Abstract Reasoning Guide 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In abstract reasoning, what does 'distractors' refer to?
- Irrelevant shapes placed to mislead the test-taker (Correct answer)
- The correct answer option
- Shapes that repeat in every row
- The background pattern of the matrix
Correct answer: Irrelevant shapes placed to mislead the test-taker
Distractors are intentionally misleading elements designed to draw attention away from the true underlying pattern.
Question 2: A series: ★★★, ★★, ★, ★★, ★★★, ★★, ★. What are the next two terms?
- ★★, ★★★ (Correct answer)
- ★★★, ★★
- ★, ★★
- ★★★, ★
Correct answer: ★★, ★★★
The repeating cycle is 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1... so after ★ comes ★★ then ★★★.
Question 3: A 3×3 matrix is missing its center cell. You identify two candidate rules. Rule A fits 8 of 8 given cells. Rule B fits 6 of 8. Which do you apply?
- Rule A, because it is consistent with all given cells (Correct answer)
- Rule B, because simpler rules are always correct
- Average both rules
- Neither — look for a third rule
Correct answer: Rule A, because it is consistent with all given cells
A rule that fits all observable cells is the valid pattern; Rule B's two exceptions disqualify it.
Question 4: Each step, a square is divided into one more equal section than the step before. Step 1: 2 sections, Step 2: 3 sections. How many sections at Step 7?
- 7
- 8 (Correct answer)
- 9
- 10
Correct answer: 8
Sections = step number + 1, so Step 7 = 7 + 1 = 8.
Question 5: Which attribute is LEAST useful to check first when analyzing an abstract matrix?
- Number of shapes per cell
- Color or shading of shapes
- The aesthetic symmetry of the overall grid (Correct answer)
- Orientation or rotation of shapes
Correct answer: The aesthetic symmetry of the overall grid
Overall aesthetic symmetry is a subjective impression and rarely encodes a testable rule; concrete attributes like count, color, and orientation are more reliable.
Question 6: Two shapes overlap. Where they overlap, the region is white; outside the overlap, both shapes are black. This rule is applied to a circle and square. What does the overlapping region look like?
- Black
- White (Correct answer)
- Grey
- Striped
Correct answer: White
The stated rule specifies the overlapping region is white, regardless of shape type.
Question 7: A figure set has 5 shapes: 4 share a property and 1 does not. You find a property shared by 3 shapes. What should you do?
- Declare those 3 the group and the other 2 as odd ones out
- Check whether the 4th shape also shares that property before concluding (Correct answer)
- Accept the result — 3 out of 5 is a majority
- Look for a completely different property
Correct answer: Check whether the 4th shape also shares that property before concluding
The odd-one-out task requires exactly 4 to share the property; confirming the 4th shape fits the rule before concluding is essential.
Abstract Reasoning Guide 4
In abstract reasoning, what does 'distractors' refer to?