A then B') important sources of inferences?

    They guarantee that whenever the trigger condition is absent, the result must occur; their contrapositive ('not B → A') often forces a key entity into place.

12. What is a logic (or rules) diagram in analytical reasoning?

    A visual shorthand—using slots, symbols, and arrows—that translates the conditions into a compact, scannable form to track placements and deductions.

13. What symbol convention is commonly used to diagram 'If A then B'?

    A → B, with the contrapositive ~B → ~A noted alongside it.

14. How is the constraint 'A and B are adjacent' typically diagrammed in a linear setup?

    As a fused block [AB] or [BA], indicating the two must sit next to each other in either order.

15. How do you diagram 'A is immediately before B' versus 'A is before B'?

    'Immediately before' is the fixed block [AB] (no gap allowed); 'before' is written A...B, meaning A precedes B with any number of slots between them.

16. What is the purpose of building a 'master diagram' or framework before answering questions?

    It captures all fixed deductions once, so every question can be answered against a single accurate baseline instead of re-deriving the setup each time.

17. What is a linear arrangement problem?

    A puzzle where entities must be placed in a single ordered line of positions (e.g., a row of seats, days of a week, or a ranking from first to last).

18. In a linear arrangement of n distinct items with no restrictions, how many possible orderings exist?

    n! (n factorial) orderings.

19. What is a useful first step when solving a linear arrangement puzzle?

    Identify the most restrictive rules (fixed positions and large blocks) and place them first to anchor the line before testing flexible elements.

20. In a linear setup, what does it mean that a rule 'splits' the line?

    A rule like 'A is at one end' or 'B is in the middle' divides remaining slots into fixed regions, sharply reducing the number of valid configurations.

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