Figure Series Completion – 25 MCQs
Q1. In the following series, a triangle rotates 90° clockwise and alternates between solid and hollow shading. Which figure comes next?
(a) Solid triangle pointing up
(b) Hollow triangle pointing right (c) Solid triangle pointing down
(d) Hollow triangle pointing left
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Each step rotates the triangle 90° clockwise and toggles shading; after solid‑down, the next is hollow‑right.
Q2. A square is divided into four smaller squares. In each step, the top‑left small square changes from black to white, then the top‑right, then bottom‑left, then bottom‑right, repeating. Which figure follows the given four?
(a) Black top‑left only
(b) Black top‑right only
(c) Black bottom‑left only
(d) All white
Answer: (a)
Explanation: The pattern cycles the black square clockwise; after bottom‑right black, the next is top‑left black.
Q3. A line segment grows by adding one unit to its length on the right end, then rotates 45° anticlockwise, repeating. Which figure is next after a horizontal segment of length 3 that has just been rotated? (a) Horizontal length 4
(b) Diagonal length 4 at 45° up‑right
(c) Vertical length 3
(d) Diagonal length 3 at 45° down‑left
Answer: (b)
Explanation: After rotation, the length increases by one unit; thus a diagonal of length 4 at 45° up‑right.
Q4. Circles appear with increasing numbers of dots inside: 1, 2, 4, 7, … What is the next number of dots? (a) 11
(b) 12
(c) 13
(d) 14
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Increment increases by 1 each step (+1, +2, +3, +4); next increment is +5 → 7+5=12? Wait: series: 1 (+1=2) (+2=4) (+3=7) (+4=11). Actually increments: +1,+2,+3,+4 → next +5 would give 11+5=16? Let’s recalc: Starting 1, add1→2, add2→4, add3→7, add4→11. So next is 11. Answer (a). Explanation: incremental increase.
Q5. A pentagon has a shaded sector that moves one vertex clockwise each step and alternates shading (dark, light, dark,…). After a dark sector at vertex 3, what follows?
(a) Light sector at vertex 4
(b) Dark sector at vertex 4
(c) Light sector at vertex 2
(d) Dark sector at vertex 2
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Sector moves clockwise to next vertex and shading toggles to light.
Q6. In a series of arrowheads, the arrow points: up, right, down, left, up, … What direction does the sixth arrow point? (a) Up
(b) Right (c) Down
(d) Left Answer: (b)
Explanation: The pattern repeats every four steps; step 5 is up, step 6 is right.
Q7. A shape consists of a circle with a line through its centre. The line rotates 30° clockwise each step and the circle alternates between solid and dashed. After a solid circle with line at 60°, what is next? (a) Dashed circle, line at 90°
(b) Solid circle, line at 90°
(c) Dashed circle, line at 30° (d) Solid circle, line at 30°
Answer: (a) Explanation: Rotation adds 30° → 90°; shading toggles solid→dashed.
Q8. A series of tiles shows numbers of black squares in a 2×2 grid: 0, 1, 3, 6, … How many black squares in the next tile?
(a) 9
(b) 10
(c) 11
(d) 12
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Differences: +1,+2,+3,+4 → next difference +5 → 6+5=11? Wait compute: 0→1 (+1), 1→3 (+2), 3→6 (+3), so next +4 → 6+4=10. Answer (b). Explanation: incremental increase by one each step.
Q9. A star rotates 45° anticlockwise and gains one point each step (starting with 5 points). After a 9‑point star at 135°, what follows? (a) 10‑point star at 180°
(b) 10‑point star at 225°
(c) 9‑point star at 180°
(d) 9‑point star at 225°
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Points increase by one (9→10) and rotation adds 45° (135°+45°=180°).
Q10. A rectangle is divided into three equal vertical strips. In each step, the left strip becomes shaded, then middle, then right, then repeats, while the rectangle’s height reduces by 10% each step. After a fully shaded middle strip at 80% height, what is next?
(a) Right strip shaded, height 72%
(b) Left strip shaded, height 72%
(c) Right strip shaded, height 80%
(d) No strip shaded, height 72%
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Shading moves to next strip (right) and height reduces by 10% (80%×0.9=72%).
Q11. A series shows a line of alternating black and white beads: B W B W B … If the pattern shifts one bead to the right each step, what is the fifth step?
(a) W B W B W
(b) B W B W B
(c) W W B B W
(d) B B W W B
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Starting B W B W B, shift right → last bead moves to front: W B W B W.
Q12. A square contains a smaller square that moves from corner to corner clockwise, changing size (large, medium, small) each time. After a small square at the top‑right corner, what follows?
(a) Medium square at bottom‑right
(b) Large square at bottom‑right
(c) Medium square at top‑left
(d) Large square at top‑left
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Corner moves clockwise to bottom‑right; size cycles large→medium→small→large, so after small comes large.
Q13. In a pattern, a dot appears inside a circle, then outside to the right, then outside above, then outside left, then outside below, repeating. After a dot outside below, what is next?
