CCAT Spatial Reasoning: Series completion with shapes or symbols

This is similar to the number and letter series described earlier, but involves shapes and symbols. A set of shapes will be provided, with each shape changing in some way from the previous shape (also referred to as “pattern”). Three or four such shapes will usually be provided. You should figure out which shape will come next, which follows the same pattern.

In the CCAT, usually, these questions appear twice over the course of the test: as a set of four questions, and then as a set of three questions. In each set, usually, one or two questions would be hard (time consuming) and the rest will be easy.

The questions will be of two types:

1. Three or four figures will be given. You will need to figure out what the next figure will be.

2. A set of figures will be given in 3 rows and 3 columns, with one of these figures missing (i.e. 9–1 = 8 figures). You will have to figure out what the missing figure is.

Some sample problems follow. Try them yourself before looking at the answer.

Q1: Which of the following boxes should replace the question mark (?) to complete the pattern?

Answer:

The shaded triangle is rotated right by 90 degrees from one figure to the next. The answers is C.

Q2: Which of the following boxes should replace the question mark (?) to complete the pattern?

Answer:

From top to bottom, for the first column, the sequence is:

5 triangles with bottom left and top right shaded

3 triangles with bottom left shaded

2 triangles with top one shaded

The sequence repeats in the second column with circles and third column with squares.

Hence, the missing shape will be five circles, with bottom left and top right shaded. The correct answer is option B.

Q3: Which of the following boxes should replace the question mark (?) to complete the pattern?

Answer:

The sequence consists of alternating unshaded and shaded squares. Hence, the missing figure is an unshaded square. The answer is option A.

Q4: Which of the following boxes should replace the question mark (?) to complete the pattern?

Answer:

The shape is rotated clockwise 90 degrees from one figure to the next. Thus, Option A is the correct answer.

Q5: Which of the following boxes should replace the question mark (?) to complete the pattern?

Answer:

The shape is rotated clockwise 90 degrees from one figure to the next. Thus, Option A is the correct answer.

Next article: Spatial Reasoning — Odd man out

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