Analogies — Study Notes for SSC GD

Overview

Analogies form one of the most frequently tested topics in the General Intelligence and Reasoning section of SSC GD. An analogy question asks you to identify the logical relationship between a given pair and then apply that same relationship to find or complete another pair. The SSC GD exam tests three types: **Word Analogies** (semantic relationships between words), **Number Analogies** (mathematical relationships between numbers), and **Figural Analogies** (visual pattern relationships between figures).

Mastering analogies requires two skills: quickly spotting the relationship in the given pair, and accurately applying that relationship to the options. Many students lose marks not because they don't understand the concept, but because they rush and miss subtle differences between similar-looking relationships. These questions typically carry 3–5 marks in the exam and are considered moderate-scoring if you practice systematically.

The key to success is building a mental library of common relationship types. Once you recognize patterns like "opposite", "part-to-whole", "square-cube", or "rotation", you can solve most analogy questions in under 30 seconds.

Key Concepts

• **Relationship identification is primary**: Every analogy has a specific logical, semantic, or mathematical relationship between the first two terms. Your first job is always to identify what connects them before looking at options.

• **Same relationship must apply exactly**: The correct answer maintains the identical relationship structure. If A is the opposite of B, then C must be the opposite of D — not just loosely related.

• **Word analogies test meaning and context**: Common relationships include synonyms, antonyms, part-to-whole, tool-to-worker, cause-and-effect, gender pairs, young-to-adult, item-to-category, and degree of intensity.

• **Number analogies follow arithmetic or algebraic patterns**: Look for operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, squares, cubes, prime numbers, multiples, or positional patterns in digits.

• **Figural analogies involve visual transformations**: Common patterns include rotation (clockwise/anticlockwise), reflection (horizontal/vertical mirror), increase/decrease in elements, shading changes, and positional shifts of components.

• **Direction of relationship matters**: In "Doctor : Hospital", doctor works in hospital. But "Hospital : Doctor" would mean hospital employs doctor — subtly different. Always maintain the same directional logic.

• **Eliminate impossible options first**: Often 2–3 options can be eliminated immediately because they don't even match the category (e.g., if the stem is animal-related, options about buildings are unlikely).

• **Practice builds pattern recognition speed**: The more analogies you solve, the faster you'll recognize relationship types. Aim to build a mental checklist of 15–20 common relationships.

Key Facts

• **Word analogy common relationships**: Synonym (happy : joyful), Antonym (hot : cold), Part-to-Whole (wheel : car), Tool-to-Worker (stethoscope : doctor), Male-to-Female (bull : cow), Young-to-Adult (calf : cow), Item-to-Category (rose : flower), Cause-to-Effect (virus : disease).

• **Number analogy common patterns**: A : A² (4 : 16), A : A³ (2 : 8), A : 2A (5 : 10), Sum relationship (3, 5 : 8), Product relationship (2, 4 : 8), Difference pattern (10, 3 : 7), Prime number sequences.

• **Figural analogy transformations**: 90° rotation, 180° rotation, horizontal flip, vertical flip, addition of elements, removal of elements, shading inversion, size change, position exchange.

• **Format variations in exam**: You may see "A : B :: C : ?" (find D), "A : B :: ? : D" (find C), or "A : B :: C : D, find the odd pair", or "Select the pair that best matches A : B".

• **Time allocation**: Spend 20–30 seconds per analogy question. If you cannot spot the relationship in 10 seconds, mark for review and move on.

• **Compound relationships exist**: Some advanced analogies combine two relationships — for example, "Pen : Write :: Knife : Cut" (tool-to-function) where both are also handheld instruments.

Worked Examples

**Example 1: Word Analogy**

Question: *Thermometer : Temperature :: Barometer : ?*

**Step 1**: Identify the relationship. A thermometer measures temperature.

**Step 2**: Apply the same relationship. Which instrument measures what a barometer measures?

**Step 3**: A barometer measures atmospheric pressure.

**Answer**: Pressure

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**Example 2: Number Analogy**

Question: *9 : 81 :: 7 : ?*

**Step 1**: Find the relationship between 9 and 81. Check: 9² = 81.

**Step 2**: Apply to the second pair. We need 7² = 49.

**Answer**: 49

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**Example 3: Number Analogy with Operations**

Question: *3, 5 : 16 :: 4, 6 : ?*

**Step 1**: How do 3 and 5 relate to 16? Try operations: 3 + 5 = 8 (not 16), 3 × 5 = 15 (not 16), 3² + 5² = 9 + 25 = 34 (not 16). Try: 3² + 7 = 16? No. Try: (3 + 5)² ÷ 4 = 16? Yes! Or simpler: 3 + 5 = 8, and 8 × 2 = 16.

Actually, check: 3² + 5 + 2 = 16? (9 + 7 = 16) ✓

**Step 2**: Apply to 4, 6: 4² + 6 + 2 = 16 + 8 = 24? Or try the simpler pattern: (3+5) × 2 = 16, so (4+6) × 2 = 20.

**Answer**: 20 (sum doubled pattern)

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**Example 4: Figural Analogy**

Question: If a triangle pointing upward relates to a triangle pointing downward, then a square relates to what?

**Step 1**: The relationship is "180° rotation" or "inversion".

**Step 2**: A square rotated 180° looks the same, so the answer is simply a square. But if the question shows a square with a diagonal line, the answer would be that square with the diagonal in the opposite orientation.

**Answer**: Depends on the figure details, but apply the exact transformation seen in the first pair.

Common Mistakes

• **Forcing a weak relationship**: Students see "Cat : Kitten" and think "Dog : Puppy" is similar, which is correct. But then they force "Car : Vehicle" saying both are hierarchical — missing that the first is adult-young while the second is item-category. *Fix*: Always verify that the relationship type matches exactly, not just loosely.

• **Ignoring word sequence**: In "Author : Book", the author creates the book. But "Book : Author" would mean the book is associated with an author (different nuance). Students often flip these. *Fix*: Maintain the exact sequence and direction of the original pair.

• **Trying too many operations for numbers**: Wasting time testing 10 different formulas on a number pair. *Fix*: Start with the simplest relationships first: square, double, sum, difference, then move to complex ones only if needed.

• **Overlooking figure orientation**: In figural analogies, students spot that elements are added but miss that the added element is on a specific side or rotated. *Fix*: Check not just what changes, but where and how it changes (position, orientation, shading).

• **Selecting the first matching option without checking all**: Option B seems correct because it has the same category as the stem, but option D has the exact relationship. *Fix*: Always read all four options before finalizing, especially when two seem close.

Quick Reference

• Always identify the relationship first, then hunt for the answer — never reverse this order.
• Common word pairs: synonym, antonym, part-whole, tool-worker, cause-effect, young-adult, male-female, item-category.
• Common number patterns: square, cube, double, sum, difference, prime, digit-sum.
• Common figural changes: rotate, flip, add/remove elements, shade/unshade, shift position.
• If stuck in 10 seconds, eliminate wrong options and guess from remaining — don't waste time.
• Practice 50+ analogies of each type to internalize patterns and boost speed to under 25 seconds per question.