Minimalist IAS
Sign up
English हिंदी
CSAT

CSAT · 69 questions

Logical & analytical reasoning

Every UPSC CSAT question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Logical & analytical reasoning questions per year: 2016: 5, 2017: 8, 2018: 4, 2019: 8, 2020: 7, 2021: 7, 2022: 5, 2023: 5, 2024: 7, 2025: 7, 2026: 6 Asked in 11 of 11 years · most in 2019 (8)
Timed · 30 minutes a set Practise Logical & analytical reasoning as timed tests 3 sets of about 20 questions with UPSC's CSAT marking. Start practising

UPSC syllabus: “Logical reasoning and analytical ability;” Sub-topics in the detailed syllabus →

CSAT 2025 · Q19

Easy

निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए :

  1. I.यदि A ≤ B > C < D > E > F ≥ G = H; तो B सदा E से बड़ा है ।
  2. II.यदि P > Q = R ≥ S = T ≤ U = V > W; तो S सदा V से कम है ।

उपर्युक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/से सही है/हैं ?

Read this question in English

Consider the following statements:

I. If A ≤ B > C < D > E > F ≥ G = H; then B is always greater than E.

II. If P > Q = R ≥ S = T ≤ U = V > W; then S is always less than V.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) I only · (b) II only · (c) Both I and II · (d) Neither I nor II

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (d) न तो I और न ही II

A comparison is certain only when every sign between the two letters points the same way. B and E are separated by a change of direction at C, and S = T ≤ U = V allows S to equal V, so neither conclusion is always true.

  1. Statement I: between B and E the chain reads B > C < D > E. The direction changes at C, so B and E cannot be compared.
  2. Example: B = 5, C = 1, D = 10, E = 8 fits the chain, and here B is less than E. So I is not always true.
  3. Statement II: between S and V the chain reads S = T ≤ U = V, which gives only S ≤ V.
  4. If T = U, then S = V, so S is not always less than V. II is also not always true.
  5. Neither statement is correct.
  • ✗ I B > C and D > E, but C < D breaks the chain; B can be smaller than, equal to or larger than E.
  • ✗ II S = T ≤ U = V gives S ≤ V, so S may equal V; 'always less than' does not follow.

Remember · Trace the signs between the two letters: a change of direction means no conclusion; any ≤ or ≥ rules out strict < or >.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2025 · Q49

Medium

एक मोबाइल फोन चोरी हो गया है । P, Q और R, 3 संदिग्ध व्यक्ति हैं । यह जानते हुए, कि उनमें से कोई एक ही व्यक्ति दोषी है, उनसे पूछताछ की गई । उनके उत्तर निम्नलिखित हैं :

  1. P.मैंने नहीं चुराया । उसे Q ने चुराया है ।
  2. Q.R ने नहीं चुराया है । मैंने नहीं चुराया है ।
  3. R.मैंने नहीं चुराया है । किसने चुराया है, मैं नहीं जानता ।

मोबाइल फोन किसने चुराया है ?

Read this question in English

A mobile phone has been stolen. There are 3 suspects P, Q and R. They were questioned knowing that only one of them is guilty. Their responses are as follows:

P. I did not steal. Q stole it.

Q. R did not steal. I did not steal.

R. I did not steal. I do not know who did it.

Who stole the mobile phone?

(a) P · (b) Q · (c) R · (d) Cannot be concluded

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (d) निष्कर्ष नहीं निकाला जा सकता

The item gives no rule about who tells the truth. Even if we assume every innocent person speaks the truth, both 'P stole' and 'Q stole' fit all the statements, so the thief cannot be identified.

  1. The item says only one person is guilty but gives no rule on who tells the truth or lies.
  2. Test the most helpful assumption: innocent people speak the truth. If R stole, innocent P's claim 'Q stole it' would be false — so R is ruled out.
  3. If P stole: innocent Q says R and Q did not steal (true), and innocent R says he did not steal (true). Consistent.
  4. If Q stole: innocent P says he did not steal and Q stole it (true), and innocent R's statements are true. Consistent.
  5. Both P and Q remain possible, so the thief cannot be concluded.

