5.

Number Analogies
What is “Analogy”?
Analogy: 1. Partial likeness or agreement (to or with something, between two things),
2. Process of reasoning between parallel cases: argue by analogy (by Oxford Advanced
Learner’s Dictionary of Current English: A. S. Hornby).
For example consider the following sentence: Pillow cover is to pillow is as is to shirt is to boy.
This is an analogy. This can be represented symbolically as ‘pillow cover : pillow : : shirt : boy’ or
‘pillow cover : pillow = shirt : boy’.

In the present topic, we discuss some analogy problems related to numbers. In number analogy questions,
three numbers and a blank is given. The blank can be on either side of the symbol ': :' (or '='). This blank
represents a missing number. We are required to recognize the relationship between the two numbers given
on one side of the symbol ': :' (or '='). The missing number should bear a similar relation with the number
given on the other side of the symbol ': :' (or '='). We are required to select appropriate number from the
given options.

Two numbers can be related with each other in number of ways. Hence, analogy problems cannot be solved
unless options are given. In order to understand this aspect clearly, let us consider one example and discuss.
Example: 2 : 4 : : 3 : ?
In this example, first we are required to find the relationship between 2 and 4. Then we are required to find a
number which bears same relationship with 3.
2+2=4 3+2=5
2×2=4 3×2=6
2
2 =4 32 = 9
3 2
2 −2 =4 33 – 32 = 18
So, in the above illustration, any one of these numbers 5, 6, 9 or 18 can replace the question mark. In other
words all these numbers are correct answers. From this discussion it is clear that multiple answers exist for
analogy problems. The options contain only one correct answer. We should identify that correct option.

Worked Examples
1. 35 : 24 = 63 : ___
(1) 38 (2) 50 (3) 48 (4) 80 (5) 26
Analysis:
35 : 24 = 63 : ----
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
6 −1
2
5 −1
2
8 −1
2
7 −1
2

Answer (3)
7 2 − 1 = 48

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2. 25 : 62 = 123 : ___
(1) 196 (2) 167 (3) 218 (4) 214 (5) 341
Analysis:
25 : 62 = 123 : ___
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
33 − 2 4 −2
3
53 − 2 63 − 2
Answer: (4)
6 3 − 2 = 214

3. 8 : 28 = 15 : ___
(1) 36 (2) 64 (3) 49 (4) 60 (5) 65
Analysis:
8 : 28 = 15 : ___
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
3 −1
2
3 +1
3
42 −1 4 +1
3

Answer: (5)
4 3 + 1 = 64 + 1 = 65

4. 23 : 31 = 41 : ___
(1) 46 (2) 47 (3) 53 (4) 45 (5) NONE
Analysis:
The given numbers are alternate prime numbers. Two prime numbers after 41 are 43 and 47.
Answer: (2)
47

5. 36 : 45 = 57 : ___
(1) 64 (2) 62 (3) 71 (4) 65 (5) 69
Analysis:
36 : 45 = 57 : ____

+9 + (5 + 7 ) = +12
(3 + 6) (SOD of 36)
Answer: (5) 57 + (5 + 7) = 69

6. 28 : 44 = 35 : ___
(1) 53 (2) 50 (3) 54 (4) 48 (5) 44
Analysis:
28 : 44 = 35 : ___

+16 +15
(2 × 8) (3 × 5)
(Product of digits of 28) (Product of digits of 35)
Answer: (2) 35 + 15 = 50

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7. 29 : 62 = 218 : ___
(1) 241 (2) 341 (3) 345 (4) 249 (5) 351
Analysis:
29 : 62 = 218 : ___
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
33 + 2 43 − 2 63 + 2 73 − 2
Answer: (2)
7 3 − 2 = 341

8. 2 : 9 = 64 : ___
(1) 125 (2) 257 (3) 4125 (4) 625 (5) 216
Analysis:
2 : 9 = 64 : ___
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
21 32 43 54
Answer: (4)
5 4 = 625

9. 18 : 48 = 180 : ___
(1) 294 (2) 230 (3) 392 (4) 292 (5) 394
Analysis:
18 : 48 = 180 : ___
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
3 − 32
3 3
4 −4 2
= 6 − 62
3
7 − 72
3

Answer: (1) 7 − 7 = 294

3 2

Exercises
Choose the correct answer from the given options.
1. 12 : 35 = ___ : 63
(1) 21 (2) 18 (3) 16 (4) 14 (5) 12

