Raven's Progressive Matrices Overlapping and Layered Figure Rules Flashcards

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.