COMSATS Admission Test Analytical Reasoning Flashcards

24 sample cards from the Analytical Reasoning deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. In ordering problems, how do you interpret 'A is taller than B but shorter than C'?

   It gives the order C > A > B in height (C tallest, then A, then B). Chain comparisons into a single ordered sequence.

2. In ranking puzzles, how many people are between two given positions counted from the same end?

   Number between = (larger position − smaller position) − 1, when both positions are counted from the same side.

3. What is a grouping and selection (team formation) problem?

   A puzzle where you must form groups/teams from a set of items or people subject to inclusion/exclusion conditions (e.g., 'if A is selected, B cannot be'), and determine valid combinations.

4. In grouping problems, what does a condition 'A and B cannot be in the same group' require?

   Any valid group containing A must exclude B, and any group containing B must exclude A — they are mutually exclusive within a single group.

5. In selection problems, how do you handle a conditional clue 'If X is selected then Y must be selected'?

   Whenever X is in, Y must also be in. By contrapositive, if Y is NOT selected, then X cannot be selected either.

6. What technique helps systematically solve grouping/selection puzzles?

   List all constraints, apply elimination by testing each option against every condition, and use a table or contrapositive logic to rule out invalid combinations.

7. What are conditional constraints in analytical reasoning puzzles?

   Rules of the form 'if-then' that restrict arrangements/selections — they activate only when a condition is met, governing which placements or choices are permitted.

8. What is the contrapositive of 'If P then Q', and why is it useful in constraint puzzles?

   The contrapositive is 'If not Q then not P', which is logically equivalent to the original. It lets you reason backward from a negated conclusion to eliminate possibilities.

9. In conditional constraint logic, does 'If P then Q' mean 'If Q then P'?

   No. 'If Q then P' is the converse and is NOT logically equivalent. Q can be true for reasons other than P, so the converse may be false.

10. What is a 'biconditional' constraint and how is it written?

    A constraint where two statements imply each other: 'P if and only if Q' (P ⇔ Q). P is true exactly when Q is true; both must share the same truth value.

11. What is letter coding in analytical reasoning?

    A coding type where letters of a word are replaced by other letters according to a pattern (e.g., shifting each letter forward/backward by a fixed number) to form a code.

12. In letter coding, if CAT is coded as DBU, what is the rule?

    Each letter is shifted forward by 1 position in the alphabet (C→D, A→B, T→U). The rule is +1 letter shift.

13. In letter coding, what are the alphabet position numbers of A, M, and Z?

    A = 1, M = 13, Z = 26. Knowing these anchors helps compute forward/backward letter shifts quickly.

14. What is the 'opposite letter' (EJOTY-type complement) rule in letter coding?

    Each letter pairs with its mirror from the other end where positions sum to 27: A↔Z, B↔Y, C↔X, etc. (position + opposite position = 27).

15. What is number coding in analytical reasoning?

    A coding type where words/letters are assigned numerical codes (or numbers are coded as other numbers/letters) according to a rule you must discover and apply.

16. In number coding, if each letter is coded by its alphabetical position, what is the code for the word 'BAD'?

    B=2, A=1, D=4, so BAD is coded as 2-1-4.

17. What is a common technique to crack number coding where a whole word maps to a number?

    Look for relationships such as sum of letter positions, product, number of letters times a factor, or a positional value pattern, then test it against the given examples.

18. What is symbol substitution in analytical reasoning?

    A method where mathematical operators or relationships are replaced by symbols/letters (e.g., '+' means '×'), and you re-substitute the real operations to evaluate or compare expressions.

19. In symbol substitution, if '+' means '÷', '−' means '+', '×' means '−', and '÷' means '×', evaluate 16 + 4 − 2.

    Substitute: 16 ÷ 4 + 2 = 4 + 2 = 6.

20. What order of operations must be followed after substituting symbols in symbol-substitution problems?

    Apply BODMAS/PEMDAS — Brackets, Orders (powers), Division/Multiplication (left to right), then Addition/Subtraction — using the substituted real operators.

21. What is a number series problem in analytical reasoning?

    A sequence of numbers following a hidden pattern (arithmetic, geometric, squares, alternating, etc.) where you find the next term, the missing term, or the wrong term.

22. How do you identify an arithmetic vs a geometric number series?

    Arithmetic: consecutive terms differ by a constant (common difference, +/−). Geometric: consecutive terms have a constant ratio (×/÷). Check differences first, then ratios.

23. What pattern fits the series 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, …?

    Perfect squares: n² (1², 2², 3², 4², 5²). The next term is 36 (6²).

24. What is a letter series problem, and how is it solved?

    A sequence of letters following a pattern based on alphabetical positions (fixed/alternating skips, mirror letters, or grouped shifts). Convert letters to position numbers, find the numeric pattern, then convert back to find the next letter.

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