Analytical Reasoning

Introduction to the Problem

Each problem begins with a few introductory sentences describing a particular situation. The introduction will suggest what you are being asked to do with the particular problem.

The introduction will tell you how many people or things you are going to be working on the problem. Typically, you will be asked to manipulate between five and eight people or things-sometimes more, sometimes less.

Conditions or Rules

The introduction is followed by several short statements, called "rules," which set certain conditions that must be followed. These rules tell you what you can and cannot do with the people or things that you are moving around for the problem. The rules that you are given at the beginning of Analytical Reasoning problem must be followed for all of the questions that are part of that problem.

Additional Information

Very often, the individual questions may add additional conditions of their own. If a question adds a new condition, that new condition applies to that question only; but the initial rules apply to the entire set of questions.

Example

A sample Analytical Reasoning problem begins with an introduction and rules that look like this:

Six people-Javed, Kamran, Khan, Maryem, Naved, and Osama was born during the years 1960 through 1965, inclusive. No two people were born in anyone year.

Javed was born before Kamran but after Khan. Kamran was born in 1963. Naved and Maryem are younger than Osama.

In this sample, the introduction tells you that you are going to be working with six people and that you will be arranging them in order according to their ages. The people's names are supplied for you, but their names are unimportant except as a way of identifying them.

Conclusions and Deductions

You are asked to make deductions or conclusions from a set of statements, conditions, or rules that describe the relationships among given entities such as persons, places, things, or events. They simulate the kinds of detailed analyses of relationships that a student must perform in solving research-oriented problems they will have to interact during higher studies.

For example, seven airplane passengers sitting in Business class, follow certain rules as to who can sit where. You must answer questions about the deductions from the given information, like,

Who is sitting with passenger A?

No formal training in logic is required to answer these questions correctly. Analytical reasoning questions are intended to be answered using knowledge, skills, and reasoning ability generally expected of college/ university students and graduates.