Analogy

Say the relation in one sentence ('a doctor works in a hospital') and apply the same sentence to the second pair.

Start with this

Doctor is to hospital as teacher is to ? School. An analogy asks you to find the relation in the first pair and repeat it.

Word, number and letter analogies test one skill: say the relationship in a sentence, then apply the same sentence.

Say the relationship as a sentence

'A doctor works in a hospital.' Now: 'A teacher works in a school.' If the sentence fits more than one option, make it more specific.

Common relations: worker-place, tool-worker, part-whole, cause-effect, opposite, young one (dog : puppy), group (fish : shoal).

Worked example

Pen : Writer :: Scalpel : ?

1. 'A writer uses a pen.'
   Why: Tool - user.
2. A surgeon uses a scalpel.

Answer: Surgeon

Number and letter analogies

Numbers: look for square, cube, x 2 + 1, sum of digits. 4 : 64 :: 5 : 125 (cube).

Letters: compare positions. ACE : BDF means each letter +1.

Worked example

7 : 50 :: 9 : ?

1. 7² + 1 = 50.
   Why: Try squares first.
2. 9² + 1 = 82.

Answer: 82

Worked example

CAT : DBU :: DOG : ?

1. Each letter +1.
2. EPH.

Answer: EPH

Shortcut: Number-pair check

Use it when: 3 : 10 :: 5 : ?

1. Test n² + 1: 9 + 1 = 10.
2. 5 → 26.

Number-pair check: try it

3 : 10 :: 5 : ?

1. n² + 1.

Answer: 26

Your turn medium

11 : 1331 :: 13 : ?

1. Cube.

Answer: 2197

Your turn medium

BCD : YXW :: FGH : ?

1. Reverse letters.

Answer: UTS

Recap

• say the relation as a sentence
• test squares and cubes for number pairs
• compare letter positions

Now practise

6 questions with full solutions.

Open practice Back to the lesson