The IBPS SO Prelims exam 2021 will be held on December 26, 2021. We hope you have been studying diligently and fruitfully. To help amplify your study, we have put together an article with some IBPS SO Reasoning preparation tips and sample questions.
IBPS SO Reasoning Question Trend
Let us begin by discussing the exam pattern and weightage of the various topics in the reasoning section.
Please note: The reasoning ability section comprises 50 questions that carry 50 marks and have to be completed within 40 minutes which is the sectional time limit. The syllabus and mark distribution has been provided in the table below.
| Topic | Marks |
| Verbal reasoning | 5-8 |
| Scheduling | 0-5 |
| Double line-up | 0-5 |
| Syllogism | 3-5 |
| Seating arrangement | 5-7 |
| Linear seating arrangement | 5-10 |
| Input-output | 0-5 |
| Blood relations | 2-5 |
| Analytical decision making | 0-5 |
| Inequality | 5 |
| Data sufficiency | 3-5 |
| Order and ranking | 2-6 |
| Direction and distance | 2-5 |
As you can determine from the table above, the majority of the questions come from Puzzles, Seating Arrangement and Data Analysis. Therefore, you must prepare accordingly.
IBPS SO Reasoning Preparation Tips
- You must gauge your preparation level by attempting an IBPS SO Prelims free mock test and identify your strengths and weaknesses.
- Once you have done the requisite, try to work around said weaknesses in order to ameliorate them.
- Solve two Puzzle/Seating arrangement problems every day.
- You must practice at least 100 questions from each conceptual topic and then attempt chapter tests to gain accuracy.
- Play on your strengths while attempting the paper. For this, you must begin with the section(s) which you are more comfortable with.
- This will prove to be especially helpful if you are good at processing data and information fast which will mean you can solve the data analysis-based questions which often come as a set based on one data chart that can be solved quickly.
- Do not panic if you are faced with an unexpected question. It will simply cloud your logical ability and make you slower.
- Work on achieving accuracy with speed.
- Skip questions that you find difficult or time-consuming. Instead of sparing too long on such questions, focus more on questions that can be solved quickly.
- For subjects like Reasoning, practicing regularly is one sure-shot way to clear this section.
- Watch free study videos on ixamBee’s YouTube channel.
IBPS SO Reasoning Solved Questions
Linear Seating Arrangement
| Read the following information carefully and answer the questions that follow. Ten girls Neha, Sneha, Gauri, Isha, Aarushi, Komal, Mamta, Priya, Medha and Garima are sitting in two rows with five girls in each row. The girls in row one are facing south and the girls in row two are facing north. Each girl in row one faces a girl from the other row. All of them like different brands of lipsticks, viz Maybelline, Lakme, Lotus, MAC, Colorbar, Revlon, Avon, Inglot, Rimmel and Chambor, but not necessarily in the same order. (i)The one who likes Lakme sits opposite the one who likes Inglot. The girls who like Colorbar and Revlon sit opposite each other. The one who likes Inglot is on the immediate right of Isha, who does not like Chambor. (ii) Komal sits opposite Neha, who likes Maybelline. Garima is not facing north but sits third to the left of Mamta, who likes Lakme. There is only one girl between Sneha and Gauri. (iii) The one who likes MAC sits opposite the one who is second to the right of Sneha. Medha does not like Chambor. The girls who like Lotus and MAC respectively are not facing north. (iv) Aarushi sits opposite the one who sits second to the left of the one who likes Lotus. Gauri likes Avon. Aarushi sits at one of the ends of the row and likes Revlon. Who among the following likes Chambor? a) Priya b) Sneha c) Garima d) Komal e) None of the above How many girls sit between Isha and Aarushi? a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) Can’t be determined e) None of the above Which of the following lipsticks does Sneha like? a) Colorbar b) Inglot c) Chamber d) MAC e) None of the above Ans: a c b Explanation: From (iii) and (iv), The girl who likes Lotus is not facing north it means it faces south. Aarushi will face north and can sit at place no. 10. The girl who likes Lotus sits at place no. 3. From (ii), we will have two cases: Case 1. If Mamta, who likes Lakme sits at place no. 1, then Garima sits at place no. 4. From (i), The one who likes Inglot sits at place no. 6. The girl who likes Colorbar sits at place no. 5. This case will get discarded as the one who likes Inglot is on the immediate left of Isha. Case 2. If Mamta, who likes Lakme sits at place no. 2, then Garima sits at place no. 5. From (i), The one who likes Inglot sits at place no. 7. The girl who likes Colorbar sits at place no. 5. Isha sits at place no. 6. From (iii), The one who likes MAC and Sneha sits at place no. 4 and 7 respectively. From (ii), Gauri sits at place no. 9. Komal and Neha, who likes Maybelline, sit at place no. 3 and 8 respectively. Only lipstick left for place no. 1 is Chambor. From (iii) and (i), neither Isha nor Medha likes Chambor. So, Priya likes Chambor. Isha and Medha likes Rimmel and MAC respectively. Final arrangement as shown below:  |