(a) Dot inside the circle
(b) Dot outside to the right
(c) Dot outside above
(d) Dot outside left
Answer: (a)
Explanation: The sequence cycles: inside → right → above → left → below → inside.
Q14. A hexagonal nut shows a line through its centre that rotates 60° clockwise each step and alternates thick/thin. After a thin line at 180°, what follows?
(a) Thick line at 240°
(b) Thin line at 240°
(c) Thick line at 120°
(d) Thin line at 120°
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Rotation adds 60° → 240°; thickness toggles thin→thick.
Q15. A series of figures shows a circle with a number of spokes: 3, 5, 8, 12, … What is the next number of spokes?
(a) 16
(b) 17 (c) 18
(d) 19
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Differences: +2, +3, +4, +5 → next difference +6 → 12+6=18? Wait compute: 3→5 (+2), 5→8 (+3), 8→12 (+4), so next +5 → 12+5=17. Answer (b). Explanation: incremental increase by one each step.
Q16. A triangle with a shaded area at its base moves the shaded area to the next side clockwise each step and alternates shading direction (upward, downward). After a downward shade on the left side, what follows?
(a) Upward shade on the bottom side
(b) Downward shade on the bottom side
(c) Upward shade on the right side
(d) Downward shade on the right side
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Shade moves clockwise to bottom side, direction toggles downward→upward.
Q17. A pattern shows a stack of blocks: 1 block, then 2 blocks side‑by‑side, then 3 blocks in an L‑shape, then 4 blocks in a square. What arrangement follows for 5 blocks?
(a) A straight line of 5
(b) A plus sign shape (c) A 2×2 square with one extra on top
(d) A staircase of 5
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Shapes progress by adding a block to make the next compact shape; after a 2×2 square, the next compact shape is a 2×2 square with one block attached to a side.
Q18. A series of clocks shows times: 1:00, 2:10, 3:20, 4:30, … What time follows?
(a) 5:40
(b) 5:50 (c) 6:00
(d) 6:10
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Hour increases by 1, minute increases by 10 each step.
Q19. A shape consists of a circle with a line segment attached at its circumference. The segment length doubles each step and rotates 90° clockwise. After a segment of length 4 units pointing down, what follows?
(a) Length 8 units pointing left
(b) Length 8 units pointing right
(c) Length 4 units pointing left
(d) Length 8 units pointing up
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Length doubles (4→8); rotation 90° clockwise from down → left.
Q20. A pattern shows a square divided into four quadrants. In each step, the quadrant that is shaded shifts one quadrant clockwise and the shading style alternates (solid, dotted, solid,…). After a dotted shading in the bottom‑left quadrant, what follows?
(a) Solid shading in bottom‑right
(b) Dotted shading in bottom‑right
(c) Solid shading in top‑left
(d) Dotted shading in top‑left
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Shading moves clockwise to bottom‑right; style toggles dotted→solid.
Q21. A series of figures shows a line of alternating symbols: ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ … If the whole line shifts left by one symbol each step, what is the fourth step?
(a) ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆
(b) ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★
(c) ☆ ☆ ★ ★ ☆
(d) ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ★
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Starting ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★, shift left → drop first ★, append it at end → ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆.
Q22. A shape consists of a pentagon with a dot inside. The dot moves to the next vertex clockwise each step and the pentagon rotates 36° anticlockwise each step. After a dot at vertex 2 with the pentagon oriented at 72°, what follows?
(a) Dot at vertex 3, orientation 108°
(b) Dot at vertex 3, orientation 36°
(c) Dot at vertex 1, orientation 108°
(d) Dot at vertex 1, orientation 36°
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Dot moves clockwise to vertex 3; orientation adds 36° anticlockwise → 72°+36°=108°.
Q23. A series shows a circle with a number of radial lines: 2, 4, 7, 11, … What is the next number?
(a) 16
(b) 17
(c) 18
(d) 19
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Differences: +2, +3, +4, +5 → next +6 → 11+6=17? Wait recalc: 2→4 (+2), 4→7 (+3), 7→11 (+4), so next +5 → 11+5=16. Answer (a). Explanation: incremental increase by one each step.
Q24. A pattern shows a square with a smaller square inside that moves from one corner to the opposite corner diagonally each step, alternating between solid and hollow inner square. After a hollow inner square at the top‑left corner, what follows?
(a) Solid inner square at bottom‑right
(b) Hollow inner square at bottom‑right
(c) Solid inner square at top‑right (d) Hollow inner square at top‑right
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Move diagonally opposite to bottom‑right; shading toggles hollow→solid.
Q25. A series of figures shows a line with an arrowhead at its end. The arrowhead alternates between pointing up and down, and the line length increases by 2 units each step. After a downward arrow on a line of length 6, what follows?
(a) Upward arrow on length 8
(b) Downward arrow on length 8
(c) Upward arrow on length 6
(d) Downward arrow on length 6
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Length increases by 2 (6→8); arrow direction toggles down→up.
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End of 25 MCQs on Figure Series Completion.
