UPSC CSE Prelims
Analytical Ability Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Analytical Ability
Topic Breakdown: Scroll →
Match List-I with List-II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists :
List-I (Relationship category)
- Between cricket captain and team members
- Between judge and lawyers in court
- Between Vice Chancellor and Deputy Registrar
- Between peers and coworkers
List-II (Communication type)
- Informal and firm
- Informal and open-ended
- Formal and open-ended
- Formal and firm
Code :
Detailed Explanation:
A. Cricket captain and team members: Informal setting but requires firm instructions for strategy and decisions → Informal and firm (1).
B. Judge and lawyers in court: Highly formal courtroom environment with firm authority and rules → Formal and firm (4).
C. Vice Chancellor and Deputy Registrar: Formal administrative hierarchy but involves collaborative, policy-level discussions → Formal and open-ended (3).
D. Peers and coworkers: Informal lateral relationship with brainstorming and casual exchanges → Informal and open-ended (2).
Therefore, the correct matching is A-1, B-4, C-3, D-2, making Option 2 the correct answer.
Eight persons $P$, $Q$, $R$, $S$, $T$, $U$, $V$ and $W$ sit around a round table in eight different seats placed with equal distance between any two consecutive seats. Both $P$ and $R$ are adjacent to $Q$. Both $T$ and $R$ are adjacent to $S$. Both $U$ and $W$ are adjacent to $V$. $S$ and $W$ are on opposite chairs. If while going in the clockwise direction around the table from $P$, one meets $R$ before $T$, then how many persons shall $Q$ cross while moving in the clockwise direction around the table before meeting $W$?
Detailed Explanation:
Constraints: P-Q-R are consecutive (Q between P & R); T-S-R are consecutive (S between T & R); U-V-W are consecutive (V between U & W); S and W are opposite (4 seats apart in 8-seat circle); moving clockwise from P, R comes before T.
This gives us a 5-person block P-Q-R-S-T and a 3-person block. Since S and W are opposite and clockwise from P we meet R before T, we get: Position 1:P, 2:Q, 3:R, 4:S, 5:T, 6:U, 7:V, 8:W (S at 4, W at 8 = opposite).
Moving clockwise from Q(2) to W(8), Q crosses positions 3,4,5,6,7 = R, S, T, U, V = 5 persons.
Therefore, Q crosses 5 persons, making Option 1 the correct answer.
A pattern formed by two characters $a$ and $b$ is repeated more than once in the following string :
$x , b , x , a , x , a , x , x , a , x , a , x , b , a , b$
What is $x , x$ in the 7th and 8th positions from the left in the above string?
Detailed Explanation:
The string has 15 positions. A pattern repeated more than once with length 5 fits perfectly (repeated 3 times).
The last 5 known characters are: a, x, b, a, b. Testing this as the repeating pattern and solving for x values: the pattern must be a, b, b, a, b.
Repeating a, b, b, a, b three times gives: a, b, b, a, b, a, b, b, a, b, a, b, b, a, b. Positions 7 and 8 are both b.
Therefore, x, x at positions 7 and 8 is bb, making Option 4 the correct answer.
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If ZERO is encoded as ADSN, then how do you encode STOP?
Detailed Explanation:
In the encoding pattern, ZERO → ADSN reveals an alternating shift: 1st and 3rd letters shift forward (+1) in the alphabet, while 2nd and 4th letters shift backward (−1). Verify: Z→A(+1), E→D(−1), R→S(+1), O→N(−1).
Applying this pattern to STOP: S→T(+1), T→S(−1), O→P(+1), P→O(−1), yielding TSPO.
Therefore, the encoded form is TSPO, making Option 2 the correct answer.
Seven persons A, B, C, D, E, F and G travel by three cars X, Y, Z. A and another two of them travel by X. Only E travels with G. C travels by Z, but B does not travel by Y. Besides, A and B do not travel by the same car. Then which of the following are correct?
I. No one travels alone.
II. Only D travels with F.
III. Only C travels with B.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
Given constraints: A travels in X with two others; only E travels with G (meaning E and G are alone together); C travels in Z; B doesn't travel in Y; A and B don't share a car.
