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Figural Series, Embedded Figure & Figure Analogy

General Intelligence & Reasoning · Spatial & Non-verbal Reasoning

Useful for: SSC CGL

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Overview

Figure items follow rules of rotation, addition/removal of elements, shading changes or hidden shapes inside a larger figure.

Key points

Common changes: rotation by 45°/90°, an element added or removed each step, shading moving round.
Track each element separately when several change.
Embedded figure: the given shape must appear exactly, in the same orientation, within the larger figure.
Figure analogy: the change from figure 1 to 2 must be applied to figure 3.
Alternate patterns: odd and even positions may follow different rules.

Explanation

Check corners and centres; many rules move elements clockwise.
Count lines or dots — numbers often increase by 1.
In embedded figures, the shape cannot be rotated unless stated.
Eliminate options that break any one rule.

Step by step

List changes.
Apply them.
Check every element.

Examples

An arrow rotating 45° clockwise each step: the next figure points one step further clockwise.
Dots increasing 1, 2, 3, 4 → next has 5 dots.
A shaded corner moving clockwise: top-left → top-right → bottom-right → next is bottom-left.

Traps and advanced points

Trap: Tracking only one element when several change.
Trap: Rotating an embedded shape.
Trap: Missing alternate rules.

Quick revision

List all changes.
Clockwise movement is common.
No rotation in embedded figures.

Practice MCQs

An arrow points north and turns 90° clockwise at each step: north, east, south, ... What comes next?
1. West
2. North
3. East
4. South
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Answer: (a) West. Each step adds a quarter turn clockwise.
In a series of figures the number of sides goes 3, 4, 5, 6. The next figure should have
1. 7 sides
2. 8 sides
3. 6 sides
4. 5 sides
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Answer: (a) 7 sides. The number of sides increases by one each time.
Square is related to 4 in the same way as hexagon is related to which number?
1. 6
2. 5
3. 8
4. 4
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Answer: (a) 6. The number is the count of sides.
Which capital letter has only a vertical line of symmetry?
1. N
2. B
3. E
4. A
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Answer: (d) A. B and E have a horizontal line of symmetry; N has none.
How many triangles are formed when both diagonals of a square are drawn?
1. 4
2. 8
3. 6
4. 10
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Answer: (b) 8. 4 small triangles plus 4 triangles made of two halves each.
A dot moves one corner clockwise around a square at each step, starting at the top-left. Where is it after 5 steps?
1. Bottom-left
2. Top-left
3. Bottom-right
4. Top-right
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Answer: (d) Top-right. After 4 steps it is back at top-left, so step 5 is top-right.

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Notes and questions are written by Kundali IQ for practice. They are not official papers; always check the latest official notification for the syllabus and pattern.