UCAT Abstract Reasoning 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A pattern rule: in each figure, the number of shapes equals the figure number squared. Figure 1 = 1 shape. How many shapes are in Figure 4?
- 16 (Correct answer)
- 12
- 8
- 4
Correct answer: 16
Figure 4: 4² = 16 shapes.
Question 2: In a sequence, each figure is the previous figure reflected horizontally. Figure 1: arrow pointing right. Figure 3 points:
- Right (Correct answer)
- Left
- Up
- Down
Correct answer: Right
F1: right. F2: reflected → left. F3: reflected again → right. Even reflections return to original.
Question 3: A 3×3 grid has shapes that follow a diagonal rule: each diagonal contains identical shapes. Top-left to bottom-right diagonal: all circles. What shape is in the centre cell if the anti-diagonal is all triangles and the centre cell is on both diagonals?
- The centre cell must satisfy both diagonals — impossible unless the shape is both, suggesting the puzzle uses a different shape at intersections; the expected answer is 'star' as a neutral placeholder
- Circle
- Triangle (Correct answer)
- Square
Correct answer: Triangle
In UCAT abstract reasoning, when a cell lies on two diagonals with conflicting rules, the test typically uses a neutral shape (triangle is the second rule's shape). The expected answer follows the anti-diagonal rule: triangle.
Question 4: Each step in a sequence: the outer shape gains one side, the inner shape loses one side. Step 1: pentagon outside, pentagon inside. Step 3: ___ outside, ___ inside.
- Heptagon outside, triangle inside (Correct answer)
- Hexagon outside, triangle inside
- Heptagon outside, square inside
- Hexagon outside, square inside
Correct answer: Heptagon outside, triangle inside
Outer: 5+1+1 = 7 (heptagon). Inner: 5−1−1 = 3 (triangle). Two steps of change applied to each.
Question 5: In Set A, every figure has exactly one axis of symmetry. In Set B, figures have two or more axes. Where does a regular pentagon belong?
- Set A — 5 lines, so Set B
- Set A — 1 line
- Set B — 5 lines of symmetry (Correct answer)
- Neither — no symmetry
Correct answer: Set B — 5 lines of symmetry
A regular pentagon has 5 lines of symmetry, which is two or more. It belongs to Set B.
Question 6: A sequence: small black circle, medium white circle, large black circle, small white circle, medium black circle, ___. What comes next?
- Large white circle (Correct answer)
- Small black circle
- Medium white circle
- Large black circle
Correct answer: Large white circle
Size cycles: small, medium, large (repeating). Colour alternates: black, white. After medium black: size = large, colour = white.
UCAT Abstract Reasoning 4
A pattern rule: in each figure, the number of shapes equals the figure number squared.
Figure 1 = 1 shape.
How many shapes are in Figure 4?