Visual Reasoning – Concepts for Aptitude

Visual reasoning is a crucial part of many aptitude tests, especially those used in placements and competitive exams. It involves understanding, analyzing, and interpreting patterns, shapes, or figures presented in a logical sequence or spatial arrangement. This section evaluates a candidate’s spatial intelligence, logical thinking, and pattern recognition ability. Some students jokingly say that it is an eye sight test 😛

Types of Visual Reasoning Questions

Visual reasoning can cover several types of questions. Here are the most common ones:

  • Series Completion: You are given a sequence of images or patterns, and you need to determine the next image in the series based on the established pattern.
  • Odd-One-Out: You are presented with a group of images or shapes, and you have to identify the one that does not follow the same pattern as the others.
  • Mirror Images: These questions involve finding the mirror image of a given shape or design, testing your ability to mentally reverse objects.
  • Embedded Figures: You need to find a specific shape or pattern embedded within a larger, more complex figure.
  • Paper Folding and Cutting: These questions test your spatial visualization by asking you to determine how a piece of paper folded and cut in a particular way would look when unfolded.

Strategies for Solving Visual Reasoning Questions

  1. Observe Carefully: Look for repeated patterns or transformations such as rotation, reflection, shading, or resizing.
  2. Break Down Complex Patterns: Simplify complex shapes into basic components or sub-patterns.
  3. Analyze the Position of Elements: Pay attention to any changes in the position, orientation, or size of elements.
  4. Eliminate Incorrect Choices: For multiple-choice questions, use the process of elimination to narrow down your options.

Solved Examples of Visual Reasoning Questions

Example 1: Series Completion

Question: Identify the next figure in the series below.

Figures in Sequence:

Solution: Observe the pattern in the dots’ arrangement:

  • In each figure, the number of dots increases by one.
  • The dots also form progressively more complex shapes with each figure.

The next figure would likely be a square with four dots in square shape

Example 2: Odd-One-Out

Question: Choose the odd one out from the following figures.

Solution: Observe the shading pattern:

  • The first three figures have contiguous (connected) shaded regions.
  • In the fourth figure, the shaded quadrants are opposite each other, not connected.

Answer: The fourth figure is the odd one out.

Example 3: Mirror Images

Question: Identify the mirror image of the following figure:

Solution: When a figure is reflected in a mirror, it reverses horizontally.

  • In the mirror image, the triangle will still point upwards.
  • However, the dot, originally on the left side of the triangle, will now appear on the right side. A is the correct answer.

Example 4: Paper Folding and Cutting

Question: A square piece of paper is folded twice, once horizontally and once vertically, and a small circle is cut out from the corner of the folded paper. What will it look like when the paper is unfolded?

Solution: After two folds, any cut made on one corner of the folded paper will appear on all four corners when the paper is unfolded.

  • Since a single circle was cut on the folded paper, there will be four circles, one in each corner, when the paper is unfolded.

Tips for Practicing Visual Reasoning

  • Practice with Puzzles: Engaging in puzzles like jigsaw, tangram, and block-building exercises can strengthen your spatial and pattern-recognition skills.
  • Use Flashcards: Create flashcards with different types of patterns and transformations to regularly test yourself.
  • Time Your Practice: Since aptitude tests are timed, practice visual reasoning questions under time constraints to improve speed and accuracy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Overlooking Small Details: Missing subtle changes, like a slight rotation, can lead to incorrect answers.
  2. Rushing Through Patterns: Failing to analyze the pattern thoroughly can lead to missed logical connections.
  3. Getting Stuck on One Problem: If a question seems too complex, move on and return to it if time permits.

Read concepts and formulas for: Synonym Antonym

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