Example 1 · level 1 — a gentle start
5 : 8 :: 11 : ?
- 33
- 17
- 14
- 11
Answer: 14 — 5 → 8 is + 3, so 11 → 14.
11+ number analogies questions
Number analogies comes up in the maths paper of every major 11+ format. Here is what the questions look like, the method that works under time pressure, and five worked examples with the full reasoning, from a gentle start to a hard paper.
Maths · examined by GL · 5 worked examples
What your child needs to know
- An analogy says: A is to B as C is to ?. Find the rule on the FIRST pair.
- 2 → 6 is × 3. Apply the same rule to 5.
Where marks get lost: 5 × 3 = 15.
Worked examples
Every question below is generated by the same engine your child practises on, and every answer is derived by our checker rather than written by hand — which is why we can put them on a public page at all.
Example 2 · level 2 — typical of early practice
11 : 22 :: 5 : ?
- 7
- 8
- 10
- 12
Answer: 10 — 11 → 22 is × 2, so 5 → 10.
Example 3 · level 3 — standard paper difficulty
4 : 6 :: 8 : ?
- 16
- 8
- 12
- 10
Answer: 10 — 4 → 6 is + 2, so 8 → 10.
Example 4 · level 4 — a harder paper
10 : 21 :: 9 : ?
- 20
- 9
- 99
- 31
Answer: 20 — 10 → 21 is + 11, so 9 → 20.
Example 5 · level 5 — the level that separates candidates
12 : 132 :: 24 : ?
- 275
- 264
- 35
- 253
Answer: 264 — 12 → 132 is × 11, so 24 → 264.
How to practise this at home
- Work in short, frequent sessions. Ten minutes daily beats an hour at the weekend, because the recall gap is what builds memory.
- Insist on written working, even for questions your child can do in their head — under exam pressure the method is what survives.
- When an answer is wrong, ask them to explain their reasoning before you correct it. The error is almost always in one step, not the whole approach.
Practise number analogies with a tutor that explains
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