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🧩 Complete Reasoning Guide

Master all reasoning topics for JKSSB, JKPSC & Competitive Exams

📑 Topics Covered

1. 🔐 Coding-Decoding

📌 Definition

Coding-Decoding involves finding patterns in how letters or numbers are transformed. Identify the rule and apply it to find the answer.

🎯 Trick 1: Position-Based Coding (Shift Cipher)

Rule: Each letter is replaced by the letter at a fixed distance from it in the alphabet.

Method: A=1, B=2, C=3... Z=26

Example:

If HELLO is coded as IFMMP, code WORLD.

Solution:

H→I (+1), E→F (+1), L→M (+1), L→M (+1), O→P (+1)

Pattern: +1 shift

W→X, O→P, R→S, L→M, D→E

Answer: XPSME

🎯 Trick 2: Reverse Alphabet (A↔Z)

Formula: New Position = 27 - Original Position

A↔Z, B↔Y, C↔X, D↔W, etc.

🎯 Trick 3: Number-Based Coding

Rule: Letters replaced by numbers (A=1, B=2, ... Z=26)

🎯 Trick 4: Keyboard Coding

Rule: Letters replaced by adjacent keys on keyboard

Example: A→S, B→V, C→X

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: If APPLE is coded as BQQMF, code ORANGE.

Show Answer

Answer: PSBOHF

Each letter shifts by +1

Q2: If BOOK = 2-15-15-11, what is DOOR?

Show Answer

Answer: 4-15-15-18

2. 🎯 Syllogism

📌 Definition

Two premises lead to a conclusion. Determine if the conclusion is valid based on the given statements.

🎯 Types of Statements

1. Universal Affirmative (A): All A are B

2. Universal Negative (E): No A are B

3. Particular Affirmative (I): Some A are B

4. Particular Negative (O): Some A are not B

🎯 Rules of Syllogism

1. Middle term must be distributed at least once

2. No term can be distributed in conclusion if not in premise

3. From two negative premises, no conclusion

4. If one premise is negative, conclusion must be negative

5. From two particular premises, no conclusion

Example:

Premise 1: All dogs are animals

Premise 2: All animals need food

Conclusion: All dogs need food

Answer: TRUE

Logically valid - follows all rules

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: All teachers are educated. Some educated are doctors. Conclusion: Some teachers are doctors.

Show Answer

Answer: NOT NECESSARILY TRUE

3. 👨‍👩‍👧 Blood Relations

📌 Definition

Identify family relationships based on given information.

🎯 Quick Reference

Paternal Side: Father's father = Grandfather, Father's mother = Grandmother, Father's brother = Uncle, Father's sister = Aunt

Maternal Side: Mother's brother = Uncle, Mother's sister = Aunt, Mother's father = Grandfather, Mother's mother = Grandmother

Siblings: Brother's wife = Sister-in-law, Sister's husband = Brother-in-law

Example:

A is mother of B. C is father of A. What is B to C?

Solution:

A = mother of B → B is child of A

C = father of A → A is child of C

Answer: C is grandfather of B

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: Pointing to a man, a woman said, "His mother is my mother's only daughter." Relationship?

Show Answer

Answer: The man is her son

4. 🧭 Direction Sense

📌 Definition

Track movements and determine final positions and directions.

🎯 Standard Directions

North (N) = Up, South (S) = Down, East (E) = Right, West (W) = Left

NE = Up-Right, NW = Up-Left, SE = Down-Right, SW = Down-Left

🎯 Distance Formula

Pythagoras Theorem: Distance = √(x² + y²)

Example:

A man goes 10 km North, 5 km East, 10 km South. Where is he?

Solution:

North and South cancel out. Only 5 km East remains.

Answer: 5 km East of starting point

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: A goes 4 km East, then 3 km North. Shortest distance?

Show Answer

Answer: 5 km

√(4² + 3²) = √25 = 5 km

5. 🔗 Analogy (समानता)

📌 Definition

Find the relationship between two pairs of words and apply the same relationship to find the missing word.