Logical deduction: Since B ≠ Y and B ≠ A's car (X), B must be in Z with C. E and G form a pair alone, so they occupy Y. The remaining persons D and F join A in X, giving us: X = {A, D, F}, Y = {E, G}, Z = {B, C}.
Evaluating statements: I is correct—no car has a single person. II is incorrect—D doesn't travel only with F; A is also in X. III is correct—B's only companion is C in Z.
Therefore, statements I and III are correct, making Option 2 the correct answer.
A person facing the East travels 4 km straight and then turns right and travels 3 km, then further turns left and travels 2 km and finally turns left and travels 3 km. The minimum distance between the final point and the initial point, and the direction in which the person is facing at the final point are, respectively
Detailed Explanation:
Starting at origin (0,0) facing East: moves 4 km East → (4,0), turns right (South) → moves 3 km South → (4,−3), turns left (East) → moves 2 km East → (6,−3), turns left (North) → moves 3 km North → (6,0).
Minimum distance from origin = √[(6−0)² + (0−0)²] = 6 km. Final direction: North.
Therefore, the answer is 6 km and North, making Option 4 the correct answer.
Two identical straight rods are painted in five distinct colours so that each of them gets divided into five equal parts along the length. In one of them, the portions are marked P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5 (not necessarily in that order) whereas in the other, they are marked Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 and Q5 (not necessarily in that order). When the rods are kept parallel to each other side by side, P1 and Q3 match, P4 matches Q1 or Q2, and Q4 matches P3 or P5. If Q3 and Q5 are adjacent, which of the following is/are possible?
I. Q3 is marked at the middle portion of the straight rod.
II. P2 is marked at one of the extreme portions of the straight rod.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
Two identical rods painted in five distinct colours mean the colour sequence is identical on both. When portions "match," they share the same position and colour. Given three matching pairs (P1-Q3, P4 with Q1/Q2, Q4 with P3/P5), the rods must be perfectly aligned in the same direction.
We need to check if both statements are possible under the constraint that Q3 and Q5 are adjacent. Testing an arrangement: Position 1: P2-Q2; Position 2: P3-Q4; Position 3: P1-Q3; Position 4: P5-Q5; Position 5: P4-Q1. This satisfies all conditions: P1 matches Q3 (Pos 3), P4 matches Q1 (Pos 5), Q4 matches P3 (Pos 2), and Q3-Q5 are adjacent (Pos 3-4).
Therefore, Q3 is at the middle (Statement I possible) and P2 is at an extreme (Statement II possible), making Option 3 the correct answer.
P has a son and a daughter. S is the mother of T. S is R's spouse. Q and R are children of P. Then how is Q related to S?
Detailed Explanation:
P has a son and a daughter: Q and R. S is the mother of T, making S female. S is R's spouse, so R is male (husband of S). Since P has one son and one daughter, R is the son and Q is the daughter.
Q is the sister of R, and R is the husband of S. This makes Q the sister of the husband of S (or sister-in-law of S).
Therefore, Q is the sister of the husband of S, making Option 4 the correct answer.
P, Q, R, S and T are ranked 1 to 5 (not necessarily in that order). The rank of P is 4, the rank of Q is not 5, the rank of R is 1, the rank of S is not 2, the rank of T is not
- Then which of the following is/are correct? I. If the rank of S is 3, then that of T is
- II. If the rank of Q is 3, then that of T is
- Select the answer using the
code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
Given: P=4, R=1, Q≠5, S≠2, T≠3. Remaining ranks {2,3,5} must be assigned to Q, S, T.
- Statement I: If S=3, then Q and T take {2,5}. Since Q≠5, Q=2 and T=5. Thus T=5, not 2. Statement I is incorrect.
- Statement II: If Q=3, then S and T take {2,5}. Since S≠2, S=5 and T=2. Thus T=2, not 5. Statement II is incorrect.
- Therefore, both statements are incorrect, making Option 4 the correct answer.