Non-Verbal Reasoning: Key Concept, Solved Questions, Preparation Tips

The segment of Logical Reasoning, also known as Non-Verbal Reasoning, plays a vital role in assessing analytical thinking and other essential skills. Compared to verbal assessments, these questions do not hinge on a profound grasp of English Language rules or Vocabulary. Non-Verbal Reasoning encompasses pivotal topics like Analogy, Classification, Series, and Tasks Involving Image and Figure Counting, Cubes, and Dice. This article delves into the core principles of Non-Verbal Reasoning, exploring its diverse categories, furnished with solved examples and practice inquiries. Additionally, it offers valuable insights into strategies and shortcuts to approach these challenges adeptly.

What is Non-Verbal Reasoning?

Non-Verbal Reasoning is a critical component of cognitive assessment that evaluates an individual's logical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and pattern recognition skills without relying on language or verbal communication. It entails the interpretation and analysis of visual information, such as shapes, figures, images, and patterns. Unlike Verbal Reasoning, which relies on language comprehension and vocabulary, Non-Verbal Reasoning relies solely on visual cues and spatial relationships.

Non-Verbal Reasoning tasks often include topics like Analogy, Classification, Series, and Tasks Involving Image and Figure Counting, Cubes, and Dice. Proficiency in Non-Verbal Reasoning is not only beneficial in academic settings but also has real-world applications.

Many professions, including Engineering, Architecture, Graphic Design, and Scientific Research, require individuals to perceive complex patterns, visualise spatial arrangements, and solve intricate problems, all of which are honed through Non-Verbal Reasoning exercises.

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Important Topics Under Non-Verbal Reasoning

The crucial topics within Non-Verbal Reasoning include:

1. Analogy
2. Classification
3. Series Completion
4. Image and Figure Counting
5. Paper Folding and Cutting
6. Mirror and Water Reflection
7. Cube and Dice Problems
8. Pattern Completion
9. Embedded Figures
10. Shape Construction and Arrangement

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Typical Patterns in Non-Verbal Reasoning Questions

Let's explore the Non-Verbal Reasoning question patterns often encountered in competitive exams:

1. Relationship Analysis

In this type of question, two elements are compared, and conclusions are drawn based on their similarities. A question containing related words with a specific rationale will be presented, and candidates must identify a word or pair of words that share a resemblance to those given in the question.

2. Grouping

Items within a given group are organised according to specific criteria, and your task is to identify the one that deviates from the pattern. In this scenario, a set of specific items will be provided, among which, all items except one adhere to a common rule.

3. Series Recognition

Number series refers to a sequence of numbers following certain patterns. Candidates are required to identify the missing or incorrect number in the provided series. Some questions might include an inaccurately placed term within the given series. Candidates must deduce this term by discerning the pattern governing the series' progression.

4. Figure Counting and Image Formation

Figure Counting section involves the progression of a defined geometric figure using components of different designs. On the other hand, images come in various forms such as Mirror Images and Water Images. A mirror image is an accurate representation or reflection of an object in a mirror when the object is positioned in proximity to it.

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Types of Non-Verbal Reasoning Syllabus

Non-Verbal Reasoning is about checking how good someone is at figuring out patterns, connections, and how things fit together in space, all without using words. Here's an overview of the types of Non-Verbal Reasoning along with brief explanations:

1. Analogy: Analogy questions present a relationship between two objects or figures and require you to identify a similar relationship among a different set of objects. It tests your ability to recognize patterns and apply them to new situations.
2. Classification: Classification involves grouping a given set of objects or figures based on shared attributes or characteristics. This assesses your ability to identify commonalities and categorise items logically.
3. Series Completion: In this type, you're presented with a sequence of figures or objects that follow a certain pattern. Your task is to determine the next item in the sequence by recognizing the underlying pattern.
4. Image and Figure Counting: These questions require you to count the number of specific shapes or objects within a larger image. This assesses your attention to detail and spatial awareness.
5. Paper Folding and Cutting: You'll be given a folded paper or paper with holes, and you need to deduce how it would look when unfolded or opened. This evaluates your spatial visualisation skills.
6. Mirror and Water Reflection: These questions involve figuring out how an object or figure appears when reflected in a mirror or on the surface of the water. It assesses your understanding of symmetry and reflection.
7. Cube and Dice Problems: These tasks involve mentally manipulating 3D cubes or dice and predicting the outcomes of rotations or unfolding. This assesses your spatial reasoning and visualisation abilities.
8. Pattern Completion: You're given an incomplete pattern, and you need to select the correct piece to complete it. This evaluates your pattern recognition skills and ability to predict outcomes.
9. Embedded Figures: Embedded figures questions require you to identify a smaller shape or figure hidden within a larger complex figure. This assesses your ability to perceive shapes within intricate designs.
10. Shape Construction and Arrangement: This type involves forming a specific shape or design using given pieces or components. It tests your spatial reasoning, visualisation, and manipulation skills.

