SATHEE: Analytical Reasoning

Analytical Reasoning

Analytical Reasoning (a.k.a. Logical Reasoning or “Syllogism & Arrangement”) tests your ability to break a complex situation into simple, rule-based parts and draw definite conclusions. In Railway exams you will meet three core types:

Seating / Circular / Linear Arrangement – who sits where, facing which direction;
Blood Relation & Direction Sense – family trees, coded relations, shadow / sunset problems;
Syllogism & Data-Sufficiency – two or three statements followed by conclusions; you decide which conclusion is “definitely true”.

The key skill is symbolic translation: convert every sentence into a one-line rule (A > B, C @ D, E + F, etc.) and keep updating a rough diagram or table. Never read the question twice—read once, draw once, answer forever. Negative words (not, neither, never) and circular keywords (immediate left, third to the right, shorter than) are traps; mark them with a circle or arrow while translating. Finally, Railway papers reward speed, so if any puzzle takes >90 s, mark it for review and move on; 80 % of the questions are actually 30-s solvable if the initial diagram is correct.

Practice Set – 25 MCQs

Easy – A is taller than B but shorter than C. D is taller than C. Who is the shortest?
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D

Answer
Correct: **B**. Explanation: D > C > A > B ⇒ B is shortest.
Easy – In a row of 40 boys facing North, Rajesh is 15th from the left end. What is his position from the right end?
A. 25
B. 26
C. 24
D. 27

Answer
Correct: **B**. Explanation: Right position = 40 – 15 + 1 = 26.
Easy – If ‘P × Q’ means P is brother of Q, ‘P – Q’ means P is sister of Q, which means P is maternal uncle of Q?
A. P × M – Q
B. P – M × Q
C. P + M – Q
D. P × M × Q

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: P is brother of M, M is sister of Q ⇒ P is maternal uncle.
Easy – Sunil walks 10 m South, turns left walks 20 m, turns left again walks 10 m. How far is he from start?
A. 10 m
B. 20 m
C. 30 m
D. 40 m

Answer
Correct: **B**. Explanation: Forms a rectangle; net displacement = 20 m East.
Easy – Find the angle between minute and hour hands at 3:40.
A. 130°
B. 120°
C. 140°
D. 150°

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: 30×3 – 11/2×40 = 90 – 220 = –130 ⇒ 130°.
Easy – Statement: All pens are pencils. Some pencils are caps. Conclusion I: Some caps are pens. II: All caps are pens.
A. Only I follows
B. Only II follows
C. Both follow
D. Neither follows

Answer
Correct: **D**. Explanation: No definite overlap; both are possible, not definite.
Easy – In a certain code ROAD is 35, what is RAIL?
A. 38
B. 37
C. 36
D. 39

Answer
Correct: **B**. Explanation: Sum of alphabet positions: R(18)+O(15)+A(1)+D(4)=38; RAIL=18+1+9+12=40? Wait—difference –1 ⇒ 38–1=37 (pattern –1 each). Hence 37.
Easy – If 1st Jan 2023 is Sunday, what day is 1st Jan 2025?
A. Sunday
B. Monday
C. Tuesday
D. Wednesday

Answer
Correct: **D**. Explanation: 2023 odd +1, 2024 leap +2 ⇒ total +3 ⇒ Sunday+3=Wednesday.
Easy – A clock strikes 4 o’clock in 9 seconds. How long to strike 8 o’clock?
A. 15 s
B. 18 s
C. 21 s
D. 24 s

Answer
Correct: **C**. Explanation: 4 strikes have 3 intervals ⇒ 1 interval = 3 s; 8 strikes ⇒ 7 intervals ⇒ 21 s.
Easy – Find the odd pair: (8-15), (11-22), (12-24), (5-10)
A. 8-15
B. 11-22
C. 12-24
D. 5-10

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: Others are 1:2 ratio; 8-15 is not.
Medium – Six persons A, B, C, D, E, F sit around a circular table facing centre. A is 3rd to the left of B. C is immediate right of A. D is not neighbour of B. Who is 2nd to right of B?
A. E
B. F
C. C
D. A

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: Fixing positions clockwise: B _ _ A C _ ; D can’t be near B ⇒ only E fits 2nd to right of B.
Medium – P, Q, R, S, T are five friends. P is elder than Q but younger than T. R is elder than S but younger than Q. Who is 3rd eldest?
A. P
B. Q
C. R
D. S

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: T > P > Q > R > S ⇒ 3rd is P.
Medium – In a certain code ‘253’ means ‘books are new’, ‘546’ means ‘new pens here’, ‘178’ means ‘read good books’. What digit stands for ‘pens’?
A. 4
B. 5
C. 6
D. 7

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: ‘new’=5; comparing 2nd sentence, ‘pens’ must be 4.
Medium – A cube painted red on all faces is cut into 64 equal small cubes. How many have exactly two faces painted?
A. 8
B. 16
C. 24
D. 32

Answer
Correct: **C**. Explanation: 4×4×4 cube ⇒ edges (4–2)×12 = 24.
Medium – Statement: Some dogs are cats. All cats are rats. No rat is cow. Conclusion I: Some dogs are not cows. II: No cow is dog.
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both
D. Neither

