Analogy — Core

Analogy — verbal, numerical and logical patterns

Notes

An analogy is a relationship between two items. You're given one pair (A:B) and asked to find another (C:?) that shares the same relationship.

Step 1 — Identify the relation in the given pair. Ask "How is A related to B?" The relation must be specific. "Both are animals" is too vague; "B is the young of A" is specific (cow:calf).

Common verbal relation types:

Synonym (big:large), antonym (rise:fall)
Cause–effect (rain:flood)
Worker–tool (carpenter:saw), worker–product (baker:bread)
Object–use (pen:write), part–whole (petal:flower)
Male–female (lion:lioness), young (dog:puppy)
Country–capital (India:Delhi), country–currency (Japan:Yen)
Measurement (length:metre), degree (warm:hot)

Numerical / mathematical analogy:

Square / cube: 5:25, 6:36, 7:49 → square; 2:8, 3:27 → cube.
Sum or product of digits.
Place in series: 4:16 :: 6:? — 4² = 16, 6² = 36.
Mixed operations: 2:9 :: 3:? — 2² + 5 = 9, so 3² + 5 = 14.

Letter analogy — same gap (in alphabet) maintained.
AB:CD :: EF:? — pair gap = 2 letters, second pair stays parallel → EF:GH.
Often the gap is forward; sometimes backward.

Word-pair structure (CAT-style) — sometimes the question gives two unrelated pairs and asks which pair has the same kind of relation. Test option pairs against the original until the relation matches exactly.

Analogy — worked examples & traps

Worked example

Example 1: Doctor : Stethoscope :: Carpenter : ?
Relation: tool used by professional. Answer: Saw (or hammer).

Example 2: 49 : 64 :: 81 : ?
Relation: consecutive squares (7² to 8²). Next: 9² = 100.

Example 3: ACE : BDF :: GIK : ?
Each letter +1. G→H, I→J, K→L. Answer: HJL.

Example 4: India : Rupee :: Bangladesh : ?
Country to currency. Answer: Taka. (Memorise — Nepal: Rupee, Sri Lanka: Rupee, Pakistan: Rupee, Myanmar: Kyat, Thailand: Baht, China: Yuan, Russia: Ruble, USA: Dollar, UK: Pound, EU: Euro, Japan: Yen.)

Example 5: 6 : 42 :: 7 : ?
Relation: 6 × 7 = 42 (n × (n+1)). For 7: 7 × 8 = 56.

Example 6: Pen : Write :: Knife : ?
Object to its primary use. Answer: Cut.

Example 7: Square : Cube :: Circle : ?
2D to 3D analogue. Answer: Sphere.

Common traps:

The order matters. India:Rupee is country:currency; Rupee:India would be currency:country — a different relation.
"Too obvious" options. Doctor:Stethoscope :: Carpenter:Wood seems plausible but the original is profession:tool, not profession:material.
Trying multiple relations — pick the most specific one that fits. If two relations both fit the original pair, the right answer matches the more specific one.