SSC CGL Reasoning Questions
255 questions on General Intelligence and Reasoning for SSC CGL. Each comes with the correct answer and a worked explanation.
- Questions
- 255
- Easy
- 108
- Moderate
- 172
Reasoning topics
Reasoning questions with solutions
Select the option that is related to the third number in the same way as the second number is related to the first number. 8 : 512 :: 10 : ?
- (A)1010
- (B)101
- (C)1000
- (D)100
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (C) 1000
In the first pair, 512 is the cube of the first number (8 → 512). Applying the same relation to 10 gives 1000, so 1000 completes the analogy.
In a certain code language, 'QUEEN' is written as 'SWGGP'. How will 'SUGAR' be written in that language?
- (A)UWICT
- (B)QSEYP
- (C)VXJDU
- (D)TVHBS
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) UWICT
Comparing 'QUEEN' with 'SWGGP', every letter is moved 2 places forward in the English alphabet. Moving each letter of 'SUGAR' 2 places forward gives 'UWICT'.
Three of the following four numbers are alike in a certain way and one is different. Select the odd one out.
- (A)47
- (B)21
- (C)43
- (D)17
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (B) 21
Each of 47, 17, 43 is a prime number, whereas 21 is not a prime number. Therefore 21 does not belong to the group and is the odd one out.
Select the letter that will come next in the following series. M, O, Q, S, U, ?
- (A)X
- (B)U
- (C)W
- (D)V
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (C) W
Each letter is 2 positions ahead of the previous one in the English alphabet (M → O → Q …). Moving 2 positions ahead of U gives W.
Karan walks 5 km towards the south, then turns and walks 12 km towards the east. How far is Karan from the starting point?
- (A)12 km
- (B)13 km
- (C)15 km
- (D)14 km
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (B) 13 km
The two legs of the walk are at right angles, so the shortest distance from the start is the hypotenuse: √(5² + 12²) = √(25 + 144) = √169 = 13 km.
Shortcut: 5-12-13 is a Pythagorean triple.
In a row of students, Rahul is 24th from the left end and 15th from the right end. How many students are there in the row?
- (A)38
- (B)40
- (C)37
- (D)39
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) 38
Total students = (position from left) + (position from right) − 1, because Rahul is counted twice. So the total = 24 + 15 − 1 = 38.
Shortcut: Total = left rank + right rank − 1.
If 'P' means '×', 'Q' means '+' and 'R' means '−', what is the value of the following expression? 3 P 3 Q 16 R 3
- (A)22
- (B)25
- (C)54
- (D)19
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) 22
Replacing the letters with the operations gives 3 × 3 + 16 − 3. Following BODMAS, multiply first: 9 + 16 − 3 = 22.
Select the number that will come next in the following series. 49, 64, 81, 100, 121, ?
- (A)143
- (B)167
- (C)146
- (D)144
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (D) 144
The terms are the squares of consecutive numbers starting from 7. Applying the same pattern to the last given term 121 gives 144, which is the next number in the series.
Select the option that is related to the third number in the same way as the second number is related to the first number. 4 : 64 :: 12 : ?
- (A)1728
- (B)24
- (C)144
- (D)132
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) 1728
In the first pair, 64 is the cube of the first number (4 → 64). Applying the same relation to 12 gives 1728, so 1728 completes the analogy.
In a certain code language, 'CHAIR' is written as 'ZEXFO'. How will 'GRAPE' be written in that language?
- (A)CNWLA
- (B)DOXMB
- (C)EPYNC
- (D)JUDSH
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (B) DOXMB
Comparing 'CHAIR' with 'ZEXFO', every letter is moved 3 places backward in the English alphabet. Moving each letter of 'GRAPE' 3 places backward gives 'DOXMB'.
Three of the following four numbers are alike in a certain way and one is different. Select the odd one out.
- (A)52
- (B)26
- (C)76
- (D)65
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (C) 76
Each of 26, 52, 65 is a multiple of 13, whereas 76 is not a multiple of 13. Therefore 76 does not belong to the group and is the odd one out.
Amit walks 9 km towards the north, then turns and walks 12 km towards the west. How far is Amit from the starting point?
- (A)15 km
- (B)21 km
- (C)17 km
- (D)16 km
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) 15 km
The two legs of the walk are at right angles, so the shortest distance from the start is the hypotenuse: √(9² + 12²) = √(81 + 144) = √225 = 15 km.
Shortcut: 9-12-15 is a Pythagorean triple.
In a row of students, Suresh is 5th from the left end and 17th from the right end. How many students are there in the row?
- (A)20
- (B)22
- (C)23
- (D)21
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (D) 21
Total students = (position from left) + (position from right) − 1, because Suresh is counted twice. So the total = 5 + 17 − 1 = 21.
Shortcut: Total = left rank + right rank − 1.
If 'P' means '×', 'Q' means '+' and 'R' means '−', what is the value of the following expression? 4 P 8 Q 12 R 8
- (A)16
- (B)36
- (C)38
- (D)44
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (B) 36
Replacing the letters with the operations gives 4 × 8 + 12 − 8. Following BODMAS, multiply first: 32 + 12 − 8 = 36.
Select the option that is related to the third number in the same way as the second number is related to the first number. 5 : 125 :: 8 : ?
- (A)512
- (B)64
- (C)504
- (D)56
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) 512
In the first pair, 125 is the cube of the first number (5 → 125). Applying the same relation to 8 gives 512, so 512 completes the analogy.
Showing 15 of 255 questions. Start a practice set above to work through the rest.
Frequently asked questions
How many SSC CGL Reasoning questions can I practise here?
255 questions — 108 easy and 172 moderate. 15 are shown on this page with answers and explanations, and the practice set draws from all of them.
How should I practise Reasoning for SSC CGL?
Read through a few solved questions first to see the method, then take a timed practice set. Afterwards, check which questions you got wrong or spent longest on and redo those before moving on.