Steps to Solve Logical Reasoning Puzzles | Logical Reasoning (LR) and Data Interpretation (DI) - CAT PDF Download

Typical Characteristics of Logical Reasoning Puzzles

Upon thorough examination of logical reasoning puzzles featured in previous year CAT exams, I've observed that these puzzles center around specific objects and their corresponding parameters. Frequently, each of these objects is associated with multiple parameters.

Following the presentation of puzzles, there are accompanying clues providing information about the objects and their associated parameters. The challenge lies in utilizing these clues to establish the connections between the parameters and their respective objects.

Typically, the clues fall into one of two categories:

1. Direct data or information linking an object to its parameter.
2. Information or clues establishing relationships between two or more parameters of an object.

Our objective is to employ these clues to correctly match each object with its corresponding parameters.

To elucidate the process, let's consider a simple puzzle. But before delving into that, let's review the steps involved in solving such reasoning puzzles.

Steps to solve

1. Carefully go through the entire puzzle to identify both the objects and their associated parameters.
2. Determine the structure in which the data or information needs to be organized; in most cases, a tabular structure is necessary.
3. Review the conditions one by one, establishing symbolic or pictorial representations between the objects and parameters, or among the parameters.
4. For conditions that provide direct information, fill in the corresponding data directly within the suitable cell of the table or structure.
5. Commence with clues that pertain to objects for which certain parameters have already been identified.
6. Reassess the conditions, amalgamating pertinent clues to infer the corresponding parameter for a given object.
7. Iterate step #6 until all relevant deductions have been exhausted through the combination of clues.

In the end, we will have a table that is either partially filled or fully complete, with the objects matched to their respective parameters. Frequently, a partially filled table is adequate to address certain questions related to the puzzle.

Occasionally, questions may introduce additional information. In such cases, we need to incorporate this new information and build upon the existing clues to complete the table. It is crucial to note that the completed table is specific to the given question. Using this table to solve other questions is not recommended unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Example

Q: Arun Barun and Kiranmala are three friends who are from three different cities:  Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune,  not necessarily in that order.  Arun is an MBA,  while the other two have one of the professions – a doctor and an engineer. The engineer is from  Pune, Barun is from Mumbai.
Sol:
In this case, the three objects are the three friends-  Arun Barun and Kiranmala. And there are two parameters-  city and profession.
Our task is to associate these parameters which belong to each of these friends. The best way to solve this puzzle is to organize these data in a table of three column. The first column is for the friends. The rest of the two columns are for the city and the profession respectively.

Now let us analyse the clues.
1. Arun is an MBA is a direct clue. We can write MBA in the cell corresponding to the profession of Arun. We can also deduce that the other two friends, i.e.,  Barun and kiranmala are not MBA.
2. The engineer is from Pune:  Here we can see that both ‘engineer‘ and ‘Pune‘  are the two parameters and they are related to each other. From this clue, it is quite evident that Arun cannot be from Pune as he is an MBA. We can also symbolically write this piece of information as Engg –> Pune
3. Barun is from Mumbai: This information relates the object with a parameter. On combining this with the clue #2,  we can deduce that Barun CANNOT be an engineer. And from clue #1,  he cannot be an MBA. Hence, we can conclude that Barun is a doctor.
Also,  Arun being an MBA cannot be from Pune. Neither he can be from Mumbai as Barun is from Mumbai. Therefore, he must be from Delhi. Which also concludes that Kiranmala is an engineer and she is from Pune.