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Steps to Solve Non-Verbal Reasoning Questions: Preparation Tips

Here are some specific steps and preparation tips to tackle Non-Verbal Reasoning questions effectively:

1. Analyse Patterns: Before attempting a question, thoroughly analyse the given figures or images for any discernible patterns, symmetries, or repetitions. This initial observation can provide valuable clues to the underlying logic.
2. Break Down Complex Figures: For questions involving intricate figures, mentally break them down into simpler components. This can help in identifying embedded shapes or recognizing familiar patterns.
3. Visualise 3D Shapes: When dealing with cubes, dice, or 3D figures, practice mentally rotating them to visualise how they would appear from different angles. This skill is crucial for predicting outcomes accurately.
4. Use Options Strategically: In multiple-choice questions, utilise the provided options to your advantage. Sometimes, eliminating obviously incorrect options can narrow down your choices and increase your chances of selecting the correct answer.
5. Practise Spatial Reasoning: Enhance your spatial reasoning skills by solving puzzles like Sudoku, tangrams, and jigsaw puzzles. These activities improve your ability to visualise and manipulate shapes mentally.
6. Master Mirror and Reflection Concepts: Understand how objects or figures appear when reflected in mirrors or water surfaces. Experiment with actual objects to solidify your grasp of reflection principles.
7. Draw Conclusions Step by Step: For sequence or pattern-based questions, don't rush to conclusions. Work through the sequence systematically, noting each step and observing how the pattern evolves.
8. Practice with Varied Examples: Engage with a wide variety of Non-Verbal Reasoning examples, as each type has distinct nuances. This exposure hones your ability to identify diverse patterns quickly.
9. Improve Time Management: Set time limits while practising to simulate exam conditions. Learning to allocate time per question helps you manage the test effectively on the day.
10. Work on Speed and Accuracy: Gradually work on improving both speed and accuracy. Initially, focus more on accuracy, and as you become more confident, gradually work on solving questions more swiftly.

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Sample Questions with Solutions

Certainly, here's a set of 20 sample Non-Verbal Reasoning questions from various topics, along with their solutions:

Ques 1. INDIA: NEW DELHI:: CHINA:?

1. Wuhan
2. Mumbai
3. Beijing
4. Shanghai

Solution: Just as New Delhi is the capital of India, Beijing serves as the capital of China. Therefore, Beijing is the appropriate replacement for the question mark.

Ques 2. What are the next two letters in the provided series?

E F H K O ??

1. S and U
2. V and X
3. T and W
4. S and X

Solution: The series progression can be explained as follows:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

In this sequence, the next letter is determined by skipping alphabets in an increasing pattern: 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on.
- After E, 0 letters are skipped, leading to F.
- After F, 1 letter is skipped, yielding H.
- After H, 2 letters are skipped, producing K.
- After K, 3 letters are skipped, resulting in O.
- After O, 4 letters are skipped, leading to S.
- After S, 5 letters are skipped, resulting in X.
So, the next two letters in the series are S and X.

Ques 3. Select the pair of words that stands out from the rest in each group.

1. Day: Night
2. Close: Open
3. Sweet: Sour
4. Up: Above

Solution: In each of the provided options, the first word is an antonym of the second word, with the exception of the last pair. In the last pair, the second word is a synonym of the first.

Therefore, the correct answer is Up: Above.

Ques 4. What is an example of a standard dice?

Solution: As per the definition of standard dice, any of the two opposite faces of dice must be 7.

So, only in dice A the sum of two adjacent faces is 7.

Hence, the correct answer is A.

