GCAT - General Cognitive Ability Test — Questions and Answers

Question 1: No birds are fish. All penguins are birds. Which statement must be true?

No penguins are fish (Correct answer)
Some penguins are fish
Some birds are fish
All fish are penguins

Correct answer: No penguins are fish

Since penguins are a subset of birds, and no birds are fish, no penguins can be fish.

Question 2: No reptiles are warm-blooded. All snakes are reptiles. Which statement is definitely true?

All warm-blooded animals are snakes
No snakes are warm-blooded (Correct answer)
Some reptiles are snakes
Some snakes are warm-blooded

Correct answer: No snakes are warm-blooded

Since snakes are reptiles and no reptiles are warm-blooded, no snakes can be warm-blooded.

Question 3: All pilots are trained. All trained people are disciplined. Which is a valid conclusion?

No pilots are disciplined.
Some disciplined people are not pilots.
All pilots are disciplined. (Correct answer)
All disciplined people are pilots.

Correct answer: All pilots are disciplined.

Pilots ⊆ trained ⊆ disciplined, so all pilots must be disciplined.

Question 4: If you rotate the letter 'R' 180° clockwise, what does it look like?

An upside-down mirrored 'R' (Correct answer)
A 'P' rotated
A mirror 'R' flipped left-right
An upside-down 'R'

Correct answer: An upside-down mirrored 'R'

A 180° rotation turns the letter upside down and reverses it, producing an upside-down mirrored R.

Question 5: DROUGHT : RAIN :: FAMINE : ?

War
Harvest (Correct answer)
Desert
Poverty

Correct answer: Harvest

Drought is relieved by rain, and famine is relieved by a harvest.

Question 6: A data entry clerk must re-type: 'Account #4872-B opened 03/14/2025 — balance $1,204.56'. Which re-typed version is correct? A) Account #4872-B opened 03/14/2025 — balance $1,204.56 B) Account #4782-B opened 03/14/2025 — balance $1,204.56 C) Account #4872-B opened 03/41/2025 — balance $1,204.56 D) Account #4872-B opened 03/14/2025 — balance $1,240.56

Version B
Version A (Correct answer)
Version D
Version C

Correct answer: Version A

Only Version A matches the original exactly with the correct account number, date, and balance.

Question 7: CARTOGRAPHER : MAPS :: LEXICOGRAPHER : ?

Laws
Histories
Atlases
Dictionaries (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Dictionaries

A cartographer makes maps, and a lexicographer makes dictionaries.

Question 8: A courier delivers packages at an average of 18 per hour. How many packages are delivered in a 7-hour day?

126 (Correct answer)
120
116
132

Correct answer: 126

18 × 7 = 126 packages.

Question 9: LACONIC : VERBOSE :: TIMID : ?

Audacious (Correct answer)
Quiet
Nervous
Polite

Correct answer: Audacious

Laconic (brief) is the opposite of verbose (wordy), just as timid (fearful) is the opposite of audacious (bold).

Question 10: A worm gear drive has a worm with 1 thread meshing a 50-tooth worm wheel. What is the gear ratio?

50:1 (Correct answer)
25:1
1:50
1:1

Correct answer: 50:1

A single-thread worm advances the wheel by one tooth per revolution, giving a 50:1 speed reduction ratio.

Question 11: In a pattern where shapes decrease diagonally from the center outward: the center cell has 4 shapes, cells one step from center have 3, and corner cells have 1 shape. In a 3×3 matrix, which cells have the fewest shapes?

Edge (non-corner) cells
All cells equally
Center cell
Corner cells (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Corner cells

Corner cells are farthest from the center and contain the fewest shapes (1 each).

Question 12: GLACIER : ICE :: DELTA : ?

Lava
Sand
Sediment (Correct answer)
Water

Correct answer: Sediment

A glacier is a large, slow-moving mass of ice, and a river delta is a landform made of deposited sediment.

Question 13: Letter Series - What would be the next group of letters in the following series?<br> zone --> ynnd --> xmnc --> wlnb --> ? <br> Tip - at first glance, this type of cognitive ability question seems confusing. It is in fact no different than a number series! To help you solve these questions quickly, write down the ABC with a corresponding number beneath each letter (A-1, B-2 etc.). This will help you identify the pattern.

anka
vkna (Correct answer)
vkmc
ajna
vnna

Correct answer: vkna

The pattern in this question is that all the letters move one letter backward in the alphabet except the letter "n" which stays constant. Therefore the answer is vkna.

Question 14: Which of the following figures is the next logical step in the sequence provided? The sequence shows a 2x2 grid. In the first figure, a small black dot is in the top-left square. In the second, it is in the top-right. In the third, it is in the bottom-right. In the fourth, a small black square appears in the top-left square. In the fifth, the black square is in the top-right.