Remember · In truth-and-lie puzzles, test each suspect as culprit for consistency; if more than one survives, the answer is 'cannot be concluded'.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2025 · Q55

Medium

P, Q और R का भाई है । S, R की माता है । T, P का पिता है । निम्नलिखित में से कितने कथन निश्चित रूप से सत्य हैं ?

  1. I.S और T दंपति हैं ।
  2. II.Q, T का पुत्र है ।
  3. III.T, Q का पिता है ।
  4. IV.S, P की माता है ।
  5. V.R, T की पुत्री है ।
  6. VI.P, S का पुत्र है ।

नीचे दिए गए कूट का प्रयोग कर सही उत्तर चुनिए :

Read this question in English

P is the brother of Q and R. S is R’s mother. T is P’s father. How many of the following statements are definitely true?

I. S and T are a couple.

II. Q is T’s son.

III. T is Q’s father.

IV. S is P’s mother.

V. R is T’s daughter.

VI. P is S’s son.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) Only two · (b) Only three · (c) Only four · (d) Only five

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (c) केवल चार

As siblings, P, Q and R share S as mother and T as father, so S and T are a couple. Only P's gender is known, so the statements that need Q to be male or R to be female are not definite; the other four are.

  1. P, Q and R are siblings, so R's mother S and P's father T are the parents of all three — and a couple.
  2. P is male (a brother). The genders of Q and R are not given.
  3. Definitely true: I (S and T are a couple), III (T is Q's father), IV (S is P's mother), VI (P is S's son).
  4. Not definite: II (Q may be a daughter) and V (R may be a son).
  5. So four statements are definitely true.
  • ✓ I S is the mother and T the father of the same siblings, so they are a couple.
  • ✗ II Q's gender is not given; Q could be T's daughter.
  • ✓ III T is P's father and Q is P's sibling, so T is Q's father.
  • ✓ IV S is R's mother and R is P's sibling, so S is P's mother.
  • ✗ V R's gender is not given; R could be T's son.
  • ✓ VI P is male and S is his mother, so P is S's son.

Remember · Note every gender actually given; a statement that needs an unknown gender is never 'definitely true'.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2025 · Q56

Easy

यदि NO को 210 के रूप में कूटबद्ध किया गया है, NOT को 4200 के रूप में कूटबद्ध किया गया है और NOTE को 21000 के रूप में कूटबद्ध किया गया है, तो NOTES को किस रूप में कूटबद्ध किया जाएगा ?

Read this question in English

If NO is coded as 210, NOT is coded as 4200 and NOTE is coded as 21000, then how is NOTES coded?

(a) 399000 · (b) 420000 · (c) 440000 · (d) 630000

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (a) 399000

The code multiplies the alphabet positions of the letters: 14 × 15 = 210, then × 20 = 4200, then × 5 = 21000. Adding S (19) gives 21000 × 19 = 399000.

  1. Alphabet positions: N = 14, O = 15, T = 20, E = 5, S = 19.
  2. NO = 14 × 15 = 210. NOT = 210 × 20 = 4200. NOTE = 4200 × 5 = 21000. The code is the product of the positions.
  3. NOTES = 21000 × 19 = 399000.
  4. Check: 4200 ÷ 210 = 20 (T) and 21000 ÷ 4200 = 5 (E), confirming the rule.

Remember · When a code grows as letters are added, divide consecutive codes: the ratio gives each new letter's value (here its alphabet position).

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2025 · Q57

Easy

यदि FRANCE को 654321 के रूप में कूटबद्ध किया गया है और GERMANY को 9158437 के रूप में कूटबद्ध किया गया है, तो YEMEN को किस रूप में कूटबद्ध किया जाएगा ?

Read this question in English

If FRANCE is coded as 654321 and GERMANY is coded as 9158437, then how is YEMEN coded?

