Analogies — Finding the One Relationship That Fits
Syllabus topic: Analogies (semantic, symbolic/number, figural)
An analogy question gives you a pair of words, numbers or figures and asks for a second pair joined by the SAME relationship. The marks are lost not in spotting a relationship — almost any two things are related somehow — but in spotting the intended one. This note gives a fixed order of checks.
Word analogies: name the bridge in one line
Before looking at the options, say the bridge aloud in a short sentence: “A thermometer measures temperature.” Then accept only the option whose bridge matches word for word. Common bridges in CGL include tool–function, part–whole, worker–workplace, product–raw material, animal–young one, unit–quantity, synonym and antonym pairs, and degree (warm : hot).
Direction matters. If the first pair runs whole → part, an option running part → whole is wrong even when the words feel similar. Check both the type of bridge and its direction before marking.
Number analogies: work through a checklist
When a number pair resists, test in this order: multiples and factors; squares and cubes (± small adjustments); digit operations (sum, product, reversal); prime/composite patterns; and mixed operations such as ×2 + 1 or ×3 − 2. Write the operation explicitly for the given pair, then verify it reproduces an option exactly — a near-fit is a trap.
- Differences first: constant, increasing, or doubling differences
- Then squares/cubes: n², n² ± 1, n³, n³ ± 1
- Then digit games: sum of digits, product of digits, reversed digits
- Confirm the rule on the pair given before applying it to options
Figure analogies
For figural analogies, track elements one at a time: how many, rotation (angle and direction), flipping (mirror/water image), shading moving between regions, and elements added or removed. The second figure is the first figure after a fixed set of changes; list the changes, then apply the identical list to the third figure.
Key points to remember
- State the relationship in one sentence before seeing options.
- Match both the type AND the direction of the relationship.
- Use a fixed number-check order: differences → squares/cubes → digit operations.
- Verify the rule exactly on the given pair — near-fits are traps.
Topic from the official SSC CGL syllabus (Quantitative Aptitude / General Intelligence & Reasoning) as published in NaukriHelp's SSC CGL exam guide. Note written by NaukriHelp; standard mathematics references used for the subject only.