GCAT Figural Pattern Completion 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A pattern of figures shows shapes where the number of sides increases by 2 each step: 3 (triangle), 5 (pentagon), 7 (heptagon). What is the next shape?
- Octagon (8 sides)
- Nonagon (9 sides) (Correct answer)
- Decagon (10 sides)
- Hexagon (6 sides)
Correct answer: Nonagon (9 sides)
Adding 2 sides each time: 3→5→7→9, giving a nonagon.
Question 2: In a matrix, each row's figures have the same total area of shading. Row 1: one fully shaded large square. If row 2 starts with two half-shaded large squares, what must the third figure in row 2 be?
- One fully shaded large square
- Unshaded square (Correct answer)
- One half-shaded large square
- Four quarter-shaded squares
Correct answer: Unshaded square
Row 2 already uses the full area budget with two half-shaded squares (2 × ½ = 1), so the third figure must be unshaded.
Question 3: A sequence shows a figure being progressively cut: whole circle, semicircle, quarter circle, eighth circle. What is the next figure?
- Sixteenth of a circle (Correct answer)
- Whole circle
- Three-eighths circle
- Half circle
Correct answer: Sixteenth of a circle
Each step halves the remaining arc: whole→half→quarter→eighth→sixteenth.
Question 4: Three figures each contain a shape and its mirror image side by side. Figure 1: two triangles pointing away from center. Figure 2: two triangles pointing toward center. What is figure 3?
- Two triangles pointing away from center (Correct answer)
- Two triangles stacked vertically
- One large triangle
- Two triangles pointing in the same direction
Correct answer: Two triangles pointing away from center
The pattern alternates between mirrored triangles pointing outward and inward, so figure 3 repeats figure 1.
Question 5: A grid of figures shows that in each row, the shape moves one position to the right. Row 1: circle in column 1. Row 2: circle in column 2. Row 3: circle in column 3. What is the next row?
- Circle in column 4
- Circle back in column 1 (Correct answer)
- Two circles in columns 1 and 4
- No circle
Correct answer: Circle back in column 1
If the grid has 3 columns, the circle wraps back to column 1 in the fourth row.
Question 6: Figures show a cross (+) shape that gains one arm length unit each step: cross with arms of length 1, then 2, then 3. The cross always stays centered. What changes in figure 4?
- Arms reach length 4 (Correct answer)
- A diagonal cross (×) is added
- The number of arms doubles
- The cross rotates 45°
Correct answer: Arms reach length 4
Each figure simply extends all four arms by one unit, so figure 4 has arms of length 4.
Question 7: A 3×3 matrix pattern has the rule: each figure equals the combination (overlay) of the two figures to its left in the same row. Row 1: triangle, circle, triangle+circle. Row 2: square, triangle, square+triangle. What is the missing figure in row 3 if row 3 starts with circle and square?
- Circle only
- Square only
- Circle + square combined (Correct answer)
- Triangle + circle combined
Correct answer: Circle + square combined
Applying the overlay rule, the third figure in row 3 combines the circle and square from the first two positions.
GCAT Figural Pattern Completion 5
A pattern of figures shows shapes where the number of sides increases by 2 each step: 3 (triangle), 5 (pentagon), 7 (heptagon).
What is the next shape?