Chapter 2

Analogies

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS

☞ Analogy ☞ Letter Analogies

☞ Number Analogies ☞ Verbal Analogies

Analogy • The two numbers are such that they are obtained by sub-
tracting a certain number from the squares or cubes of the
Analogy means ‘similarity’ or ‘similar relationship’. In
two related numbers.
questions on number or letter analogies, a pair, that has a
• The two numbers are such that they are obtained by add-
certain relationship between them, is given. This number/
ing a certain number to the squares or cubes of the two
letter pair is followed by a third number/letter. The student is
related numbers.
expected to identify the relationship between the pair given
• The two numbers can be consecutive, even, odd, or prime
and find out a FOURTH number such that the relationship
numbers.
between the third and the fourth is similar to the relation-
ship that exists between the first and the second. (In some There can be many more combinations that one can think
cases, it may not be the fourth one that has to be found out. of but the student has to note an important point in solving
The fourth one will be given and the student has to find out questions on number analogies. In number series-related
one of the other three, whichever is not given). questions, since a series of numbers (more than two num-
bers) will be given, the relationship or pattern can be identi-
fied uniquely. In number analogies, since only two numbers
NUMber Analogies are given, it may be possible to think of more than one rela-
Typical relationships between the numbers in a given pair tionship existing between the two numbers in the given pair.
can be any of the following: But, it should be kept in mind that generally, simple addi-
• One number is a multiple of the other. tion of one number or subtraction of one number is not what
• One number is the square or square root of the other. is given in number analogies. The questions try to test the
• One number is the cube or cube root of the other. insight that the student has got into the relationship between
• The two numbers are squares of two other numbers which the numbers.
themselves are related. For example, the two numbers are Let us take a few examples and understand the questions
squares of two consecutive integers or squares of two on number analogies.
consecutive even integers or squares of two consecutive
odd integers.

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Solved Examples Solution

Two letters are added to each letter to get the next letters in
Example 1 the analogy.
Find the missing number 25 : 36 : : 49 : _____. B D E G; Similarly, H K M O
(A) 61   (B)  63   (C) 65   (D)  60 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2 +2
D F G I J M O Q
Solution
When the numbers in the question are considered the stu- Example 5
dents tend to consider 25 and 36 as squares of two con-
ACDF : CGJN : : BEHI : _____.
secutive natural numbers. But, the answer choices does not (A) DJNQ (B) DINQ
consist of an answer suitable to the above logic. Hence, it is
(C) DINR (D) DHNQ
important that, the student keeps the answer choices in view
in arriving at the logic.
Solution
25 + 11 = 36
A C D F; Similarly, B E H I
Similarly, 49 + 11 = 60 +2 +4 +6 +8 +2 +4 +6 +8
C G J N D I N Q
Example 2
Find the missing number 27 : 51 : : 83 : _____. Example 6
(A) 102   (B) 117   (C)  123   (D) 138
SUWY : LPTX : : PRTV : _____.
Solution (A) INRU (B) INQU
(C) IMRU (D) IMQU
The given analogy can be written as
52 + 2 : 72 + 2 : : 92 + 2 : _____. Solution
5 and 7 are successive odd numbers.
Similarly, next odd number to 9 is 11 and 112 + 2 = 121 S U W Y; Similarly, P R T V
+ 2 = 123. –7 –5 –3 –1 –7 –5 –3 –1
L P T X I M Q U
Example 3
Find the missing number. Example 7
11 : 25 : : 17 : _____. BCDE : DFHH : : FGHI : _____.
(A) 33   (B) 28   (C) 41   (D)  37 (A) LJPL (B) LKPL
(C) JKPJ (D) IKPL
Solution
11 × 2 + 3 = 22 + 3 = 25 Solution
Similarly, 17 × 2 + 3 = 34 + 3 = 37. B C D E; Similarly, F G H I
×2 +3 ×2 +3 ×2 +3 ×2 +3
Letter Analogies D G H H L J P L
The questions in this area are similar to verbal analogies.
Here, the questions are based on the relationship between Verbal Analogies
two groups of letters (instead of two words as in verbal Here, the questions are based on relationship between two
analogies). Typically, three sets of letters are given followed words. In these kind of questions, three words are followed
by a question mark (where a fourth set of letters is supposed by a blank space, which the student has to fill up in such
to inserted). The student has to find the relation or order in a way that the third and the fourth words have the same
which the letters have been grouped together in the first two relationship between them as the first and the second words
sets of letters on the left hand side of the symbol : : and then have. The following examples help in understanding the
find a set of letters to fit in place of the question mark so concepts.
that the third and the fourth set of letters will also have the
same relationship as the first and the second. The sequence Example 8
or order in which the letters are grouped can be illustrated Gum : Stick : : Needle : _____
by the following examples. (A) Cloth (B) Prick
Example 4 (C) Taylor (D) Stitch
BDEG : DFGI : : HKMO : _____. Solution
(A) ILNP (B) JMOP
Gum is used to stick and needle is used to stitch.
(C) JMOQ (D) JNOQ