A small black square in the bottom-left square.
A small black dot in the top-left square again.
A small black dot in the bottom-left square.
A small black square in the bottom-right square. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A small black square in the bottom-right square.

The pattern has two components: the position of the element and the shape of the element. The position moves clockwise through the four squares of the grid (top-left, top-right, bottom-right, bottom-left). The shape alternates between a dot and a square after each full clockwise cycle. The dot completes a cycle in the first three steps and would have moved to the bottom-left next. However, at step four, a new cycle begins with a square. The square is in the top-left (step 4) and top-right (step 5), so the next position in its clockwise cycle is the bottom-right.

Question 15: Identify the duplicate code when scanning quickly: RED-22, BLU-47, GRN-33, RED-22, YLW-19

RED-22 (Correct answer)
GRN-33
BLU-47
YLW-19

Correct answer: RED-22

RED-22 appears twice in the list.

Question 16: Read these statements about a group of professionals: 1. All neurologists are doctors. 2. Some neurologists are also researchers. Which conclusion can be logically drawn from these statements?

All doctors are neurologists.
No doctors are researchers.
All researchers are doctors.
Some doctors are researchers. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Some doctors are researchers.

Since some neurologists are researchers (Premise 2), and all of these neurologists are also doctors (Premise 1), it must be true that some of those doctors are researchers. The group 'researchers' overlaps with the group 'neurologists', and the entire 'neurologists' group is inside the 'doctors' group. Therefore, the 'researchers' group must also overlap with the 'doctors' group.

Question 17: Some doctors are athletes. All athletes exercise daily. Which must be true?

Some doctors exercise daily (Correct answer)
All who exercise daily are doctors
All doctors exercise daily
No doctors exercise daily

Correct answer: Some doctors exercise daily

Those doctors who are athletes must exercise daily, so at least some doctors exercise daily.

Question 18: Some cats are black. All black things absorb heat. Which must be true?

All cats absorb heat.
All heat absorbers are cats.
No cats absorb heat.
Some cats absorb heat. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Some cats absorb heat.

The cats that are black must absorb heat, guaranteeing at least some cats absorb heat.

Question 19: Three employees, Fatima, George, and Hiro, are discussing a project's delayed status. It is known that only one of them is telling the truth. - Fatima says: 'George is responsible for the delay.' - George says: 'I am not responsible for the delay.' - Hiro says: 'Fatima is not telling the truth.' Who is responsible for the delay?

It is impossible to determine from the information.
Fatima
George (Correct answer)
Hiro

Correct answer: George

We must test each person as the sole truth-teller. - Case 1: Assume Fatima is telling the truth. Her statement ('George is responsible') is true. This means George's statement ('I am not responsible') is false. It also means Hiro's statement ('Fatima is not telling the truth') is false. This scenario works, as there is only one truth-teller (Fatima). In this case, George is responsible. - Case 2: Assume George is telling the truth. His statement ('I am not responsible') is true. This means Fatima's statement ('George is responsible') is false. This would make Hiro's statement ('Fatima is not telling the truth') true. This scenario fails because it results in two truth-tellers (George and Hiro). - Case 3: Assume Hiro is telling the truth. His statement ('Fatima is not telling the truth') is true. This means Fatima's statement is false, so George is not responsible. This makes George's statement ('I am not responsible') true. This scenario also fails because it results in two truth-tellers (Hiro and George). Therefore, the only logically consistent possibility is Case 1, where Fatima is the truth-teller and George is responsible.

Question 20: A matrix pattern alternates the count of shapes: step 1 = 4 shapes, step 2 = 6 shapes, step 3 = 4 shapes, step 4 = 6 shapes. How many shapes appear in step 7?

5
8
6
4 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 4

Odd-numbered steps always have 4 shapes; step 7 is odd, so it has 4 shapes.

Question 21: A production line produces 500 units in 8 hours. What is the rate in units per hour?

55.5
62.5 (Correct answer)
65
60

Correct answer: 62.5

500 ÷ 8 = 62.5 units per hour.

Question 22: Each figure in a sequence is divided into more equal sections: 2 sections, 4 sections, 8 sections. How many sections does the next figure have?

24
16 (Correct answer)
10
12

Correct answer: 16

The number of sections doubles each step: 2→4→8→16.

Question 23: Complete the series: 2, 5, 11, 23, 47, ?

89
93
97
95 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 95

Each term is multiplied by 2 and then 1 is added: 47 × 2 + 1 = 95.

Question 24: A person invests $5,000 at 4% simple interest per year. How much total interest is earned in 3 years and 6 months?

$700 (Correct answer)
$600
$750
$650

Correct answer: $700

I = $5,000 × 0.04 × 3.5 = $700.

Question 25: Five items are ranked 1–5 (1 = best). Item M ranks higher than N. Item O ranks lower than P. P ranks higher than M. Which item is ranked 1st?

