Civil Service
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Practice Exams

Introduction to Analytical Ability

The Analytical Ability section of the Professional Civil Service Exam is designed to measure your capacity for logical and critical thinking. It assesses your ability to identify patterns, analyze relationships between concepts, and draw sound conclusions from given information. This is not a test of memorized knowledge but of your raw problem-solving skills.

Exam Tip: Many analytical questions can be solved by drawing simple diagrams, tables, or charts. Don't be afraid to use your scratch paper to visualize the problem.

Part 1: Logical Reasoning

Logical reasoning questions present you with a set of premises and ask for a valid conclusion.

1.1 Syllogisms

A syllogism is a form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.

  • Rule: If the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true.
  • Example:
    • Major Premise: All government employees must abide by R.A. 6713.
    • Minor Premise: Juan is a government employee.
    • Conclusion: Therefore, Juan must abide by R.A. 6713.

Strategy: Use Venn diagrams to visualize the relationship between the groups in the premises.

Practice Question (Syllogism)

  1. Premise 1: All successful managers are good communicators. Premise 2: Some good communicators are also good listeners. Conclusion: a) All successful managers are good listeners. b) Some successful managers are good listeners. c) No successful manager is a good listener. d) The conclusion cannot be determined.

Answer: (d) The conclusion cannot be determined. While some managers might be good listeners, the premises do not provide enough information to guarantee it.

1.2 Assumption and Conclusion

  • Assumption: An unstated piece of information that is taken for granted in the main statement.
  • Conclusion: A statement that logically follows from the main statement.

Example:

  • Statement: The company decided to implement a new software to increase productivity.
  • Assumption: The old system was not productive enough.
  • Conclusion: The company hopes for a productivity boost.

Part 2: Data Interpretation

This section tests your ability to read and understand data presented in tables, graphs, and charts. The questions will require you to find specific information, identify trends, and make comparisons.

Types of Data Presentations

  • Tables: Data is organized in rows and columns. Ideal for precise data lookup.
  • Bar Graphs: Used to compare quantities across different categories.
  • Line Graphs: Used to show trends over a period of time.
  • Pie Charts: Used to show the proportion or percentage of parts that make up a whole.

Strategy for Data Interpretation

  1. Understand the Context: Read the title, axis labels, and legend.
  2. Analyze the Question: Determine exactly what information is being asked for.
  3. Locate the Data: Find the relevant parts of the table or graph.
  4. Calculate if Necessary: Perform calculations like finding a percentage, average, or difference.

Practice Question (Data Interpretation)

Imagine a bar chart showing the following monthly sales for a store:

  • January: P50,000
  • February: P65,000
  • March: P80,000
  1. What was the percentage increase in sales from January to March? a) 50% b) 60% c) 37.5% d) 30%

Answer: (b) 60%.

  • Calculation: ((March Sales - January Sales) / January Sales) * 100
  • ((80,000 - 50,000) / 50,000) * 100 = (30,000 / 50,000) * 100 = 0.6 * 100 = 60%

Part 3: Pattern Recognition and Sequencing

3.1 Number and Letter Series

You must identify the underlying pattern to find the next element in the sequence. (This often overlaps with Numerical Ability but can be more abstract here).

  • Example (Letter Series): C, F, I, L, O, ___
  • Pattern: The letters are spaced three positions apart in the alphabet (C -> D, E, F -> G, H, I...).
  • Answer: R

3.2 Figural Reasoning (Abstract Reasoning)

You will be presented with a series of shapes or figures and must determine the next figure in the sequence or the one that doesn't belong.

Common Patterns:

  • Rotation: The figure rotates by a certain degree (e.g., 45°, 90°).
  • Addition/Subtraction: Elements are added or removed from the figure in each step.
  • Movement: An element moves its position within the figure.
  • Size/Shading: The size or shading of elements changes.

Strategy: Analyze one type of change at a time. Look at rotation first, then movement, then shading, etc.

Practice Question (Abstract Reasoning)

Imagine a series of squares:

  1. A square with a small black circle in the top-left corner.
  2. A square with a small black circle in the top-right corner.
  3. A square with a small black circle in the bottom-right corner.
  4. What comes next?

Answer: A square with a small black circle in the bottom-left corner. (The circle is moving clockwise around the corners of the square).

Part 4: Critical Thinking (Word Problems)

These are logic puzzles presented in a narrative format.

Common Types

  • Blood Relations: Determining family relationships.
  • Seating Arrangements: Arranging people or objects based on a set of rules.
  • Coding-Decoding: Deciphering a code based on a given key.

Strategy:

  1. Read Carefully: Every word can be a crucial clue.
  2. Create a Diagram:
    • For blood relations, use a family tree.
    • For seating arrangements, draw slots or a table.
    • For coding, write down the alphabet and the corresponding code letters.

Practice Question (Critical Thinking)

  1. Pointing to a photograph, a woman says, "His brother's father is the only son of my grandfather." How is the woman related to the man in the photograph? a) Mother b) Aunt c) Sister d) Daughter

Answer: (c) Sister.

  • "The only son of my grandfather" is the woman's father.
  • "His brother's father" is also the man's father.
  • Since they share the same father, they are siblings. The speaker is a woman, so she is his sister.