Section 1 Introduction
This chapter asks that you solve analogy problems of the type that are included in most IQ tests, job applicant tests, and college-entrance exams such as the College Boards, Gradute Record Exam, and Miller’s Analogies Test. Working these problems will help you score higher on such tests. In addition, it will strengthen your analytical skills for ail academic work.
Here is a sample problem. Your task is to select the answer which forms the best analogy when the words are placed into the blank. Please work the problem aloud. Read the entire problem aloud, including all the answer choices. For each of the answer choices, explain why it is either correct or incorrect—so the rest of the class understands your reasons for picking one alternative as the best answer.
After you have chosen your answer, write a relationship sentence which shows the rationale underlying the analogy.
thermometer is to temperature as _________ is to _________.
a. telescope : astronomy
b. clock : minutes
c. scale : weight
d. microscope : biologist
Relationship Sentence:
Section 2 Problem Solver’s Response
Here is how a good problem solver worked the problem presented in section 1. Read the solution aloud.
Original Problem
thermometer is to temperature as _________ is to _________.
a. telescope : astronomy
b. clock : minutes
c. scale : weight
d. microscope : biologist
Problem Solver’s Response
The Problem Solver read the relationship sentence, then the four options aloud, considering each one in turn. |
“Thermometer is to temperature as blank is to blank.” A thermometer measures temperature. “Telescope : astronomy.” A telescope doesn’t measure astronomy. “Clock : minutes.” A clock measures minutes. So this might be a good answer. “Scale : weight.” A scale measures weight. This could also be the answer. “Microscope : biologist.” A microscope doesn’t measure a biologist. It seems as though there are two good answers. Let me go back over them. A thermometer measures temperature, a clock measures minutes, and a scale measures weight. The word “minutes” is different from “temperature” or “weight.” A clock measures time, not minutes. Minutes are units of time—just as degrees are units of temperature, and pounds are units of weight. So the best answer is c, scale : weight. Temperature and weight are dimensions. But minutes aren’t dimensions; they are units of a dimension. A thermometer measures the dimension temperature, and a scale measures the dimension weight. |
In the problem solution in the last section, the problem solver defined the relationship between the first pair of words (he observed that a thermometer measures temperature) and then looked to see if he could find a similar relationship in ant of the other word pairs. Use the same approach with this problem. State the relationship which you see in the first pair of words. Then read each of the answer choices aloud and explain why the words do or do not have the same relationship.
horse is to animal as _________ is to _________.
a. cow : milk
b. farm : pig
c. oak : wood
d. saddle : stallion
Relationship Sentence:
Section 4 Problem Solver’s Response
Here is how a good problem solver worked the problem presented in Section 3. Read the solution aloud.
Original Problem
horse is to animal as _________ is to _________.
a. cow : milk
b. farm : pig
c. oak : wood
d. saddle : stallion
Problem Solver’s Response
The Problem Solver read the relationship sentence aloud, then considered the four options in turn. |
“Horse is to animal as blank is to blank.” A horse is an animal. It is a type of animal. “Cow : milk.” A cow isn’t a type of milk … it gives milk. “Farm : pig.” A farm isn’t a type of pig. “Oak : wood.” Oak is a type of wood. So this forms an analogy. “Saddle : stallion.” A saddle isn’t a type of stallion. Answer c is best. A horse is a type of animal and oak is a type of wood. |
A common error in analogy problems is to select an answer which reverses the direction of the relationship. Be careful not to do that in the following problem.
State the relationship between the first two numbers, and then explain why each of the answer choices does or doesn’t form an analogy.
2 is to 6 as _________ is to _________.
a. 6 : 2
b. 3 : 1
c. 12 : 36
d. 12 : 60
Relationship Sentence:
Section 6 Sample Problem
In this problem it is easy to make the error of picking an answer which reverses the relationship between the words. State the relationship between the first pair of words. Then read each of the answer choices aloud and explain whether or not it fits the same relationship. Don’t skip any of the answer choices. Read and discuss all four of them.
city is to mayor as _________ is to _________.
a. president : country
b. government : business
c. senate : congress
d. business : manager
Relationship Sentence:
This is a difficult question which requires subtle reasoning. Use the same procedure you did with the previous problems. State the relationship between the first pair of words. Then explain fully why each of the answers is either correct or incorrect.
pack is to wolves as _________ is to _________.
a. wheel : spokes
b. garage : cars
c. alphabet : letters
d. aquarium : fish
Relationship Sentence:
The following problem has a slightly different format, although the idea is the same. The task is to pick the pair of words that form the best analogy when placed in the blanks.
Please do all your reading and thinking aloud. Substitute the first pair of words into the blanks, state any relationship which you see, and explain why the answer does or doesn’t form a good analogy. Do this for all four answer choices. Don’t skip any of them.
_________ is to dollar as year is to _________.
a. money : calendar
b. dime : month
c. penny : century
d. savings : century
Relationship Sentence:
Original Problem
_________ is to dollar as year is to _________.
a. money : calendar
b. dime : month
c. penny : century
d. savings : century
Problem Solution
_________ is to dollar as year is to _________.
Money : calendar. Money is to dollar as year is to calendar. A dollar is an amount of money. But a calendar isn’t an amount of year. So this doesn’t seem like a good analogy.
