UP SI Reasoning 2026 Practice Set 7 - Complete Revision with Important Questions

UPSI Reasoning 2026 Practice Set 7 delves into a selection of important reasoning questions important for competitive exams like UPSI. We explore various problem types, including logical analogies, intricate number series, strategic coding-decoding, and spatial reasoning. The focus is on understanding the underlying logic and efficient problem-solving techniques to enhance problem-solving skills.

Analogy: Developmental Stages

For an analogy where 'Flower' is related to 'Bud', the logical relationship is sequential development: a bud is the precursor stage that develops into a flower. Applying this, a flower is the stage that develops into a fruit. It is crucial to analyze the precise relationship between terms, as haste often leads to incorrect assumptions (e.g., 'seed' for 'fruit'). The correct developmental sequence is Bud → Flower → Fruit.

Odd One Out: Synonyms

When identifying the outlier from a list like Calm, Quiet, Peace, and Serene, the classification logic depends on shared conceptual meaning. Calm, Quiet, Peace, and Serene are all synonyms, sharing the core meaning of peace. The outlier will be the word that does not share this semantic group.

Number Series: Mixed Operations (Question 3)

Consider the series: 4, 7, 16, 29, 62, ?

The pattern involves multiplying the previous number by 2 and then alternately subtracting and adding a sequentially increasing integer:

• 4 × 2 – 1 = 7

• 7 × 2 + 2 = 16

• 16 × 2 – 3 = 29

• 29 × 2 + 4 = 62

• 62 × 2 – 5 = 119

For efficient problem-solving, focus on the unit digit. For 62 × 2 – 5, the unit digit calculation is (2 × 2) – 5 = 4 – 5, which results in a number ending in 9.

Number Series: Mixed Operations (Question 4)

Consider the series: 7, 15, 28, 59, 114, ?

This series also uses mixed operations: multiplying by 2 and alternately adding/subtracting an increasing integer:

• 7 × 2 + 1 = 15

• 15 × 2 – 2 = 28

• 28 × 2 + 3 = 59

• 59 × 2 – 4 = 114

• 114 × 2 + 5 = 233

Again, use the unit digit for speed. For 114 × 2 + 5, the unit digit calculation is (4 × 2) + 5 = 8 + 5 = 13, so the result ends in 3.

Coding-Decoding

A common coding pattern involves applying a sequential, alternating operation to the positional value of each letter, such as +1, -2, +3, -4, +5, -6, +7, -8…

An efficient problem-solving strategy involves:

1. Eliminate Options Early: Apply the first few steps (e.g., +1, -2) to the initial letters of the new word to rule out incorrect answer choices.

2. Identify the discriminating letter where remaining options differ.

3. Targeted Check: Calculate the code only for that specific letter to find the unique correct answer. Avoid haste to prevent errors.

Direction and Distance

A person walks 10 km East, then turns left (North) for 4 km, then turns left again (West) for 13 km. To find the distance from the starting point:

1. Net Northward Movement: 4 km.

2. Net Horizontal Movement: 13 km West - 10 km East = 3 km West.
   This forms a right-angled triangle with perpendicular sides of 3 km and 4 km. The distance from the start is the hypotenuse. (Memory Tip: This is a standard Pythagorean triplet: 3, 4, 5. If the two perpendicular sides of a right-angled triangle are 3 and 4, the hypotenuse will always be 5.) Thus, the distance is 5 km.

Direction Sense: Relative Position

When a woman walks 5 km West, 3 km South, and 2 km East, her final position is South and West of her starting house. The question, "In which direction is her house from her destination?", requires a reverse perspective. If her destination is South-West of her house, then her house must be North-East of her destination. The Pedagogical Emphasis here is on carefully reading "from where" the direction is requested.

Coded Blood Relations

Given symbols like * for sister and - for mother, an expression like M*N*O-P can be decoded:

• M * N: M is N's sister.

• N * O: N is O's sister. (This implies M, N, and O are siblings; M and N are female).

• O - P: O is P's mother.
  Therefore, N is P's mother's sister. N is P's Maternal Aunt (मौसी). The Pedagogical Emphasis is to identify whose relationship is being described, often indicated by terms like 'of' or 's in the question (i.e., "N's relationship to P").

Logical Venn Diagrams

For elements like Stovetop, Freezer, Ice Cube, the logical relationship is:

• An Ice Cube is typically found inside a Freezer (subset relationship).

• A Stovetop (referring to a cooking appliance distinct from a freezer) is entirely separate.
  The correct Venn diagram shows one circle (Ice Cube) completely enclosed within another circle (Freezer), with a third circle (Stovetop) entirely separate from the other two.

Ranking and Order

In a queue, if person A is exactly between P and Q, P is 6th from the start, and Q is 6th from the end, with two people between P and A:

1. Because A is exactly in the middle, there must also be 2 people between A and Q.

2. The total number of people between P and Q is 2 (P to A) + 1 (A) + 2 (A to Q) = 5 people.

3. Total people in the queue: 6 (P and before) + 5 (between P and Q) + 6 (Q and after) = 17.

Number Properties: Digit Sum

When a large number reduces to a smaller one, a common pattern is the sum of its digits. If a number's digits sum to 19, then for the number 2514, the sum is 2 + 5 + 1 + 4 = 12.

Odd One Out: Classification

To find the outlier among Wheat, Maize, Jute, Tree:

• Wheat, Maize, and Jute are all types of crops.

• A Tree does not belong to the category of field crops.
  Thus, Tree is the outlier.

Figure Completion

For figure completion questions, the primary strategy is elimination. Systematically reject options that contain elements not present in the main figure's pattern (e.g., extra circles, lines) or are missing required elements. The correct option will be the one that perfectly fits the missing section.

Sequence Counting with Conditions

To count '3's in a sequence that are not immediately preceded by '5' and are also not immediately followed by '9':

The conditions to exclude a '3' are if it forms the pattern '53' or '39'.

For example, in a sequence, if we find '939':

• The '3' in '93' would be considered for counting (as it's not '53').

• However, the '3' in '39' would be excluded (as it's followed by '9').
  By evaluating each '3' based on its immediate neighbors, the valid instances (e.g., from patterns like 93, 23, 63) are counted. The total count for such a specific sequence example was 5.

Logical Reasoning: Inequalities

Solving inequality problems involves evaluating conclusions based on combined statements.

1. Establish a Path: Determine if a logical connection exists between the elements in the conclusion.

2. Analyze the Signs: Examine all inequality signs along that path.
   (Memory Tip: The > and < signs are the "Grandfather" (Dadaji), possessing the highest priority.) If a "Grandfather" sign appears even once along the path, the valid conclusion must also contain that specific "Grandfather" sign.
   For instance, if a path from A to P includes >= and =, then a conclusion A > P is correct because the > component of >= is present. If a path from P to N includes > and =, then P > N is also correct.

Logical Reasoning: Dice Problems

To find opposite faces on a die from two views with one common face:

1. Identify the Common Face: Find the face visible in both views.

2. Rotate Clockwise: From the common face, list the adjacent faces in a clockwise direction for each view.

• Example: If Q is common. View 1: Q → R → P. View 2: Q → S → U.

3. Compare Positions:

• Faces in the same sequential position are opposite: R is opposite S, P is opposite U.

• The common face (Q) is opposite the element not visible in either sequence (e.g., T).