(a) 54321 · (b) 81913 · (c) 71913 · (d) 71813

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (d) 71813

Each letter keeps a fixed digit across both words: Y = 7, E = 1, M = 8 and N = 3. So YEMEN is 7-1-8-1-3, i.e. 71813.

  1. From FRANCE = 654321: F = 6, R = 5, A = 4, N = 3, C = 2, E = 1.
  2. From GERMANY = 9158437: G = 9, E = 1, R = 5, M = 8, A = 4, N = 3, Y = 7 (E, R, A, N agree with the first word).
  3. YEMEN = Y, E, M, E, N = 7, 1, 8, 1, 3 = 71813.

Remember · For letter-to-digit codes, build a lookup table from the given words and read off the new word; check shared letters agree.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2025 · Q65

Medium

विभिन्न मार्गों AB, AC, CD, DE, BF, EG और FG से जुड़े किसी शहर में 7 स्थान A, B, C, D, E, F और G हैं । A, B से 6 km दक्षिण में है । A, C से 10 km पश्चिम में है । D, E से 5 km पूर्व में है । C, D से 6 km उत्तर में है । F, B से 9 km पश्चिम में है । F, G से 12 km उत्तर में है । कोई व्यक्ति इन मार्गों से चल कर D से F तक पहुँचता है । उस व्यक्ति ने कितनी दूरी तय की ?

Read this question in English

There are 7 places A, B, C, D, E, F and G in a city connected by various roads AB, AC, CD, DE, BF, EG and FG. A is 6 km south of B. A is 10 km west of C. D is 5 km east of E. C is 6 km north of D. F is 9 km west of B. F is 12 km north of G. A person travels from D to F through these roads. What is the distance covered by the person?

(a) 20 km · (b) 25 km · (c) 31 km · (d) 37 km

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (c) 31 km

Plotting the places on a grid shows two road routes from D to F: via C, A and B (6 + 10 + 6 + 9 km) and via E and G (5 + 14 + 12 km). Both total 31 km.

  1. Put A at (0, 0), with east = +x and north = +y.
  2. B = (0, 6); C = (10, 0); D = 6 km south of C = (10, −6); E = 5 km west of D = (5, −6); F = 9 km west of B = (−9, 6); G = 12 km south of F = (−9, −6).
  3. Route D → C → A → B → F: 6 + 10 + 6 + 9 = 31 km.
  4. Route D → E → G → F: 5 + 14 + 12 = 31 km (E to G runs from x = 5 to x = −9).
  5. Either way the distance is 31 km.

Remember · For direction-and-road items, fix one place as the origin and write coordinates; route lengths then follow by simple addition.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2025 · Q66

Easy

यदि किसी विशेष कूट (कोड) में 64 को 343 के रूप में लिखा गया है और 216 को 729 के रूप में लिखा गया है, तो उस कूट में 512 को किस रूप में लिखा जाएगा ?

Read this question in English

In a certain code if 64 is written as 343 and 216 is written as 729, then how is 512 written in that code?

(a) 1000 · (b) 1331 · (c) 1728 · (d) 2197

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (b) 1331

Both examples turn a cube n³ into (n + 3)³: 4³ becomes 7³ and 6³ becomes 9³. So 512 = 8³ becomes 11³ = 1331.

  1. 64 = 4³ and 343 = 7³; 216 = 6³ and 729 = 9³.
  2. The rule: n³ is written as (n + 3)³.
  3. 512 = 8³, so it is written as 11³ = 1331.

Remember · Recognise squares and cubes at sight (up to 20² and 12³); number codes often shift the base.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2025, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

The Syllabus X-Ray of this topic

2 of its 4 sub-topics are High

0 Core · 2 High · 1 Steady · 1 Rare

  • HighSyllogisms & statement–conclusion · 37 questions
  • HighBlood relations & directions · 18 questions

The X-Ray ranks all 928 sub-topics of the UPSC syllabus by what UPSC has asked since 2016. The 6 CSAT Core sub-topics are behind 50% of CSAT questions.

See the whole X-Ray →

Other CSAT skills