General Mental Ability PYQs for UPSC (2011-2024) | Solved Questions & PDF Download

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Overview of General Mental Ability

General Mental Ability (GMA) is a critical topic in the UPSC exam, especially for the CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) paper. It tests your logical reasoning, analytical skills, and problem-solving abilities. Key concepts include:

• 1. Logical Reasoning
• 2. Analytical Ability
• 3. Number Series
• 4. Pattern Recognition
• 5. Puzzles and Seating Arrangements

Practicing PYQs helps you understand the exam pattern, difficulty level, and frequently asked questions. Let’s dive into the year-wise questions!

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Year-Wise General Mental Ability PYQs (2011-2024)

Q1. Consider the following figure and answer the item that follow:

What is total number of triangles in the above grid?

(a) 27

(b) 26

(c) 23

(d) 22

Solution:

Assuming the sides of triangles from the given figure

1 unit triangles = 12

2 unit triangles = 7

3 unit triangles = 3

4 unit triangles = 1

Total triangles = 12 + 7 + 3 + 1 = 23

Hence option (c) is correct

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Q2. There are 4 horizontal and 4 vertical lines, parallel and equidistant to one another on a board. What is the maximum number of rectangles and squares that can be formed? [CSAT 2017]

(a) 16

(b) 24

(c) 36

(d) 42

Solution:

Given that,

There are 4 horizontal and 4 vertical lines, parallel and equidistant to one another.

With the conditions given, two form a rectangle or a square there must be selection of two vertical lines and two horizontal lines.

So,

⁴C₂ x ⁴C₂ = 6 x 6 = 36  (by selecting vertical and horizontal lines)

36 squares and rectangles can be formed.

Hence option (c) is correct

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Q3. Consider the following three- Dimensional figure [CSAT 2018]

How many triangles does the above figure have?

(a) 18

(b) 20

(c) 22

(d) 24

Solution:

From the given figure the number of triangles formed:

Top = 5 triangles

Bottom = 5 triangles

Back = 5 triangles

Middle or front = 5 triangles

Total triangles = 20

Hence option (b) is correct

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Q4. The number of parallelograms that can be formed from a set of four parallel lines intersecting another set of four parallel lines, is [CSAT 2019]

(a) 18

(b) 24

(c) 32

(d) 36

Solution:

Given that,

A set of four parallel lines intersecting another set of four parallel lines.

Now,

Number of parallelograms that can be formed from a set of four parallel lines intersecting another set of four parallel lines =  ⁿC₂ x ⁿC₂

⁴C₂ x ⁴C₂ = 6 x 6 = 36 

Hence option (d) is correct

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ANSWER KEY

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Download General Mental Ability PYQs PDF

➡️ Download the complete set of General Mental Ability PYQs (2011-2024) with solutions in PDF format.

➡️ Click Here to Download PDF

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FAQs on General Mental Ability for UPSC

1. Is General Mental Ability important for UPSC?

➡️ Yes, General Mental Ability (GMA) is a crucial topic for the UPSC CSAT paper. It tests your logical reasoning, analytical skills, and problem-solving abilities.

2. How to prepare for General Mental Ability in UPSC?

➡️ Understand basic concepts like logical reasoning, number series, and pattern recognition.

➡️ Practice PYQs regularly.

➡️ Use reliable resources like NCERT books and online platforms like iassetu.com.

3. What are the most frequently asked General Mental Ability questions in UPSC?

➡️ Number series and pattern recognition

➡️ Logical reasoning and analytical ability

➡️ Puzzles and seating arrangements

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Conclusion
Practicing General Mental Ability PYQs is essential for cracking the UPSC CSAT paper. This page provides year-wise solved questions, practice problems, and a free PDF download to help you prepare effectively. Bookmark this page and revisit it regularly for updates.

For more UPSC preparation resources, explore iassetu.com. Happy learning!

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Internal Links:

• ➡️ UPSC CSAT Preparation Tips
• ➡️ UPSC Syllabus
• ➡️ Logical Reasoning Study Material