Ques 5: What number will be opposite to 2?

1. 4
2. 6
3. 5
4. None of the above

Solution: It is a standard dice as no of any adjacent sides are 7. As, standard dice, opposite no. of 2 will be

6 ↔ 1

5 ↔ 2

4 ↔ 3

Ans is 5, (sum of the opposite side is 7)

Ques 6. A shepherd had 17 sheep. All but nine died. How many did he have left?

1. 9
2. 8
3. 12
4. 7

Solution: If all but nine of the shepherd's 17 sheep died, it means that the shepherd lost all of the sheep except for nine. Therefore, the shepherd has 9 sheep left. So, the correct answer is: 9.

Ques 7. How many squares are there in the given figure?

1. 30
2. 25
3. 28
4. 16

Solution:

AEKQ, EFQR, FGRS, GBSL, KQMT, QRTU, RSUV, SLVN, MTOW, TUWX, UVXY, VNYP, OWCH, WXHI, XYIJ, YPJD, AFMU, MUCI, KROX, FBUN, UNID, RLXP, EGTV, TVHJ, QSWY, AGOY, KSCJ, EBWP, QLHD, ABCD.

Hence, there are 30 squares in the given figure.

Ques 8. Which figure completes the analogy?

A: Triangle

B: Square

C: Circle

D: Rectangle

Solution: C. Circle.

The pattern involves progressing from shapes with increasing sides: Triangle (3 sides), Square (4 sides), Circle (0 sides), and Rectangle (4 sides).

Ques 9. Complete the series: 2, 6, 12, 20, __

1. 28
2. 29
3. 30
4. 31

Solution: The pattern is adding consecutive odd numbers: 2 + 4 = 6, 6 + 6 = 12, 12 + 8 = 20, 20 + 10 = 30.

Ques. 10. If the word “OPEN" is reflected in a mirror, how will it appear?

1. OPEN
2. PENO
3. EPON
4. NEPO

Solution: "OPEN" will appear as "NEPO".

Ques 11. Which figure completes the analogy?

A: Circle - Triangle

B: Square - Rectangle

C: Oval - Pentagon

D: Hexagon - Octagon

Solution: Square - Rectangle

In both shapes, the first figure is a special case of the second figure where all sides are equal. A square is a special case of a rectangle where all sides are equal.

Ques 12. Afghanistan : Kabul :: USA : ?

1. New York
2. Washington
3. Chicago
4. Seattle

Solution: Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan.

Similarly, Washington is the capital of the USA.

Hence, Washington will replace the question mark.

Ques 13.Read the following and answer the given questions:
Seven persons A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are going to attend a webinar on seven different days of the week (Monday to Sunday) but not necessarily in the same order.More than three persons go before D, who does not go on Sunday. One person goes between D and F. F goes before D. B goes one of the days after C but not just after. B and E do not go on Sunday and A goes just before C. C goes on Tuesday. Neither B nor D goes on the second last day of the week. E goes just before G.
Who among the following person goes just before B.

1. D
2. E
3. F
4. G

Solution: F

Ques 14. Choose the odd pair.

1. Volume : Liter
2. Time : Second
3. Length : Meter
4. Pressure : Barometer

Solution: In all options, the second pair is the unit to measure the first one but in option d, the barometer is the instrument to measure pressure.

Hence, the correct answer is Pressure : Barometer.

Ques 15. Identify the odd one out in the given pictures.

Solution: The answer is D. For these types of Non-Verbal Reasoning problems, you need to find a common connection between all the figures, i.e. in these images, the arrow is being rotated clockwise around the circle in the images A-C-E and B-D-F. Hence, figure D is an odd one out as the arrow is reflected and not rotated.

Ques 16. Find the missing number in the ratio pattern:

2 : 4 :: 8 : ?

1. 12
2. 16
3. 4
4. 32

Solution: In this ratio pattern, the first ratio is 2 : 4, which means the first number (2) is related to the second number (4) in a certain way. To find the missing number in the second ratio, we need to identify the same relationship and apply it.

Here, the relationship seems to be that the second number is the result of multiplying the first number by 2.

So, for the second ratio (8 : ?), we calculate: 8 * 2 = 16.

Hence, the missing number is 16.

Ques 17. What comes next in the series?

