Analogy — Study Notes

Overview

Analogy questions test your ability to identify and apply patterns or relationships between pairs of items. In UP Police Constable exams, analogy appears in 3–5 questions and covers three main types: word (semantic), number (mathematical), and figural (visual pattern) analogies. The core skill is recognizing the relationship in a given pair and finding another pair that follows the same logic.

Mastering analogies improves your pattern recognition and logical thinking—skills valuable across the entire reasoning section. Most analogy questions follow the format "A is to B as C is to ?" where you must identify the missing term. The key is systematic analysis: always articulate the relationship explicitly before looking at options. Common relationships include synonym/antonym, part/whole, cause/effect, sequence, mathematical operations, and visual transformations.

Practice is essential because exam questions recycle relationship types. Once you've internalized 15–20 common patterns, you can solve most analogy questions within 30–45 seconds.

Key Concepts

• **Relationship identification**: The first step is always defining how the first two terms relate—ignore options until you understand the base relationship clearly.

• **Parallel logic**: The relationship between the third and fourth terms must mirror the relationship between the first and second terms exactly, not just loosely.

• **Word analogies**: Based on semantic relationships like synonyms, antonyms, category/member, worker/tool, place/product, gender pairs, young/adult forms, and intensity variations.

• **Number analogies**: Follow mathematical patterns—arithmetic operations (+, −, ×, ÷), squares/cubes, prime numbers, digit sums, multiples, or positional relationships.

• **Figural analogies**: Involve visual transformations—rotation, reflection, shading changes, element addition/deletion, size variation, or shape progression.

• **Cross-category analogies**: Some questions mix categories (like profession to workplace or animal to habitat) requiring general knowledge alongside logical reasoning.

• **Odd one out variation**: Sometimes you're asked to find which pair doesn't follow the pattern established by others—reverse application of analogy logic.

• **Direction matters**: In relationships like "big to small" versus "small to big," or "cause to effect" versus "effect to cause," maintaining directional consistency is crucial.

Formulas / Key Facts

**Common Word Relationship Types:**

• Synonym: Happy : Joyful :: Angry : Furious
• Antonym: Hot : Cold :: Day : Night
• Part to Whole: Petal : Flower :: Page : Book
• Worker to Tool: Farmer : Plough :: Doctor : Stethoscope
• Place to Product: Assam : Tea :: Kashmir : Saffron
• Category to Member: Bird : Sparrow :: Flower : Rose
• Gender Pair: Bull : Cow :: Actor : Actress
• Young to Adult: Puppy : Dog :: Calf : Cow

**Common Number Relationship Types:**

• Addition/Subtraction: 3 : 8 (3+5) :: 7 : 12 (7+5)
• Multiplication/Division: 4 : 16 (4×4) :: 5 : 25 (5×5)
• Square/Cube: 2 : 8 (2³) :: 3 : 27 (3³)
• Successive operations: 5 : 26 (5²+1) :: 6 : 37 (6²+1)

**Common Figural Transformations:**

• 90° or 180° rotation clockwise/anticlockwise
• Horizontal or vertical reflection (mirror image)
• Shading pattern change (filled to empty or vice versa)
• Addition or removal of elements (lines, dots, shapes)
• Size increase or decrease while maintaining shape

Worked Examples

**Example 1: Word Analogy** Question: Pen : Write :: Knife : ? (a) Cut (b) Sharp (c) Steel (d) Kitchen

**Solution:** Step 1: Identify relationship—Pen is a tool used to Write (tool : function) Step 2: Apply same logic—Knife is a tool used to Cut **Answer: (a) Cut**

**Example 2: Number Analogy** Question: 6 : 35 :: 7 : ? (a) 48 (b) 47 (c) 49 (d) 42

**Solution:** Step 1: Find pattern for 6 : 35 Try: 6² = 36, 36 − 1 = 35 ✓ Step 2: Apply to 7 7² = 49, 49 − 1 = 48 **Answer: (a) 48**

**Example 3: Figural Analogy** Question: If a triangle pointing up becomes a triangle pointing down, then a square should become: (a) Circle (b) Rectangle (c) Square rotated 180° (d) Inverted square

**Solution:** Step 1: Relationship is 180° rotation (inversion) Step 2: A square rotated 180° looks identical but logically follows the pattern **Answer: (c) Square rotated 180°** (In actual visual questions, you'd see the distinction if sides were marked)

**Example 4: Mixed Type** Question: 4 : 17 :: 7 : ? (a) 50 (b) 49 (c) 48 (d) 51

**Solution:** Step 1: Test patterns— 4² + 1 = 17 ✓ Step 2: Apply to 7 7² + 1 = 49 + 1 = 50 **Answer: (a) 50**

Common Mistakes

**Mistake 1: Superficial matching** — Choosing options that share surface features rather than relationship logic. For "Car : Road :: Ship : ?", choosing "Water" because ships float, instead of "Sea" which is the travel medium like Road. **Fix:** Always state the relationship type explicitly before evaluating options.

**Mistake 2: Reversing the relationship** — If the pattern is "small to big," applying "big to small" in the answer. For "Seed : Tree :: Egg : ?", choosing "Hen" instead of "Bird" reverses the young-to-adult direction. **Fix:** Maintain strict directional consistency—write arrow notation (→) to track direction.

**Mistake 3: Incomplete pattern analysis in numbers** — Testing only one operation. For 5 : 30, assuming 5×6 = 30 without checking if 5²+5 = 30 also works, leading to wrong answers when the second pair doesn't fit your assumed pattern. **Fix:** When a number relationship seems to fit, verify it with the answer choices before finalizing.

**Mistake 4: Over-relying on general knowledge** — In word analogies, forcing geographical or scientific facts when the relationship is purely linguistic. "Delhi : India :: Paris : ?" is straightforward (France), but "Hot : Cold :: Fire : ?" requires understanding antonym logic (Ice), not fire safety knowledge. **Fix:** Prioritize logical relationships over domain knowledge unless the question explicitly requires it.

**Mistake 5: Ignoring visual details in figures** — Missing small changes in figural analogies like number of sides, internal elements, or specific rotation angles, leading to choosing visually similar but incorrect options. **Fix:** Count elements, measure angles mentally, and note every difference between the first pair before predicting the answer.

Quick Reference

• **Three types:** Word (meaning-based), Number (math-based), Figural (visual pattern-based)
• **Method:** Define relationship first → Apply to third term → Match with options
• **Top word patterns:** Synonym, antonym, tool/function, part/whole, category/member, cause/effect
• **Top number patterns:** Squares/cubes, ±n, ×n, n²±1, digit sum operations
• **Top figural patterns:** Rotation (90°/180°), reflection, shading toggle, element count change
• **Time management:** 30–45 seconds per analogy—if stuck beyond 60 seconds, mark for review and move on