M
P (Correct answer)
O
N

Correct answer: P

P ranks higher than M, and M ranks higher than N — P is the highest in its chain, so P is ranked 1st.

Question 26: A mail sorter handles 90 pieces of mail every 6 minutes. How many pieces does he sort in 1 hour?

850
880
800
900 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 900

90 per 6 minutes = 15 per minute; 15 × 60 = 900 pieces.

Question 27: Logical Reasoning - Syllogisms are a type of deductive reasoning where a conclusion is drawn from two premises provided to you in the question. Assume the first two statements are true: All athletes are hard workers. Alice is not an athlete. Alice is not a hard worker. Is the final statement:

False
Uncertain based on the information provided (Correct answer)
True

Correct answer: Uncertain based on the information provided

You can deduce from the first statement that all athletes are hard workers, but you do not have any information about non-athletes. Therefore, according to the second statement, you cannot conclude anything regarding Alice, who is not an athlete. The final statement is uncertain.

Question 28: A reader scans 1 page every 45 seconds. How many pages does she scan in 15 minutes?

22
18
20 (Correct answer)
16

Correct answer: 20

15 minutes = 900 seconds; 900 ÷ 45 = 20 pages.

Question 29: An ant walks along the outside of a cube from one corner to the diagonally opposite corner. The cube has side length 1. What is the shortest path the ant can walk?

√6
3
2
√5 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: √5

Unfolding two adjacent faces into a 2×1 rectangle, the straight-line distance across is √(1² + 2²) = √5.

Question 30: No artists are accountants. John is an accountant. What must follow?

John is not an artist. (Correct answer)
John is sometimes an artist.
John might be an artist.
John is an artist.

Correct answer: John is not an artist.

Because no artists are accountants, any accountant (including John) cannot be an artist.

Question 31: Consider the following premises: 1. No projects using the 'Agile' methodology are approved without a security review. 2. The 'Odyssey' project was approved. What can be logically concluded from this information?

The 'Odyssey' project had a security review. (Correct answer)
The 'Odyssey' project did not use the 'Agile' methodology.
The 'Odyssey' project used the 'Waterfall' methodology.
All approved projects have a security review.

Correct answer: The 'Odyssey' project had a security review.

The first premise can be rephrased as a conditional: If a project uses the 'Agile' methodology, then it is NOT approved without a security review. The second premise tells us the 'Odyssey' project was approved. This means it did not meet the condition of 'not approved without a security review'. Therefore, it must have had a security review. We cannot conclude anything about which methodology it used, only that it fulfilled the approval requirement.

Question 32: You are asked to remember this phone number: 847-392-6015. What are the last four digits?

6015 (Correct answer)
3926
9260
8473

Correct answer: 6015

The number 847-392-6015 ends with the four digits 6015.

Question 33: Identify the next term: 2, 6, 18, 54, 162, ?

486 (Correct answer)
384
648
324

Correct answer: 486

Each term is multiplied by 3, so 162 × 3 = 486.

Question 34: NEEDLE : COMPASS :: HOUR HAND : ?

Clock (Correct answer)
Watch
Minute
Time

Correct answer: Clock

A needle is the indicating pointer of a compass, just as the hour hand is the indicating pointer of a clock.

Question 35: Memorize: Red=1, Blue=2, Green=3, Yellow=4. What is Red + Green − Blue?

3
1
2 (Correct answer)
4

Correct answer: 2

1 + 3 − 2 = 2.

Question 36: A spring with a spring constant of 200 N/m is compressed by 0.05 m. How much elastic potential energy is stored?

5.0 J
10.0 J
0.25 J (Correct answer)
0.10 J

Correct answer: 0.25 J

Elastic PE = ½kx² = ½ × 200 × (0.05)² = 0.25 J.

Question 37: A pattern of figures shows shapes where the number of sides increases by 2 each step: 3 (triangle), 5 (pentagon), 7 (heptagon). What is the next shape?

Hexagon (6 sides)
Octagon (8 sides)
Nonagon (9 sides) (Correct answer)
Decagon (10 sides)

Correct answer: Nonagon (9 sides)

Adding 2 sides each time: 3→5→7→9, giving a nonagon.

Question 38: Find the odd one out: 4, 9, 16, 20, 25

4
9
20 (Correct answer)
16

Correct answer: 20

4, 9, 16, and 25 are perfect squares (2², 3², 4², 5²); 20 is not.

Question 39: Which letter continues? C, F, I, L, O, ___

S
P
Q
R (Correct answer)

Correct answer: R

Each letter advances 3 positions, so O + 3 = R.

Question 40: Which word does NOT belong with the others?

Sonata
Soliloquy (Correct answer)
Symphony
Concerto

Correct answer: Soliloquy

Sonata, symphony, and concerto are all forms of musical composition. A soliloquy is a dramatic device in theatre where a character speaks their thoughts aloud — it belongs to literature and performance, not music.

