Analogy Guide & Practice

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1. Fundamentals & Definitions

• Analogy: Literally means 'drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity in some respect'. An analogy uses a defined logical relationship between two or more elements to identify or establish a similar relationship among another set of elements. It is designed to test logical comprehension, pattern recognition, and semantic/spatial reasoning.
• Key Notation & Symbols:
  • Single Colon (:): Denotes the logical relationship between two terms of a pair (e.g., $A : B$ reads "A is related to B").
  • Double Colon (:: or ∷): Represents the equivalence or equality of relationships between two distinct pairs (e.g., $A : B :: C : D$ reads "A is related to B in the same way as C is related to D").
• Types of Analogy:
  1. Word Analogy: Drawing comparisons between words based on semantic, functional, or category-based associations.
  2. Alphabet / Letter Analogy: Establishing relationships between letter clusters based on alphabetical order, positional shifts, or reverse pairs.
  3. Number Analogy: Finding relationships between numeric terms or sets of numbers using mathematical operations, exponents, or digit-based properties.
  4. Mixed Analogy: Combining alphabetical letters and numerical values in a single pattern (e.g., matching letter positions to numbers).
  5. Non-Verbal / Figure Analogy: Comparing geometric figures based on spatial transformations, rotations, reflections, or changes in internal components.

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2. Core Concepts & Formulas

A. Word Analogy Relationships

Word analogies evaluate semantic connections. The table below outlines the primary relationships tested in competitive exams.

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B. Alphabet (Letter) Analogy Rules

1. Forward Alphabetical Positions (A to Z): Letters are mapped from 1 to 26: A=1, B=2, C=3, ..., Z=26.

   • EJOTY Memory Aid: Helps remember positions in intervals of 5.

     Letter	E	J	O	T	Y
     Position	5	10	15	20	25

2. Backward Alphabetical Positions (Z to A): Letters are mapped in reverse from 26 to 1: Z=1, Y=2, X=3, ..., A=26.

   • Reverse Position Formula: $\text{Reverse Position} = 27 - \text{Forward Position}$.

3. Reverse / Opposite Letter Pairs: Two letters are opposites if the sum of their forward alphabetical positions is exactly 27.

   Letter	Opp.	Letter	Opp.	Letter	Opp.	Letter	Opp.	Letter	Opp.	Letter	Opp.	Letter	Opp.
   A	Z	B	Y	C	X	D	W	E	V	F	U	G	T
   H	S	I	R	J	Q	K	P	L	O	M	N	—	—

4. Positional Shifts:

   • Constant Shift: All letters are shifted forward or backward by the same value (e.g., $+k$ or $-k$).
     • Example: $\text{DOCTOR} \rightarrow \text{ALZQLO}$ (each letter shifted by $-3$).
   • Progressive Shift: Shifting values increase or decrease progressively (e.g., $+1, +2, +3, +4, \dots$).
     • Example: $\text{ASKLJ} \rightarrow \text{CVOQP}$ (shifts are $+2, +3, +4, +5, +6$).
   • Cross Shifts: Swapping pairs of adjacent letters while applying a shift to other parts.
     • Example: $\text{SAUCE} \rightarrow \text{ASXEC}$ (1st & 2nd swap: $\text{S, A} \rightarrow \text{A, S}$; 3rd shifts by $+3$: $\text{U} \rightarrow \text{X}$; 4th & 5th swap: $\text{C, E} \rightarrow \text{E, C}$).

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C. Number Analogy Formulas & Patterns

Let $x$ be the first number, and $y$ be the second number in a pair:

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D. Non-Verbal (Figure) Analogy Transformations

Figure analogies compare spatial shapes based on distinct geometric rules:

1. Rotation: The entire shape or its internal elements rotate clockwise (CW) or counter-clockwise (CCW) by $45^\circ$, $90^\circ$, $135^\circ$, or $180^\circ$.
2. Dislocation / Separation: Nested elements of a combined shape detach from one another, or lines invert/disjoint.
3. Interchange of Shapes: The boundary structures swap positions. Typically, the outer shape becomes a small inner shape, and the inner shape expands to become the outer shape.
4. Reflection (Mirror / Water Images):
   • Mirror Image: Horizontal flip along the vertical axis (left becomes right, right becomes left).
   • Water Image: Vertical flip along the horizontal axis (upside down).
5. Addition/Deletion of Elements: The number of lines, sides of a polygon, dots, or shaded elements increases or decreases by a fixed count.

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Typical Exam Weightage

Usually among the fastest-scoring reasoning questions once the relationship type (numeric, alphabetic, or semantic) is identified.

Figures are typical ranges based on recent-year patterns, not a guarantee for any specific upcoming paper — always cross-check against the latest official syllabus and previous-year papers for Analogy.