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 Chapter 2  ■ Analogies |  1.185

Example 9 Example 10
Socks : Feet : _____ : Hands Soft : Hard : : Cold : _____
(A) Arms (B) Shirt (A) Hot (B) Shirt
(C) Gloves (D) Fingers (C) Gloves (D) Fingers

Solution Solution
Soft and hard are antonyms; similarly, the antonym of cold
Socks are worn on feet, similarly gloves are worn on hands. is hot.

Exercises
Direction for questions 1 to 25:  Find the missing term. 15. 10 : 95 : : 16 : ______
1. 97 : 89 : : 43 : ______ (A) 218 (B) 318 (C) 248 (D) 102
(A) 37 (B) 31 (C) 39 (D) 41 16. 3829 : 3851 : : 2987 : ______
2. 196 : 256 : : 324 : ______ (A) 301 (B) 3007
(A) 361 (B) 400 (C) 411 (D) 484 (C) 3017 (D) 3023
3. 121 : 169 : : 361 : ______ 17. 47 : 121 : : 89 : ______
(A) 529 (B) 400 (C) 484 (D) 576 (A) 183 (B) 187 (C) 193 (D) 195
4. 125 : 343 : : 343 : ______ 18. NATURE : PEVASI : : ISOMERS : ______
(A) 512 (B) 1331 (C) 1728 (D) 81 (A) OTUNJTV (B) OTUNIST
(C) PUVNJST (D) OVTNJST
5. 4 : 256 : : 5 : ______
(A) 625 (B) 1025 (C) 525 (D) 875 19. BAD : BBL : : JDFE : ______
(A) JHRI (B) JHPX
6. 12 : 144 : : 18 : ______
(C) JFTV (D) JHRT
(A) 160 (B) 180 (C) 190 (D) 150
20. FIELD : LRJXH : : CRICKET : ______
7. 25 : 21 : : 59 : ______
(A) FHRDXLJ (B) FJPDTLN
(A) 42 (B) 46 (C) 76 (D) 56
(C) FJRDXAL (D) FJRFVJN
8. 8 : 72 : : 10 : ______
21. TAP : SUZBOQ : : RED : ______
(A) 95 (B) 106 (C) 99 (D) 90
(A) QTDGDE (B) PSDEDF
9. 8 : 0.125 : : 4 : ______ (C) QSDFCE (D) QRDGBE
(A) 0.5 (B) 0.4 (C) 0.35 (D) 0.25
22. Train : Track : : Bus : ______
10. 11 : 143 : : 19 : ______ (A) Driver (B) Road
(A) 443 (B) 450 (C) 420 (D) 437 (C) Petrol (D) Passengers
11. 568 : 352 : : 732 : ______ 23. Earth : Planet : : Carrot : ______
(A) 516 (B) 496 (C) 526 (D) 536 (A) Vegetable (B) Plant
12. 6 : 222 : : 9 : ______ (C) Cooking (D) Nut
(A) 738 (B) 720 (C) 729 (D) 744 24. Wood : Carpenter : : Iron : ______
13. 5 : 120 : : 8 : ______ (A) Goldsmith (B) Instrument
(A) 520 (B) 504 (C) 448 (D) 512 (C) Melting (D) Blacksmith
14. 16 : 68 : : 36 : ______ 25. Pen : Write : : Knife : ______
(A) 216 (B) 210 (A) Vegetable (B) Cut
(C) 222 (D) 226 (C) Sharp (D) Shoot

Answer Keys
1. D 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. A 6. D 7. D 8. D 9. D 10. D
11. A 12. A 13. B 14. C 15. C 16. A 17. B 18. B 19. D 20. D
21. C 22. B 23. A 24. D 25. B

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