What is General Intelligence?
General Intelligence, also called Logical Reasoning, is a section in competitive exams that tests a candidate’s thinking ability, problem-solving skills, and analytical reasoning. It is designed to assess how logically and quickly a person can solve problems, recognize patterns, and make decisions.
This section is included in exams like SSC, Banking, Railways, Defence, State PSC, and MBA entrance exams.
Why General Intelligence is Important
- Develops logical thinking and reasoning skills
- Enhances problem-solving ability
- Helps in decision-making under time constraints
- Often carries high marks in competitive exams
Example:
If a sequence of numbers is given as 2, 4, 8, 16, …, the next number can be identified using the pattern (multiplying by 2 → 32).
Common Types of Questions in General Intelligence
- Series (Numbers, Letters, or Mixed)
- Example: 3, 6, 12, 24, … → Next number = 48
- Analogies
- Example: Cat : Kitten :: Dog : ? → Puppy
- Classification
- Example: Apple, Orange, Banana, Car → Car (does not belong)
- Coding-Decoding
- Example: If CAT → DBU, then DOG → ? → EPH
- Blood Relations
- Example: A is the father of B. B is the mother of C. How is A related to C? → Grandfather
- Direction Sense
- Example: A walks 5 km north, then 3 km east. How far is A from the starting point? → √(5² + 3²) = √34 km
- Logical Puzzles
- Example: There are 5 houses in a row with different colors. Use given clues to find the color of each house.
- Statement & Conclusion / Assumption
- Example: Statement: All students like exams. Conclusion: Some students dislike exams. → Conclusion is false
Tips to Improve General Intelligence
- Practice regularly with different types of questions
- Identify patterns quickly in series and analogies
- Use elimination for multiple-choice questions
- Solve previous years’ exam papers
- Stay calm and analyze carefully under time pressure
Example:
If the series is 5, 10, 20, 40, … → Multiply by 2 → Next = 80. Recognizing patterns quickly saves time.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS (LIMITED)
- Find the missing number in the series: 2, 4, 8, 16, ?
- Find the analogy: Book : Reading :: Knife : ?
- Which word does not belong? Rose, Lily, Tulip, Chair
- A is the brother of B. B is the mother of C. How is A related to C?
- Direction Sense: Ramesh walks 6 km east, then 8 km north. How far is he from the starting point?
ANSWERS
- 32 (Pattern: Multiply by 2)
- Cutting (Book is used for reading, Knife is used for cutting)
- Chair (It is not a flower)
- Maternal Uncle (Brother of mother)
- Distance = √(6² + 8²) = √100 = 10 km