Logical reasoning, sometimes called inductive or abstract reasoning, is about finding the rule. There is no reading and no arithmetic.
What a question looks like
A sequence or set of shapes, and a question asking which comes next, which is the odd one out, or which completes the pattern. The options are also shapes.
Because there are no words and no numbers, these tests measure something independent of your education and language, which is part of why employers use them.
What the rules tend to be
Usually one or two things changing in a consistent way:
- Rotation. Something turning by the same amount each step.
- Count. A number of elements increasing, decreasing or alternating.
- Position. Something moving around the frame in a pattern.
- Shading or colour. Alternating or progressing.
- Shape. Changing in a repeating cycle.
How to approach a logical test
- Look for one thing that changes, and describe it to yourself in words. Then check it against every step. A rule that fits three out of four steps is the wrong rule.
- Then look for a second thing. Harder questions usually have two rules running at once, and finding one is half the answer.
- Use the options. If you are stuck, working backwards from what the options have in common often reveals what the question is testing.
- Do not stare. These questions reward moving on and coming back more than most. Flag it. See flagging a question.
The time limit
Timed, with the limit shown before you begin. The questions usually get harder as you go, so spending your time evenly is rarely the best plan.