Logical Reasoning
Logic puzzles, ordering/ranking problems, process-of-elimination reasoning, and non-routine problem solving — does NOT include custom operation symbols (see order-of-operations)
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Imagine trying to figure out who ate the last slice of pizza when your dog, your little brother, and your dad all have sauce on their faces! 🍕 Logical reasoning isn't about giant math equations. It's about being a detective. You look at clues, put them in order, and figure out the mystery. On the ISEE, these questions might ask you to rank runners in a race, figure out a secret number based on hints, or use the process of elimination to find the only answer that makes sense. 🕵️♂️
The ISEE Quantitative Reasoning section loves these questions because they test how you think, not just how you calculate. Sometimes, you won't even need to do much math! You just need to draw a quick picture, make a list, or cross out answer choices that are definitely wrong.
Remember, there is no penalty for guessing on the ISEE. If you get stuck on a tricky logic puzzle, just eliminate the silly answers and take your best guess! 🧠 Let's put on our detective hats and solve some puzzles!
Practice Questions
3 practice questions for ISEE Lower Level
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- First, find the whole numbers that are greater than and less than . These are , , and .
Next, apply the second hint: the number must also be greater than and less than .
Looking at our options (, , ), the only number that is greater than is .
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- First, list the possible ages based on the first clue (older than and younger than ): , , , and .
The second clue states the age is an odd number. From our list, the odd numbers are and .
The final clue states the age is greater than . The only remaining number greater than is .
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- First, identify the whole numbers that are greater than and less than . These are , , , and .
Next, use the second piece of information: the number must be greater than and less than .
Comparing this to our first list, the only number that is less than is .
Tips & Strategies
- Draw a picture or make a list! ✏️ Don't try to keep all the clues in your head. Writing out or making a quick chart is a logic detective's best tool.
- Work backward from the answer choices. 🧩 If you're stuck on a word puzzle, test each answer choice (A, B, C, D) to see which one fits all the clues.
- Take it one clue at a time. Long logic puzzles look scary, but if you break them down into bite-sized pieces, they are much easier to solve!
Common Mistakes
- Watch out for assuming things that aren't in the clues! 🚫 If the problem says 'Sam is taller than Alex', it doesn't mean Sam is the tallest person in the whole group. Stick only to the facts!
- Don't forget to read every single clue. 🧐 Sometimes the very last sentence changes everything, like 'Oh, and by the way, the secret number cannot be a fraction like !'
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I spend too much time on a logic puzzle?
If you are stuck for more than a minute, circle your best guess and move on! ⏱️ There is no penalty for guessing on the ISEE, so never leave a question blank.
Will I need to use hard math formulas for these?
Nope! Logical Reasoning questions are mostly about organizing information. You might use basic addition or multiplication, but your brain is the main tool here.
What are Quantitative Comparison questions?
These are special ISEE questions where you compare Column A and Column B. ⚖️ You pick (A) if Column A is bigger, (B) if Column B is bigger, (C) if they are equal, or (D) if you just can't tell from the clues!