Raven's Progressive Matrices Overlapping and Layered Figure Rules Flashcards

In an RPM matrix, each cell shows two overlapping circles. Row 1: both circles are white — the intersection is white. Row 2: one circle is shaded, the other is white — the intersection is shaded. Row 3: both circles are shaded — the intersection is white. What rule governs the intersection shading?

Answer: XOR logic — the intersection is shaded only when exactly one shape is shaded

The pattern follows XOR (exclusive-or) logic: the intersection is shaded only when exactly one of the two overlapping shapes is shaded, not when both or neither are shaded.

In an RPM matrix, two rectangles overlap. In row 1, the front rectangle is large and the back rectangle is small. In row 2, both rectangles are the same medium size. In row 3, the front rectangle is small and the back rectangle is large. What transformation is occurring across the rows?

Answer: The sizes of the front and back rectangles are progressively swapping

The pattern shows a progressive swap: the front rectangle shrinks while the back rectangle grows, so their size roles exchange across the three rows.

In a 3x3 RPM matrix, each cell shows a large background shape with a smaller foreground shape placed on top. Across each row the background shape changes: circle, square, triangle. Across each column the foreground shape changes: star, cross, dot. What belongs in the cell at row 3, column 3?

Answer: A triangle with a dot on top

Row 3 determines the background (triangle) and column 3 determines the foreground (dot), so the answer is a triangle with a dot placed on top.

In an RPM matrix, the layering rule states: when a filled shape overlaps an outline shape, the overlap region becomes filled; when two outline shapes overlap, the region stays an outline; when two filled shapes overlap, the region becomes an outline. A filled triangle is placed over a filled pentagon. What does the overlap region look like?

Answer: An outline region (not filled)

Per the rule, when two filled shapes overlap, the intersection becomes an outline — mirroring how two outline shapes also produce an outline intersection.

An RPM matrix shows two overlapping shapes in each cell. The visible (uncovered) area of the background shape decreases by one-quarter from column 1 to column 2, and by another one-quarter from column 2 to column 3. If the background shape starts as 100% visible in column 1, how much is visible in column 3?

Answer: 50%

The visible area decreases by 25% per column: column 1 = 100%, column 2 = 75%, column 3 = 50%, so half the background shape remains visible.

In an RPM matrix, when three shapes mutually overlap in a Venn-diagram arrangement, how many distinct non-overlapping regions are created in total?

Answer: 7 regions

Three mutually overlapping shapes create 7 distinct regions: 3 areas exclusive to each individual shape, 3 pairwise-only overlaps, and 1 central region where all three overlap simultaneously.

In an RPM matrix, the 'cutout' layering rule means the front shape removes its silhouette from the back shape, then disappears. A solid circle is placed over a solid square using this rule. What does the resulting image look like?

Answer: A square with a circular hole, and no remaining circle

The cutout rule removes the front shape's exact silhouette from the back shape, leaving a square with a circular hole and no remaining circle in the image.