Question 41: What is the missing number: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ?

20
24
18
21 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 21

This is the Fibonacci sequence where each term is the sum of the two preceding terms: 8 + 13 = 21.

Question 42: Statement: 'All honest people keep their promises.' Sandra kept her promise. What can be concluded?

Sandra always keeps promises
Sandra is honest
Sandra is not honest
Sandra may or may not be honest (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Sandra may or may not be honest

Keeping a promise is a result of being honest, but others who are not honest could also keep promises.

Question 43: A matrix uses a color-mixing rule: when two colors appear in the same column in adjacent rows, the third row shows their mix. Column has red in row 1 and blue in row 2. What color appears in row 3?

Purple (Correct answer)
Red
Orange
Green

Correct answer: Purple

Red and blue mixed together produce purple.

Question 44: Which of the following word pairs has a relationship of part to whole?

Petal : Flower (Correct answer)
Pen : Write
Dog : Canine
Hot : Cold

Correct answer: Petal : Flower

This is a 'part to whole' analogy. A petal is a part of a whole flower. The other options represent antonyms (Hot:Cold), function (Pen:Write), and item to category (Dog:Canine).

Question 45: Read the following paragraph: 'All servers updated with the new security patch must be rebooted. Some of the servers in the main datacenter were not updated with the new security patch. Server-05 is in the main datacenter and was not rebooted.' Based strictly on this information, which conclusion can be logically drawn?

Server-05 was not updated with the new security patch. (Correct answer)
No server in the main datacenter was rebooted.
All servers that were not rebooted are in the main datacenter.
Server-05 was updated with the new security patch.

Correct answer: Server-05 was not updated with the new security patch.

The rule is: if a server was updated, it must be rebooted. We know Server-05 was *not* rebooted. Using logical deduction (the contrapositive), if the consequence (reboot) did not happen, then the initial condition (being updated) must also not have happened. Therefore, Server-05 was not updated. We cannot make broad conclusions about all servers in the datacenter, only about Server-05 specifically.

Question 46: Numerical Reasoning: Word Problems Shelley has 7 dresses, 8 pairs of shoes, and 7 necklaces. If she wears one combination of clothes per day. How many days can she go without wearing the same outfit?

22
392 (Correct answer)
114
228
56

Correct answer: 392

The answer is 392. This is a classic combinations question. In order to solve the problem, you must figure the correct number of choices in each category. We have 3 categories: Dresses= a choice between 7 options. Shoes = a choice between 8 options. Necklaces = a choice between 7 options. The overall number of combinations equals to a multiplication of the number of options within each category: 7*7*8=392

Question 47: A flywheel stores kinetic energy in rotation. If its rotational speed doubles, its stored energy:

Stays the same
Doubles
Quadruples (Correct answer)
Halves

Correct answer: Quadruples

Rotational kinetic energy = ½Iω²; doubling ω increases energy by 2² = 4 times.

Question 48: Which of the following objects would cast a triangular shadow when lit from directly above?

A triangular prism lying on a rectangular face (Correct answer)
A sphere
A cone
A cylinder

Correct answer: A triangular prism lying on a rectangular face

A triangular prism lying on a rectangular face has a triangular top face that casts a triangular shadow from directly above.

Question 49: A matrix shows the number of dots inside each shape: row 1 = 1, 3, 5; row 2 = 2, 4, 6; row 3 = 3, 5, ?. What is the missing number of dots?

8
9
7 (Correct answer)
6

Correct answer: 7

Each row increments by 2 across columns, and row 3 starts at 3: 3, 5, 7.

Question 50: Which of the following is an example of deductive reasoning?

Every swan I've seen is white, so all swans are probably white.
Sales rose after the new ad launched, so the ad caused the increase.
The last three projects were late, so this one will be late too.
All birds have feathers; penguins are birds; therefore, penguins have feathers. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: All birds have feathers; penguins are birds; therefore, penguins have feathers.

Deductive reasoning draws a specific conclusion that must be true if the general premises are true, as in the classic syllogism.

Question 51: A 3×3 grid contains shapes that rotate 45° clockwise with each step. The top-left has an arrow pointing up, top-center points upper-right, top-right points right. The middle-left points upper-left, middle-center is missing. What belongs in the middle-center?

Arrow pointing down
Arrow pointing lower-right
Arrow pointing left
Arrow pointing upper-right (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Arrow pointing upper-right

Each shape rotates 45° clockwise, so the center position (step 4 from top-left) points upper-right.

GCAT - General Cognitive Ability Test

The GCAT, developed by Podium Systems, is a BPS/EFPA-registered psychometric assessment measuring general mental ability across verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, and abstract reasoning domains. It is widely used in recruitment and talent development.

Questions

30 min

Time Limit

50%

To Pass

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