Mental Ability — Prelims Strategy

Prelims Strategy

First classify the task by its information structure: numerical relationship, spatial arrangement, verbal implication or data comparison. Choose a compact representation and record the supplied constraints. Underline the requested output, especially words such as 'must', 'can', 'minimum', 'relative to' and 'percentage increase'.

Solve using the fewest justified steps rather than the fewest written marks. A small diagram or rate table can prevent repeated mental recalculation. Check a candidate rule against all supplied examples and avoid importing a familiar pattern when the current conditions differ. For an inference question, search for a counterexample before treating a plausible conclusion as necessary.

Use answer options to check scale and eliminate contradictions, but do not let an attractive option supply a missing premise. If the information permits two different valid answers, recognise the insufficiency. Before moving on, perform one targeted verification: substitute the result, reverse a transformation, trace the final position or check units. Build speed by making that routine economical, not by dropping the distinction between facts and assumptions.