Reasoning is one of the prime test areas if you plan to join banking or management sector, writing entrance tests or even if one is appearing for Campus Recruitment. As an officer or a manager, you will be involved in problem solving on regular basis and will be expected to take decisions. To take a proper course of action, you need to reason analytically and logically. Here, we primarily talk about the type of reasoning questions as they appear in CAT examination.

Reasoning in CAT is divided broadly in three areas.
1. Logical Reasoning
2. Analytical Reasoning
3. Mathematical Reasoning

1. Logical Reasoning is sub-divided into two categories; (a) Deductive Reasoning, and (b) Inductive Reasoning.

(a) Deductive reasoning consists of Logical Deductions - using Syllogisms and Venn Diagrams, and Logical Connectives - using truth-tables.
Each of these two areas is a study of argumentation, which is fundamental to all logic. An argument is a sequence of two or more phrases, sentences, statements or clauses which includes a conclusion, a decision or a claim. To arrive at these conclusions, we need to take the help of one or more than one statement, called Premises. The information given in the statements should always be considered as true facts for the purpose of arriving at a conclusion. For example, if "All boys are girls" and "All girls are chairs", then the conclusion is "All boys are chairs".

Questions on Logical Connectives require profound knowledge of the conditions, for example:

Select the one that logically follows the main statement.
If it is a holiday, then I will go for a picnic or will visit my uncle's house.
(1) I did not go for a picnic or I did not visit my uncle's house implies that it is not a holiday.
(2) If it is not a holiday, then I will not go for a picnic and I will not visit my uncle's house.
(3) I did not go for a picnic and I did not visit my uncle's house implies that it is not a holiday.
(4) If it is not a holiday, then I will not go for a picnic or I will not visit my uncle's house.