UGC NET Paper 1 Unit 6 Topic 3: Mathematical Aptitude - Analogies

🔍 Analogies

Master logical relationships with 15+ types of analogy patterns, 50+ solved examples, and UGC NET previous year questions. Learn to decode word, number, and symbolic analogies systematically.

🔑 Basic Structure: Analogies follow the pattern A : B :: C : D
Read as: "A is to B as C is to D" - Identifying the hidden relationship is key

1. Types of Analogies

Category	Relationship	Example	Solution
Synonym	Same meaning	Happy : Joyful :: Sad : ?	Mournful
Antonym	Opposite meaning	Hot : Cold :: Light : ?	Dark
Part-Whole	Component relationship	Chapter : Book :: Leaf : ?	Tree
Function	Purpose/Use	Pen : Write :: Knife : ?	Cut
Degree	Intensity variation	Warm : Hot :: Cool : ?	Cold
Characteristic	Defining quality	Lion : Courage :: Fox : ?	Cunning
Sequence	Ordered progression	Day : Night :: Dawn : ?	Dusk

Advanced Analogy Types:

• Mathematical: 2 : 4 :: 3 : 9 (Square relationship)
• Symbolic: △ : □ :: ○ : ? (3 sides : 4 sides :: 0 sides : ? → ∞)
• Verbal Classification: Bat : Cricket :: ? : Tennis (Racket)
• Causal: Rain : Flood :: Earthquake : ? (Tsunami)

2. Problem-Solving Strategies

Step-by-Step Approach:

1. Identify the relationship between the first pair
2. Formulate the relationship as a complete sentence
3. Apply the same relationship to the second pair
4. Verify all options to ensure no better alternative exists

💡 Pro Tip: Create a "relationship bridge" sentence:
"______ is to ______ as ______ is to ______"
Example: Author : Book :: Architect : ?
Bridge: "An AUTHOR creates a BOOK as an ARCHITECT creates a BUILDING"

3. Common Relationship Patterns

Pattern Type	Examples	Explanation
Worker-Tool	Artist : Brush :: Carpenter : Hammer	Professional and their primary tool
Cause-Effect	Virus : Disease :: Friction : Heat	First causes the second
Container-Contents	Bottle : Water :: Tank : Fuel	Physical containment
Symbol-Representation	Dove : Peace :: Skull : Danger	Cultural symbolism
Measurement Units	Thermometer : Temperature :: Odometer : Distance	Device and what it measures

4. Number & Letter Analogies

Numerical Patterns:

• Arithmetic: 3 : 9 :: 5 : ? (x² → 25)
• Geometric: 2 : 8 :: 3 : ? (x³ → 27)
• Positional: A : 1 :: D : ? (Alphabet position → 4)
• Digit Sum: 23 : 5 :: 34 : ? (2+3=5, 3+4=7)

Letter Transformation Examples:

Pattern	Example	Solution
Forward Shift	CAT : ECV :: DOG : ?	+2 letters → FQI
Reverse Shift	BAT : YXQ :: DOG : ?	-3 letters → ALD
Vowel Change	BAT : BET :: DOT : ?	A→E → DIT

5. Previous Year UGC NET Questions

🔥 Most Repeated Analogy Patterns:

1. NUMBER : UNMBER :: LETTER : ?
   Solution: 1st & 2nd letters swapped → ELTTER
2. 11 : 121 :: 13 : ?
   Solution: Number squared → 169
3. India : Rupee :: Japan : ?
   Solution: Currency → Yen
4. Circle : Circumference :: Square : ?
   Solution: Perimeter
5. Water : Thirst :: Food : ?
   Solution: Hunger

🚀 Advanced Problem Types

Complex Analogy Structures:

• Double Analogy:
  A : B :: C : D :: E : ? (Find two relationships)
• Multiple Choice:
  Book : Publisher :: Film : ?
  a) Writer b) Director c) Producer d) Actor
  (Correct: Producer)
• Inverse Relationship:
  Teacher : Student :: Doctor : ?
  (Patient - not "nurse")

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Assuming the first plausible answer is correct (check all options)
• Overlooking secondary meanings of words
• Ignoring grammatical consistency (noun:noun, verb:verb)
• Forgetting to verify the reverse relationship

📝 Practice Techniques

Effective Preparation Methods:

1. Daily Drills: Solve 10 analogies from different categories
2. Relationship Mapping: Create a chart of common patterns
3. Reverse Engineering: Given a word, list possible analogies
4. Timed Practice: Solve under exam conditions (30-45 seconds per question)

📌 Exam Tips:

• Look for concrete relationships first (not abstract)
• Eliminate options that break grammatical parallelism
• For difficult questions, say the pairs aloud to detect hidden relationships
• Remember some analogies test cultural knowledge (e.g., national symbols)