🎯 Common Relationships

1. Synonym: Happy : Joyful

2. Antonym: Hot : Cold

3. Part-to-Whole: Finger : Hand

4. Cause-Effect: Fire : Smoke

5. Object-Purpose: Knife : Cut

6. Category: Rose : Flower

Example:

Doctor : Hospital :: Teacher : ?

Solution:

Doctor works in Hospital, similarly Teacher works in School

Answer: School

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: Lion : Roar :: Dog : ?

Show Answer

Answer: Bark

Q2: Pen : Write :: Knife : ?

Show Answer

Answer: Cut

6. 📂 Classification (वर्गीकरण)

📌 Definition

Find the odd one out or group items based on common characteristics.

🎯 Common Classification Types

1. By Category: Apple, Mango, Carrot (Carrot is vegetable)

2. By Property: 2, 4, 6, 9 (9 is odd)

3. By Function: Chair, Table, Bed, Pen (Pen is for writing)

4. By Origin: Tiger, Lion, Cow, Eagle (Cow is domestic)

Example:

Which is odd? Rose, Jasmine, Sunflower, Carrot

Solution:

Rose, Jasmine, Sunflower are flowers. Carrot is a vegetable.

Answer: Carrot

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: Which is odd? 5, 10, 15, 22

Show Answer

Answer: 22

5, 10, 15 are multiples of 5. 22 is not.

7. 📊 Series (श्रृंखला)

📌 Definition

Find the pattern in a sequence and complete it.

🎯 Common Series Types

1. Arithmetic: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 (difference = 2)

2. Geometric: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 (multiply by 2)

3. Fibonacci: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 (sum of previous two)

4. Square/Cube: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 (1², 2², 3², 4², 5²)

5. Letter Series: A, C, E, G, I (skip one letter)

Example:

2, 4, 8, 16, ?

Solution:

Each number is multiplied by 2

16 × 2 = 32

Answer: 32

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ?

Show Answer

Answer: 13

Fibonacci series: 5 + 8 = 13

Q2: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ?

Show Answer

Answer: 36

Perfect squares: 6² = 36

8. ❌ Odd One Out

📌 Definition

Identify the item that doesn't belong with others.

🎯 Strategy

1. Look for common characteristics

2. Check category, type, property, function

3. Find what makes one different

4. Verify your answer

Example:

Sparrow, Eagle, Penguin, Fish

Solution:

Sparrow, Eagle, Penguin are birds. Fish is not a bird.

Answer: Fish

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, India

Show Answer

Answer: India

Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai are cities. India is a country.

9. 📝 Statement & Conclusion

📌 Definition

Read a statement and determine if the given conclusions logically follow.

🎯 Key Points

1. Only use information given in the statement

2. Don't assume facts not mentioned

3. Check if conclusion is definitely true, probably true, or false

4. Look for keywords: "All", "Some", "No", "Only"

Example:

Statement: All flowers are plants.

Conclusion: All plants are flowers.

Answer: FALSE

Just because all flowers are plants doesn't mean all plants are flowers.

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: Statement: All doctors are educated. Conclusion: All educated people are doctors.

Show Answer

Answer: FALSE

Not all educated people are doctors.

10. 🧠 Logical Deduction

📌 Definition

Use logical reasoning to deduce conclusions from given premises.

🎯 Common Logical Patterns

1. If-Then Logic: If A then B. A is true. Therefore B is true.

2. Either-Or: Either A or B. A is false. Therefore B is true.

3. Negation: Not A is true. Therefore A is false.

Example:

Statement 1: If it rains, the ground will be wet.

Statement 2: It rained yesterday.

Conclusion: The ground was wet yesterday.

Answer: TRUE

Logically valid deduction.

✍️ Practice Questions

Q1: If all A are B, and all B are C, then all A are C.

Show Answer

Answer: TRUE

Valid logical deduction (Transitive property)