3, 6, 12, 24, ?

1. 30
2. 36
3. 48
4. 64

Solution: This series appears to be doubling the previous number to obtain the next number. Let's see the pattern:

3 * 2 = 6

6 * 2 = 12

12 * 2 = 24

So, the next number should be obtained by multiplying 24 by 2:

24 * 2 = 48.

Hence, the next number in the series is 48.

Ques 18. Identify the missing segment in the given sequence:

1:3::2:?

1. 6
2. 8
3. 5
4. 4

Solution: In this sequence, the pattern seems to involve multiplying the first term by a constant to get the second term. So, 1 * 3 = 3, and 2 * 3 = 6. Thus, the missing segment should be 6.

Ques 19. What comes next in the following pattern?

2, 6, 12, 20, ?

1. 28
2. 30
3. 32
4. 24

Solution: In this series, each number is obtained by adding consecutive even numbers.

2 + 4 (1st even number) = 6

6 + 6 (2nd even number) = 12

12 + 8 (3rd even number) = 20

So, the pattern is increasing by consecutive even numbers: 4, 6, 8, and so on. To find the next number, we add 10 (4 + 6) to 20, resulting in 30. Therefore, the next number in the pattern is 30.

Ques 20. What are the next two terms in the sequence:

4, 9, 16, 25, ?

1. 36 and 47
2. 37 and 49
3. 36 and 49
4. 39 and 47

Solution: This sequence represents the squares of consecutive positive integers.

2^2 = 4

3^2 = 9

4^2 = 16

5^2 = 25

Following this pattern, the next two terms will be the squares of the next two consecutive positive integers:

6^2 = 36

7^2 = 49

So, the next two terms in the sequence are 36 and 49.

Ques 21. Find the missing term in the given ratio sequence: 2:5, 4:10, 6:15, ?:25.

1. 10
2. 15
3. 20
4. 30

Solution: In this sequence, the ratio between the first and second terms is 2:5, then 4:10 (which simplifies to 2:5), and then 6:15 (which again simplifies to 2:5). The pattern indicates that the ratio remains constant at 2:5. So, the missing term would also follow this pattern, and its ratio with 25 should be 2:5. Solving for the missing term:

Missing term : 25 = 2 : 5

Missing term = (25 * 2) / 5

Missing term = 10

Hence, the missing term is 10.

Ques 22. Identify the next two elements in the series: 3, 8, 13, 18, ? ?

Solution: In this series, each term increases by 5. The next term after 18 would be 18 + 5 = 23, and the term after that would be 23 + 5 = 28. Therefore, the next two elements in the series are 23 and 28.

Ques 23. Kharif crop is to maize as to rabi crop is to _______

1. Barley
2. Cotton
3. Bajra
4. Jowar

Solution: The correct answer is Barley.
Kharif and Rabi are two agricultural seasons in India. Kharif crops are sown in the rainy season (June to September) and harvested in autumn (October to December), while Rabi crops are sown in winter (October to December) and harvested in spring (March to May).

Ques 24. Determine the missing numbers in the series: 9, 16, ?, 36, 49, ?

1. 36 and 49
2. 25 and 49
3. 25 and 39
4. 29 and 45

Solution: This series involves perfect squares. The pattern is that each term is the square of consecutive positive integers. 3^2 = 9, 4^2 = 16, 5^2 = 25 (missing term), 6^2 = 36, 7^2 = 49 (missing term), and so on. Thus, the missing terms are 25 and 49.

Ques 25. What comes next in the series: 2, 4, 8, 16, ?

1. 24
2. 32
3. 48
4. 40

Solution: This is a geometric series where each term is obtained by multiplying the previous term by 2. The pattern is doubling. Starting with 2, you double it to get 4, then double 4 to get 8, and so on. Applying the same pattern, the next term would be 16 * 2 = 32.

In conclusion, Non-Verbal Reasoning emerges as a dynamic facet of cognitive evaluation, transcending language barriers to assess pattern recognition, spatial acuity, and analytical finesse. To ace in Non-Verbal Reasoning, the candidates need to work on their spatial visualization skills through puzzles and real-world applications. Familiarity with mirror reflections, cube rotations, and embedded figures is important. They should engage in systematic practice, gradually improving both speed and accuracy.