Coded Inequalities
| In the given equation, assuming the given equation to be true. Find which of the given three conclusions numbered I, II and III is/are definitely true and give your answer accordingly. Statement: N < V < M ≤ O; M > Z > B Conclusions: I. V < B II. Z = O III. O > Z a) Only I and II are true b) Only II and III are true c) Only III is true d) Either II or III is true e) None of the above Ans: c Explanation: Combined Inequalities: N < V < M ≤ O; M > Z > B N < V < M > Z > B No relationship can be established between V and B. Hence conclusion I is not true. Z< M ≤ O Z < O. Hence conclusion II is not true but conclusion III is true. |
Direction-Based Puzzle
| A man walks 10 m north from point A and reaches point B. From point B he takes right turn and walks 8 m and then he takes left turn and walked 6 m and again he takes left turn and walks 20 m and again takes left turn and reaches point F. If it is given that point F is in west from point B, then what is the distance between F and B? a) 11 m b) 15 m c) 18 m d) 10 m e) 12 m Ans: e Explanation:  FB = ED – BC = 20 – 8 = 12 m |
Coding-Decoding
| In a certain code language; ‘Cricket is interesting game’ is written as, ‘la ni ki chi’ ‘Cricket team have eleven players’ is written as ‘tic ra la dha da’ ‘Team India play fair game’ is written as ‘su tic va yi chi’ ‘India eleven is powerful’ is written as ‘ju ki su da’ What is the code for ‘Powerful’ in the language? a) Ki b) Ju c) Su d) Da e) None of the above Ans: b Explanation:  |
Miscellaneous
| If it is possible to make only one meaningful word with the first, the third, the fifth, the eighth and the twelfth letters of the word CONSEQUENCES. Which of the following will be the second letter of that word? If no such word can be made, give ‘X’ as the answer and if more than one such word can be made, give ‘Y’ as the answer. a) N b) Y c) S d) C e) X Ans: d |
If you want to check more of such questions, be sure to take a look at more such questions in ixamBee’s IBPS SO Previous Year Papers.
Practice Questions for You
Linear Seating Arrangement
| Answer the following questions based on the information given below. Nine friends J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R and S are sitting in a straight line and some of them are facing North and some are facing South. The following information is given about them. (i) Q sits second to the left of S who is facing south. (ii) K who is sitting exactly in the middle is facing north. (iii) P is not an immediate neighbor of R who is second from right end and facing south. (iv) S who is sitting at one of the ends is third to the left of J. (v) J is second to the right of L who is not an immediate neighbor of R or Q. 1. Who among the following sits second to the left of L? a) J b) Q c) R d) K e) None of these 2. How many friends sit between S and K? a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4 e) More than 4 3. How many friends are facing North? a) 2 b) 3 c) 4 d) Cannot be determined e) None of these 4. Who is sitting to the immediate left of R? a) M b) L c) N d) K e) None of these |
Statement and Assumption
| A statement is provided below followed by two assumptions numbered I and II. An assumption is something supposed or taken for granted. You have to consider the statement and the following assumptions and decide which of the assumptions is implicit in the statement. Statement: A construction worker was buried alive when mud from a 20-ft high pit collapsed on him and four others. Assumption I: The other four people buried under the mud from the pit have been saved. Assumption II: The 20-ft high pit collapsed owing to spurious quality of construction material used. a) if only I implicit b) if only II implicit c) if either I or II implicit d) if neither I nor II implicit. e) if both I and II are implicit. |
Blood Relations
| Study the following information and answer the given questions: There are six persons J, K, L, P, Q and R in a family. There are two fathers, two brothers and one mother in the family. L is the sister of R. K is the brother of Q’s husband. P is the father of J and grandfather of R. Who is the mother in the family? a) K b) R c) Q d) L e) None of these |
CODING-DECODING
| If CIRCLE is coded as LZSBGJ and DESIGN is coded as HATHPE, then what is the code for FABRIC? a) DCCEGQ b) DQCCEG c) DCCQEG d) DQCCGE e) None of these Read the following information carefully and answer the questions given below. All the codes given below are only in two letters format. “Of regarding the cesses” is written as “Uw Vw Iw Yw”, “The shore multiplicity issue” is written as “Jw Qw Uw Aw”, “Multiplicity regarding government to” is written as “Yw Cw Jw Zw”, “Government to of central” is written as “Zw Cw Vw Sw”. What will be the code for “Government”? a) Vw b) Cw c) Iw d) Zw e) Either Cw or Zw |
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