Dime : month. Dime is to dollar—a dime is one-tenth of a dollar—as year is to month. A year is not part of a month.
Penny : century. Penny is to dollar—a penny is 1/100 of a dollar—as year is to century. A year is 1/100 of a century. So this is a good analogy.
Savings : century. Savings is to dollar as year is to century. A year is part of a century, but savings aren’t generally part of a dollar. This doesn’t seem to form an analogy.
The best answer is c, penny : century.
Relationship Sentence: A _________ is 1/100 of a _________
Here is another problem with the new format. Read each of the answer alternatives aloud, substitute the words into the blanks, and explain any relationships that you see. Do this for all four of the answer choices, just as the problem solver did in the last problem solution.
_________ is to liquid as ice is to _________.
a. flowing : solid
b. warm : cold
c. water : solid
d. milk : cream
Relationship Sentence:
Section 11 Sample Problem
Here is still one more format used with analogy problems. Again, the task is to select the answer which forms the best analogy.
Read each of the answer choices aloud, substitute the words into the blanks, state any relationships you see, and explain why an analogy is or is not formed.
tar is to _________ as coal is to _________.
a. roofing : shovel
b. derived : heating
c. construction : heating
d. black : heating
Relationship Sentence:
Original Problem
tar is to _________ as coal is to _________.
a. roofing : shovel
b. derived : heating
c. construction : heating
d. black : heating
Problem Solution
Tar is to _________ as coal is to _________.
Roofing : shovel. Tar is to roofing as coal is to shovel. Tar is used in roofing, but it doesn’t make any sense to say coal is used in shovel.
Derived : heating. Tar is to derived as coal is to heating. Coal is used in heating, but it doesn’t make sense to say tar is used in derived.
Construction : heating. Tar is used in construction and coal is used in heating. So this forms an analogy.
Black : heating. Tar is black, but you don’t say coal is heating.
The best answer is c, construction : heating.
Relationship Sentence: _________ is used for _________.
Tests sometimes have analogy problems with several answers that form good analogies, but one answer that forms the best analogy. In solving such a problem, try to formulate a relationship sentence which excludes all but one answer, and explains why that answer is best. A good relationship sentence takes the haziness out of deciding which of several good answers is the best one.
Pick the best answer for this problem.
fur is to bear as _________ is to _________.
a. coat : man
b. warmth : animal
c. rug : floor
d. wool : sheep
Relationship Sentence:
Why are the following relationship sentences unsatisfactory?
(A) _________ keeps a _________ warm.
(A) _________ is a protective covering of a _________.
Pick the best answer for this problem. Use a dictionary if necessary.
centaur is to horse as _________ is to_________.
a. woman : mermaid
b. mermaid : woman
c. mermaid : fish
d. fish : mermaid
Relationship Sentence:
Discussion Question
Why is this relationship sentence unsatisfactory?
A _________ is part _________.
Some of the problems in this chapter are quite difficult. Finding the correct answer and the relationship common to the pairs will require an appreciable amount of search and analysis. A good way to work is as follows:
Begin with the first answer choice. Try putting the words into the blanks. See if you can find any relationship for the first word pairs. Also, see if you can find any relationship for the second word pairs. If both relationships are clear but not the same, then that answer is not correct. However, if the relationships are not clear, keep this in mind—and perhaps come back to the answer choice later.
Do this for each of the answer choices, narrowing down the possibilities.
Keep searching until you find an answer which gives you the same relationship for the first half and the second half of the analogy. Do not settle for an answer which is only partially correct. Keep digging until you find one which is totally correct.
Carry out your search by asking yourself how the words in each half of the analogy are the same, how they are different, and how they are related.
Here is a difficult problem. If you cannot find the best answer, go back over the steps listed above to be sure you have carried them all out.
_________ is to cave as car is to _________.
a. stone : steel
b. primitive : modern
c. apartment house : horse
d. modern : primitive
Relationship Sentence:
Original Problem
_________ is to cave as car is to _________.
a. stone : steel
b. primitive : modern
c. apartment house : horse
d. modern : primitive
Problem Solution
_________ is to cave as car is to _________.
Stone : steel. Stone is to cave as car is to steel. Stone is what a cave is made of. But car is not what steel is made of. The words would have to be reversed to form an analogy.
Primitive : modern. Primitive is to cave as car is to modern. Primitive is what a cave is. But car isn’t what a modern is. The words would have to be reversed to form an analogy.
Apartment house : horse. Apartment house is to cave as car is to horse. The relationships aren’t immediately evident here. Perhaps this one should be looked at again later.
Modern : primitive. Modern is to cave as car is to primitive. This answer also seems wrong because the words are reversed. The word modern comes before the word cave. But the word primitive comes after the word car.
Answers a, b, and d seem to be definitely wrong. Answer c must be looked at more closely.
Apartment house is to cave as car is to horse. What is the relationship between an apartment house and a cave? There is no obvious relationship.
