Concept 4 of 8
Analogy: Spot the Hidden Relationship
Today's big idea
Name the link between A and B in one short phrase, then carry it across to C.
12 : 144 :: 15 : ? → squaring → 225.
How it works
👀 What's going on?
An analogy is a tiny puzzle in four parts. The first two words hold a hidden link, and your job is to carry that same link across to the third. Name the link out loud and the fourth part almost fills itself in.
💡 Here's the trick
Look at the pair above. A bird lives in the sky, so the link here is home. Carry that same link over to a fish and you land on the sea, not on a net or a bowl.
🪄 How to do it
- 1.Read the first two parts of the pair above and hunt for their link.
- 2.Say the link as one short phrase, such as home or maker or user.
- 3.Feed the third part into that same phrase and read off the answer.
✍️ Try it
Bee : Honey :: Cow : ? And what about D : F :: M : ?
A bee gives us honey and a cow gives us milk, so the link is what the animal gives. D moves on two places to reach F, so M moves on two places to reach O.
⚠️ Watch out
You might be thinking any word that feels close will do. Take Ears : Hear :: Nose : ? Both smell and breathe fit, so a fair puzzle will never offer you both. Pick the link that fits the first pair most tightly, then check that no other choice fits it.
🌟 Why this matters
Spotting a shared link is how you sort clothes into drawers and words into groups. It is the same move you make when you say a whale is like a fish but breathes like you.
Exam tip: Write the link down in three words before you even look at the choices.
Watch me solve one
Quanta solves it
“Watch how I think through one of these — then you try.”
THE PROBLEM
“Complete: Doctor : Hospital :: Teacher : ?”
- 1
Spot the rule between A and B
A doctor works in a hospital. So the rule is “worker → workplace”. 🧠
- 2
Apply to C
A teacher works in a school.
- 3
Test by reading aloud
“Doctor is to Hospital as Teacher is to School” sounds right. ✓
- 4
Answer ✓
School
Now you try one — same steps, different story 👇
See it in action
⚡ Time to play!
A is to B as C is to ? — tap a rule to test it on Painter. The right rule turns Painter into Studio.
WORD ANALOGY · ROUND 1 OF 3
Quick check
✅ VERIFICATION
Complete the analogy: Carpenter : Wood :: Potter : ?
⚡ Finish the activity above first to answer.
Keep going!
Up next: Symbol Equations
One unknown → solve it → substitute into the rest.