Raven's Progressive Matrices Test Raven's Progressive Matrices Overlapping and Layered Figure Rules 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In an RPM matrix, two overlapping shapes each carry a fill pattern. The rule is: when a striped shape overlaps a dotted shape, the intersection shows crosshatching. When a dotted shape overlaps a plain shape, the intersection shows dots. What does the intersection show when a striped shape overlaps a plain shape?
- Stripes — the foreground shape's pattern transfers to the overlap (Correct answer)
- Crosshatching — the same as stripes meeting dots
- Plain — the background is plain so it contributes no pattern
- Dots — a new combined pattern emerges
Correct answer: Stripes — the foreground shape's pattern transfers to the overlap
The rule is that the foreground shape's fill pattern transfers to the overlap region, so stripes over plain produces stripes in the intersection.
Question 2: A 2x2 RPM sub-matrix shows layered shapes. Cell (1,1): circle over square. Cell (1,2): square over triangle. Cell (2,1): triangle over circle. Which combination must appear in cell (2,2) so that each shape appears exactly once as the front and exactly once as the back across all four cells?
- Circle over triangle (Correct answer)
- Square over circle
- Triangle over square
- Circle over square
Correct answer: Circle over triangle
Tallying front shapes used (circle, square, triangle) and back shapes used (square, triangle, circle), 'circle over triangle' is the only combination that completes both tallies without repeating any pairing.
Question 3: In an RPM matrix, the foreground shape always inherits the border style of the background shape it overlaps. If the background shape has a dashed border and the foreground originally has a solid border, what does the foreground's border look like after the rule is applied?
- Dashed — it inherits the background's border style (Correct answer)
- Solid — the foreground keeps its original border
- The background's border becomes solid, matching the foreground
- Both shapes lose their borders entirely
Correct answer: Dashed — it inherits the background's border style
The inheritance rule transfers the background's border style to the foreground shape, so the foreground's border changes from solid to dashed.
Question 4: In an RPM matrix, each row shows two overlapping polygons. The intersection region takes on the fill of whichever shape has more sides. A hexagon (6 sides) overlaps a triangle (3 sides). Which shape's fill pattern appears in the intersection?
- The hexagon's fill pattern (Correct answer)
- The triangle's fill pattern
- A blend of both fill patterns
- An empty (white) intersection
Correct answer: The hexagon's fill pattern
The hexagon has 6 sides versus the triangle's 3, so the intersection inherits the hexagon's fill pattern per the rule that more sides wins.
Question 5: In an RPM matrix, shapes are stacked and each additional layer lightens the color by 25%. The bottom layer is dark gray. What shade does the topmost of three stacked layers appear?
- Medium gray — two lightening steps of 25% each total 50% lighter than dark gray (Correct answer)
- Dark gray — the top layer keeps the original color
- Very light gray — three layers each lighten by 25% totaling 75%
- White — all lightening effects combine to reach maximum brightness
Correct answer: Medium gray — two lightening steps of 25% each total 50% lighter than dark gray
Starting from dark gray, layer 2 is 25% lighter and layer 3 is 25% lighter still — two lightening steps of 25% total 50%, producing a medium gray for the topmost layer.
Question 6: In an RPM matrix, the overlap between two shapes grows as they are moved closer together. Shapes start far apart in column 1, move 10 units closer in column 2, and another 10 units closer in column 3. Which column shows the largest intersection area?
- Column 3 — the shapes are closest together so the overlap is greatest (Correct answer)
- Column 1 — the shapes are farthest apart
- Column 2 — proximity and separation are balanced
- All columns show equal intersection sizes
Correct answer: Column 3 — the shapes are closest together so the overlap is greatest
Greater proximity directly increases the overlap area, so column 3 — where the shapes have moved 20 total units closer together — shows the largest intersection.
Question 7: In an RPM matrix, the 'union silhouette' rule shows only the combined outer boundary of all overlapping shapes, filled solid. A circle and a rectangle overlap at the right side of the circle. What does the resulting union silhouette look like?
- A single merged shape combining the circle's left arc and the rectangle's right edges, filled solid (Correct answer)
- A circle and rectangle drawn separately with no fill
- Only the intersection region, filled solid
- The circle on top of the rectangle with both outlines visible
Correct answer: A single merged shape combining the circle's left arc and the rectangle's right edges, filled solid
The union silhouette traces the outermost boundary of the combined shapes into one filled form — the interior dividing line (where they intersect) disappears and the result is one irregular solid shape.