What is the relationship between a car and a horse? A car is a means of transportation. A horse can also be used for transportation.
How about the relationship between an apartment house and a cave? An apartment house is a place to live. Can a cave be lived in? Yes, cavemen lived in caves, and some animals live in caves. So an apartment house and a cave are similar in that they are both things that can be lived in.
How is an apartment house different from a cave? An apartment house is a modern residence, whereas a cave is primitive.
Now the question is, can this be tied in with the relationship between a car and a horse?
A car and a horse can both be used for transportation. However, a car is a modern means of transportation, while a horse is a more primitive means of transportation.
Therefore, there is a common relationship between the pairs of words. You might say: An apartment house is the modern counterpart of a cave, and a car is the modern counterpart of a horse.
For the remaining problems in this chapter your instructor may ask you to work in pairs, taking turns as problem solver and listener. Please remember to read each answer alternative aloud and explain to your partner why you regard it as correct or incorrect. Don’t dismiss any answer alternative as incorrect without offering some explanation to your partner. If you do, the communication process with your partner breaks down.
There are a total of 24 problems. After you have worked the first 12 problems, the class will stop and discuss the answers and relationship sentences. Make sure that you have a good reason for each answer, so that you can defend it as correct during the class discussion.
1. horse is to hoof _________ as is to _________.
a. man : name
b. man : foot
c. man : head
d. animal : run
Relationship Sentence:
2. _________ is to tennis as _________ is to hockey.
a. racket : puck
b. net : ice
c. racket : stick
d. player : participant
Relationship Sentence:
3. _________ is to plantation as car is to _________
a. Kentucky : Detroit
b. tractor : passenger
c. agriculture : industry
d. tobacco : factory
Relationship Sentence:
4. _________ is to time as foot is to _________
a. late : long
b. clock : shoe
c. minute : distance
d. space : leg
Relationship Sentence:
5. _________ is to June as July is to _________
a. January : February
b. March : September
c. warm : hot
d. March : October
Relationship Sentence:
6. _________ is to year as letters is to _________
a. months : mailbox
b. months : number
c. months : alphabet
d. 1974 : A B C
Relationship Sentence:
7. erosion is to soil as _________ is to _________
a. farmland : desert
b. exhaustion : work
c. polluted : water
d. demoralization : character
Relationship Sentence:
8. _________ is to cow as mutton is to _________
a. bull : sheep
b. calf : sheep
c. beef : pork
d. beef : sheep
Relationship Sentence:
9. _________ is to torso as branch is to _________
a. arm : leaf
b. leg : twigs
c. fingernails : acorns
d. arm : trunk
Relationship Sentence:
10. _________ is to hour as hour is to _________
a. minute : second
b. minute : day
c. clock : minute
d. minute : long
Relationship Sentence:
11. _________ is to whiskey as refinery is to _________
a. distillery : gasoline
b. distillery : clothing
c. bottle : barrel
d. Tennessee : Texas
Relationship Sentence:
12. _________ is to operation as writer is to _________
a. plan : outline
b. hospital : library
c. surgeon : book
d. medicine : grammar
Relationship Sentence:
13. _________ is to time as ruler is to _________
a. minute : inch
b. clock : inch
c. clock : length
d. clock : straight
Relationship Sentence:
14. _________ is to exercise as salary is to _________
a. running : money
b. fitness : money
c. handball : work
d. fitness : work
Relationship Sentence:
15. _________ is to carbohydrate as butcher is to _________
a. baker : meat
b. baker : protein
c. calories : protein
d. potato : protein
Relationship Sentence:
16. hospital is to disease as _________ is to _________
a. lawyer : client
b. license bureau : license
c. police department : crime
d. United Nations : peace
Relationship Sentence:
17. _________ is to right as weather is to _________
a. wrong : climate
b. left : rain
c. write : whether
d. correct : report
Relationship Sentence:
18. dress is to wool as _________ is to _________
a. animal : dog
b. suit : jacket
c. door : glass
d. concrete : building
Relationship Sentence:
19. suit is to jacket as _________ is to _________
a. animal : head
b. dress : gown
c. animal : cat
d. car : Buick
Relationship Sentence:
20. _________ is to grass as _________ is to sales
a. homeowner : customer
b. fertilizer : advertising
c. seed : recession
d. weed killer : recession
Relationship Sentence:
21. whale is to dolphin as _________ is to _________
a. gorilla : chimpanzee
b. fish : mammal
c. smart : dumb
d. lungs : gills
Relationship Sentence:
22. _________ is to action as seed is to _________
a. idea : flower
b. idea : performance
c. carryout : grow
d. act : flower
Relationship Sentence:
23. _________ is to ocean as lake is to _________
a. ship : boat
b. island : land
c. Atlantic : Erie
d. rough : calm
Relationship Sentence:
24. Miami is to city as _________ is to _________
a. state : Florida
b. Lincoln : president
c. city : state
d. city : south
Relationship Sentence:
Homework Assignment
Make up several analogy problems of the type dealt with in this chapter. For each of them write a problem solution which shows why three answers are incorrect and one is correct.