UCAT Abstract Reasoning 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a sequence of shapes, each shape gains one additional side with each step: triangle → square → pentagon → ? What comes next?
- Hexagon (Correct answer)
- Heptagon
- Octagon
- Circle
Correct answer: Hexagon
Each step adds one side: triangle (3) → square (4) → pentagon (5) → hexagon (6).
Question 2: A pattern shows alternating shaded and unshaded circles arranged in rows. In row 1 there is 1 shaded circle; in row 2 there are 2 unshaded; in row 3 there are 3 shaded. How many unshaded circles are in row 4?
- 3
- 4 (Correct answer)
- 5
- 6
Correct answer: 4
Row 4 follows the alternating rule (unshaded) and the count equals the row number, giving 4 unshaded circles.
Question 3: Each box in a set contains arrows pointing in a specific direction rotating 90° clockwise each step: up → right → down → left → ? What comes next?
- Up (Correct answer)
- Right
- Down
- Left
Correct answer: Up
After four 90° clockwise rotations the arrow returns to pointing up.
Question 4: A matrix has 3 rows and 3 columns. Each row contains a circle, square, and triangle. Each column also contains each shape once. The top-left is a circle, top-middle is a square. What shape is in the top-right?
- Circle
- Square
- Triangle (Correct answer)
- Pentagon
Correct answer: Triangle
With circle and square already in the top row, the top-right cell must contain a triangle.
Question 5: In Set A, all figures have an even number of sides. In Set B, all figures have an odd number of sides. A hexagon belongs to which set?
- Set A (Correct answer)
- Set B
- Neither
- Both
Correct answer: Set A
A hexagon has 6 sides, which is even, so it belongs to Set A.
Question 6: Shapes in a series increase in size by a fixed ratio. If the first shape has area 4 cm² and the third has area 36 cm², what is the area of the second shape?
- 9 cm²
- 12 cm² (Correct answer)
- 16 cm²
- 18 cm²
Correct answer: 12 cm²
The ratio between consecutive terms is √(36/4) = 3, so the second shape has area 4 × 3 = 12 cm².
UCAT Abstract Reasoning 1
In a sequence of shapes, each shape gains one additional side with each step: triangle → square → pentagon → ? What comes next?