PI - Cognitive Assessment Abstract Pattern Series 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a sequence of shapes, each figure adds one side to the previous shape: triangle, square, pentagon, ___. What comes next?
- Octagon
- Hexagon (Correct answer)
- Heptagon
- Decagon
Correct answer: Hexagon
The pattern adds one side each time: 3, 4, 5, so the next shape has 6 sides, which is a hexagon.
This is a sequential pattern where each shape increases by one side. A triangle has 3 sides, a square has 4, a pentagon has 5, so the next shape must have 6 sides. A hexagon is the six-sided polygon. Octagon has 8 sides, heptagon has 7, and decagon has 10.
Question 2: A pattern shows: 2 black circles, 1 white circle, 3 black circles, 1 white circle, 4 black circles. What comes next?
- 2 white circles
- 5 black circles
- 1 white circle (Correct answer)
- 1 black circle
Correct answer: 1 white circle
The pattern alternates between an increasing number of black circles and a single white circle. After 4 black circles, the next element is 1 white circle.
The sequence follows a dual pattern: the black circles increase by one each time (2, 3, 4...), and they are always separated by exactly 1 white circle. Since we just completed 4 black circles, the alternating pattern requires 1 white circle before the next group of 5 black circles would begin.
Question 3: Each figure in the series rotates 45 degrees clockwise and gains a dot in the center. If figure 4 has an arrow pointing southeast with 4 center dots, what does figure 5 look like?
- Arrow pointing east with 5 dots
- Arrow pointing south with 5 dots (Correct answer)
- Arrow pointing southwest with 4 dots
- Arrow pointing south with 4 dots
Correct answer: Arrow pointing south with 5 dots
Each step rotates 45 degrees clockwise (SE to S) and adds one dot (4 to 5), giving an arrow pointing south with 5 dots.
Two transformations occur simultaneously: the arrow rotates 45 degrees clockwise each step, and one dot is added. Starting from southeast, a 45-degree clockwise rotation moves to south. The dot count increases from 4 to 5. Therefore figure 5 has an arrow pointing south with 5 center dots. East would require a 90-degree rotation, which is incorrect.
Question 4: A grid pattern shows figures where shading moves one cell to the right each step, wrapping around to the leftmost column after reaching the rightmost. In a 4-column grid, if the shaded cell is in column 3, where will it be after 3 more steps?
- Column 1
- Column 2 (Correct answer)
- Column 3
- Column 4
Correct answer: Column 2
Starting at column 3: step 1 goes to column 4, step 2 wraps to column 1, step 3 goes to column 2. The answer is column 2.
The shading moves one column to the right each step and wraps around in a cycle of 4. Starting at column 3: after 1 step it reaches column 4, after 2 steps it wraps to column 1, and after 3 steps it moves to column 2. Mathematically, (3 + 3) mod 4 = 2, confirming column 2.
Question 5: In a figure matrix, shapes in each row share one common feature and shapes in each column share a different common feature. Row 1 has all circles, row 2 has all squares. Column 1 has all striped shapes, column 2 has all solid shapes. What belongs in the cell at row 2, column 2?
- Striped circle
- Solid circle
- Striped square
- Solid square (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Solid square
Row 2 requires a square and column 2 requires a solid fill, so the answer is a solid square.
In a figure matrix, each cell must satisfy both its row rule and its column rule simultaneously. Row 2 dictates that the shape must be a square, while column 2 dictates that the fill must be solid. The only option satisfying both constraints is a solid square. Striped square satisfies row 2 but not column 2, and solid circle satisfies column 2 but not row 2.
Question 6: A pattern of nested shapes shows: large circle containing a triangle, large triangle containing a square, large square containing a pentagon. What comes next in the series?
- Large pentagon containing a hexagon (Correct answer)
- Large hexagon containing a triangle
- Large pentagon containing a circle
- Large circle containing a square
Correct answer: Large pentagon containing a hexagon
The outer shape follows the previous inner shape, and the inner shape adds one side each time. The inner pentagon means the next outer shape is a pentagon, and the inner shape becomes a hexagon (5+1=6).
Two rules govern this pattern: (1) the outer shape of each figure matches the inner shape of the previous figure, and (2) the inner shape increases by one side each step (triangle=3, square=4, pentagon=5, hexagon=6). Since the last inner shape was a pentagon, the next outer shape is a pentagon, and the new inner shape has 6 sides — a hexagon.
PI - Cognitive Assessment Abstract Pattern Series 2
In a sequence of shapes, each figure adds one side to the previous shape: triangle, square, pentagon, ___.
What comes next?