AFCT Spatial Aptitude 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: If you look at a cube from directly above, what shape do you see?
- Rectangle
- Square (Correct answer)
- Triangle
- Hexagon
Correct answer: Square
Looking at a cube from directly above shows the top face, which is a perfect square.
When viewing a cube from directly above (plan view), you see only the top face, which is a square. From different angles you see different projections: from the side shows a square, from a corner angle shows a hexagonal outline.
Question 2: A shape is rotated 270 degrees clockwise. This is the same as rotating it how many degrees counterclockwise?
- 270 degrees
- 90 degrees (Correct answer)
- 180 degrees
- 45 degrees
Correct answer: 90 degrees
A 270 degree clockwise rotation equals a 90 degree counterclockwise rotation because 360 - 270 = 90.
Clockwise and counterclockwise rotations summing to 360 produce identical results. 270 CW + 90 CCW = 360. Similarly: 90 CW = 270 CCW, and 180 CW = 180 CCW. Going most of the way one direction equals going a short way the other direction.
Question 3: How many faces does a rectangular prism (box) have?
- 4
- 6 (Correct answer)
- 8
- 12
Correct answer: 6
A rectangular prism has 6 faces: top, bottom, front, back, left, and right.
A rectangular prism has 6 faces, 8 vertices, and 12 edges. The 6 faces come in 3 pairs of identical rectangles: top/bottom, front/back, left/right. Euler's formula confirms: 8 - 12 + 6 = 2.
Question 4: If a mirror is placed along the right side of the letter 'b', the reflection looks most like which letter?
- p
- d (Correct answer)
- q
- b
Correct answer: d
A mirror on the right side creates a horizontal reflection, producing 'd' which reverses left and right.
A vertical mirror creates a left-right reflection. The letter 'b' has its bump on the right; reflecting horizontally places the bump on the left, creating 'd'. Related: 'b' reflected vertically = 'p'; 'b' rotated 180 = 'q'.
Question 5: A cylinder is cut in half with a straight horizontal cut. What shape is the cross-section?
- Circle (Correct answer)
- Rectangle
- Oval
- Triangle
Correct answer: Circle
A horizontal cut through a cylinder perpendicular to its axis produces a circular cross-section.
When a cylinder is cut perpendicular to its axis, the cross-section is a circle identical to the base. A vertical cut through the center produces a rectangle. An angled cut produces an ellipse.
Question 6: If you unfold a triangular pyramid (tetrahedron), how many triangular faces does the flat pattern have?
- 3
- 4 (Correct answer)
- 5
- 6
Correct answer: 4
A tetrahedron has 4 triangular faces, so its unfolded net has 4 connected triangles.
A tetrahedron has 4 triangular faces: 1 base and 3 sides. The net often looks like one central triangle with three others attached to its sides. A regular tetrahedron has all 4 faces as equilateral triangles, with 4 vertices and 6 edges.
AFCT Spatial Aptitude 2
If you look at a cube from directly above, what shape do you see?