2. 01 : 08 = ___ : 64
(1) 09 (2) 16 (3) 36 (4) 49 (5) 25

3. 2 24 : 126 = 08 : ___
(1) 10 (2) 24 (3) 26 (4) 28 (5) 63

4. 01 : 04 = 08 : ___
(1) 96 (2) 72 (3) 64 (4) 49 (5) 81

5. 4 : 12 = 10 : ___
(1) 20 (2) 90 (3) 60 (4) 45 (5) 40

6. 48 : 63 = 624 : ___
(1) 1520 (2) 1230 (3) 677 (4) 675 (5) 676

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7. 170 : 226 = 362 : ___

(1) 398 (2) 442 (3) 375 (4) 440 (5) 396

8. 323 : 323 = 489 : ___

(1) 486 (2) 484 (3) 984 (4) 991 (5) 676

9. 782 : 17 = 195 : ___

(1) 19 (2) 21 (3) 17 (4) 15 (5) 16

10. 28 : 280 = 74 : ___

(1) 814 (2) 750 (3) 756 (4) 676 (5) 714

11. 30 : 12 = 35 : ___
(1) 10 (2) 12 (3) 14 (4) 16 (5) 24

12. 6 : 30 = 10 : ___
(1) 110 (2) 90 (3) 80 (4) 125 (5) 96

13. 12 : 3 = 30 : ___
(1) 5 (2) 6 (3) 4 (4) 7 (5) 9

14. 2143 : 2251 = 3531 : ___

(1) 3241 (2) 3441 (3) 3134 (4) 3254 (5) 3341

15. 27 : 125 = 343 : ___

(1) 125 (2) 1331 (3) 729 (4) 216 (5) 512

16. 44 : 15 = 88 : ___
(1) 16 (2) 17 (3) 63 (4) 50 (5) 56

17. 612 : 510 = 48 : ___

(1) 34 (2) 58 (3) 714 (4) 219 (5) 214

18. 12 : 34 = 78 : ___
(1) 910 (2) 97 (3) 911 (4) 180 (5) 144

19. 2 : 6 = 4 : ___
(1) 16 (2) 24 (3) 48 (4) 60 (5) 36

20. 3 : 18 = 4 : ___
(1) 48 (2) 44 (3) 56 (4) 34 (5) 28

21. 31 : 2 = 91 : ___
(1) 10 (2) 12 (3) 8 (4) 6 (5) 16

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22. 666 : 675 = 774 : ___

(1) 795 (2) 883 (3) 892 (4) 882 (5) 872

23. 54 : 45 = 34 : ___
(1) 45 (2) 46 (3) 24 (4) 27 (5) 30

24. 57 : 110 = 69 : ___

(1) 126 (2) 130 (3) 134 (4) 135 (5) 144

25. 30 : 10 = 350 : ___

(1) 150 (2) 125 (3) 180 (4) 176 (5) 130

26. 6 : 15 = 35 : ___
(1) 80 (2) 77 (3) 72 (4) 40 (5) 56

27. 9 : 26 = 126 : ___

(1) 730 (2) 1332 (3) 1330 (4) 342 (5) 513

28. 642 : 12 = 319 : ___

(1) 27 (2) 13 (3) 4 (4) 16 (5) 25

29. 125 : 36 = 1 : ___

(1) 8 (2) 9 (3) 64 (4) 25 (5) 4

30. 350 : 222 = 30 : ___

(1) 10 (2) 130 (3) 9 (4) 68 (5) 12

31. 19 : 65 = ___ : 126

(1) 44 (2) 28 (3) 32 (4) 47 (5) 42

32. 3 : 30 = 4 : ___
(1) 140 (2) 260 (3) 256 (4) 196 (5) 164

33. 3 : 33 = 15 : ___
(1) 55 (2) 155 (3) 185 (4) 165 (5) 195

34. 15 : 3375 = 11 : ___

(1) 1331 (2) 1335 (3) 1495 (4) 1661 (5) 1341

35. 832 : 166 = 414 : ___

(1) 289 (2) 164 (3) 784 (4) 190 (5) 276

36. 11 : 125 = 14 : ___

(1) 100 (2) 200 (3) 225 (4) 250 (5) 196

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37. 9 : 99 = 13 : ___
(1) 195 (2) 169 (3) 175 (4) 185 (5) 125

38. 81 : 512 = 121 : ___

(1) 1000 (2) 1110 (3) 1111 (4) 1331 (5) 1221

39. 4 : 32 = 9 : ___
(1) 324 (2) 320 (3) 340 (4) 343 (5) 243

40. 11 : 2 = 99 : ___
(1) 81 (2) 83 (3) 84 (4) 18 (5) 88

41. 6 : 30 = 5 : ___
(1) 21 (2) 24 (3) 22 (4) 20 (5) 16

42. 29 : 31 = 107 : ___

(1) 109 (2) 118 (3) 117 (4) 119 (5) 113

43. 2197 : 13 = 3375 : ___

(1) 11 (2) 17 (3) 9 (4) 12 (5) 15

44. 92 : 49 = 81 : ___
(1) 49 (2) 81 (3) 64 (4) 36 (5) 58

45. 3 : 72 = 6 : ___
(1) 1260 (2) 1290 (3) 1080 (4) 1440 (5) 960

46. 8 : 125 = 343 : ___

(1) 1728 (2) 2197 (3) 729 (4) 1331 (5) 512

47. 20 : 110 = 30 : ___

(1) 80 (2) 256 (3) 156 (4) 85 (5) 90

48. 81 : 3 = 1296 : ___

(1) 12 (2) 6 (3) 8 (4) 9 (5) 12

3 8
49. : 16 = : ___
7 3
(1) 63 (2) 64 (3) 49 (4) 56 (5) 25

50. 120 : 30 = 720 : ___

(1) 40 (2) 122 (3) 60 (4) 90 (5) 96

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