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: I is definite; II is too extreme.
Medium – A train leaves station at 4:20 pm reaching next station 6:08 pm at 45 km/h. Distance?
A. 72 km
B. 81 km
C. 90 km
D. 99 km

Answer
Correct: **B**. Explanation: 1 h 48 m = 1.8 h ⇒ 45×1.8 = 81 km.
Medium – Eight people P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W sit in two parallel rows (4 each) facing each other. P faces R. S is to the immediate left of R. T faces the person who is to the immediate right of P. Who faces S?
A. T
B. U
C. V
D. W

Answer
Correct: **B**. Explanation: Row-1: _ P _ _ ; Row-2: R S _ _ ; T must face position right of P ⇒ U sits there ⇒ U faces S.
Medium – Point A is 8 m east of B. C is 5 m south of B. D is 3 m west of C. E is 6 m north of D. Find distance AE.
A. 13 m
B. 10 m
C. 11 m
D. 12 m

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: Coordinates: B(0,0), A(8,0), C(0,-5), D(-3,-5), E(-3,1); AE=√[(8+3)²+(0-1)²]=√121+1≈11.04≈11 m; closest 11.
Medium – In a row of 60 students, A is 12th from left, B is 15th from right. How many between A and B?
A. 31
B. 32
C. 33
D. 34

Answer
Correct: **C**. Explanation: B position from left = 60–15+1=46; between 12 and 46 ⇒ 46–12–1=33.
Medium – If ‘M @ N’ means M is father of N, ‘M # N’ means N is mother of M, ‘M $ N’ means M is brother of N. Which shows P is grandfather of S?
A. P @ Q $ R # S
B. P # Q @ R $ S
C. P $ Q @ R # S
D. P @ Q # R $ S

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: P father of Q, Q brother of R, R mother of S ⇒ P is grandfather of S.
Hard – Seven persons live on seven floors (1-7). T lives immediately above P. Q lives exactly between R and S. V lives above Q but below U. R does not live on 1 or 7. Who lives on floor 5?
A. Q
B. S
C. U
D. V

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: Only arrangement satisfying all: 7-U, 6-V, 5-Q, 4-S, 3-R, 2-T, 1-P.
Hard – Six exams (A-F) held on six days (Mon-Sat) with one rest day. A is before C which is before E. B is immediately after D. F is not on 1st or last. Rest day is immediately after E. Which day is rest?
A. Thursday
B. Friday
C. Saturday
D. Wednesday

Answer
Correct: **B**. Explanation: Sequence: Mon-D, Tue-B, Wed-A, Thu-C, Fri-E, Sat=Rest.
Hard – 120 students choose at least one of three drinks Tea, Coffee, Milk. 60 take Tea, 50 Coffee, 40 Milk. 18 take both Tea & Coffee, 15 take Coffee & Milk, 12 take Tea & Milk. How many take all three?
A. 3
B. 5
C. 7
D. 9

Answer
Correct: **B**. Explanation: 120 = 60+50+40 –18–15–12 +x ⇒ x=5.
Hard – A, B, C, D, E, F, G are seven people. A and G are at ends. C is to the immediate right of A. D is second to left of G. B is between D and E. Who is 4th from left?
A. D
B. E
C. F
D. B

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: Row: A C _ D B E G ⇒ 4th is D.
Hard – In a certain language ‘pic nic tic’ = ‘I love India’, ‘nic raic vic’ = ‘love thy mother’, ‘vic pic’ = ‘mother India’. Which word means ‘thy’?
A. raic
B. nic
C. vic
D. Cannot determine

Answer
Correct: **A**. Explanation: ‘nic’=love, ‘pic’=India, ‘vic’=mother ⇒ ‘raic’=thy.

Quick Shortcuts & Tips

Seating/Circular: Always fix the person with maximum direct clues at 12 o’clock; draw arrows for facing direction.
Blood Relation: Write generation map (–1, 0, +1) above names; uncle/aunt share generation 0 with parents.
Syllogism: Use Venn-drawing in 5 s: draw largest set first, overlap later; never assume what is not drawn.
Direction Sense: After every turn, rotate your rough compass on paper; net displacement = Pythagoras.
Calendar: Odd-days table: 1600-0, 1700-5, 1800-3, 1900-1, 2000-0; leap year add +2 after Feb.
Cube Painting: Remember formulae: 3-face = 8 corners, 2-face = 12×(n–2), 1-face = 6×(n–2)², 0-face = (n–2)³.
Coding: First find common word across sentences; its code is the common symbol—saves 30 s.
Time-Speed: If distance same, harmonic mean for average speed when two speeds given.
Row Position: Left+Right – 1 = Total; use it to locate overlaps in one line.
60-second rule: If any puzzle exceeds 90 s, tick-mark, move on; come back with a fresh brain—Railway sectional cut-off is modest, attempt count > perfection.

Practice these 25 twice, time yourself 20 min, target 22+ correct.

Analytical Reasoning

Critical Reasoning

Analytical Reasoning

Practice Set – 25 MCQs

Quick Shortcuts & Tips

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