Quantitative Battery

CogAT Number Analogies, Explained

A pair of numbers is connected by a rule; your child finds the rule and applies it to a new number. In early grades this appears with pictures and quantities rather than bare numbers.

A worked example

Example: 2 → 4, 3 → 5. Then 6 → ? (7, 8, 10, 12)

Show the answer and reasoning

Answer: 8

Test the simplest rules first: is it add-2? 2+2=4 ✓ and 3+2=5 ✓. Apply it: 6+2=8. The trap answer is 12 — doubling fits the first pair (2→4) but fails the second (3→5 is not doubled), which is why checking the rule against BOTH pairs matters.

An original Archer Anthem illustration of the format — on the assessment these appear as pictures for young test-takers.

Common mistakes

  • Building the rule from one pair only and never verifying with the second
  • Jumping to multiplication when simple addition explains both pairs

Parent tip: Turn it into a machine game: "my machine turns 2 into 4 and 3 into 5 — what does it do to 6?" Kids love being the machine back.

The other CogAT subtests

Start from the beginning: the CogAT parent's guide · NNAT vs CogAT

CogAT practice books

Get free printable practice samples

Sample pages from our practice books by email — see the question style before you buy anything.

Get free samples

NNAT® (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test®) is a registered trademark of Pearson Education, Inc. CogAT® (Cognitive Abilities Test™) is a registered trademark of Riverside Assessments, LLC. Neither Pearson nor Riverside is affiliated with, nor do they endorse, Archer Anthem. Archer Anthem materials are independent practice resources in the style of these assessments.