Figure Analogy

A figure analogy question gives you two figures that share a relationship — then asks you to find the figure that has the same relationship with a third figure. Think of it as: "Figure A changes to Figure B in a certain way. Figure C must change the same way to give Figure D." The change could involve rotation, shading, adding or removing elements, flipping, or resizing parts of a shape.

1. Look at the first pair (A → B) carefully. Describe in words exactly what changed: did the shape rotate? Was shading added? Were dots removed?
2. State the rule clearly: "The shape rotated 90 degrees clockwise and the inner shape became shaded."
3. Look at the third figure (C). Apply the same rule to it.
4. Check each answer option against your predicted result.
5. Eliminate options that match on only one feature but fail another.

Example 1: A square contains a circle inside. In the second figure the square is the same but the circle is shaded. A triangle contains a star. What is the answer figure?

• Rule: the inner shape gets shaded.
• Apply to triangle + star: the star becomes shaded.
• Answer: triangle with a shaded star inside.

Example 2: A large arrow points right. The second figure shows the same arrow pointing left (flipped horizontally). A large arrow points up. What comes next?

• Rule: flip horizontally.
• A vertical up-arrow flipped horizontally still points up (it is symmetric). But if the arrow is asymmetric (e.g. has a bent tail), the tail moves to the other side.
• Answer: the arrow pointing up with its tail detail mirrored.

• Choosing the option that looks "similar" without checking all features — size, shading, number of elements.
• Confusing a 90-degree rotation with a horizontal flip; they look alike for simple shapes.
• Ignoring small inner details (dots, lines) that are part of the rule.

1. A pentagon has three dots inside. The second figure is the same pentagon with no dots. A hexagon has three dots inside. What is the answer figure?
2. Figure A is a shaded triangle pointing up. Figure B is an unshaded triangle pointing down. Figure C is a shaded circle. What is Figure D?