NVR: figure analogies

Watch it happen

Same change, twice

Figure 1 is a light grey kite pointing at 90 degrees. It is changed into figure 2. Before stepping on: what do you think changes?

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The idea

An analogy gives you a change and asks you to reuse it: the first figure turns into the second, so the third figure must turn into a fourth in exactly the same way. Never jump straight to the answers. First describe the change in words, as a list.

Check the first pair feature by feature, in a fixed order: shape, size, shading, direction, and number of parts or dots. Write down every change, even a small one. If the triangle grows, turns black and turns upside down, then all three changes belong in your list. A change that happens to only some answers is often the one that decides the question.

Now apply your list, in the same order, to the third figure. Do not copy the second figure: a square does not become a triangle unless 'change shape' was truly in your list. Finally, compare your finished figure with the choices and check it feature by feature. If two choices still match, you have missed a change, so return to the first pair and look again.

Worked example

Figure 1 is changed into figure 2. Figure 3 must go through exactly the same change. What does figure 3 become?

1. Figure 1 is a white flag pointing at 90 degrees with 2 dots. Figure 2 is a white flag pointing at 180 degrees with 1 dot. The change from 1 to 2 is: the shape turns 90 degrees clockwise and one dot is removed. Every part of the change happens together.

   

2. Figure 3 is a dark grey ell pointing at 45 degrees with 1 dot. It must go through exactly the same change — nothing added, nothing missed.

   

3. Apply the change to figure 3 and figure 4 is a dark grey ell pointing at 135 degrees.

   

Answer: A dark grey ell pointing at 135 degrees — the change is: the shape turns 90 degrees clockwise and one dot is removed.

Try one yourself

Same game: figure 1 becomes figure 2, and figure 3 must go through the same change. What does figure 3 become?

Watch out

• Copying the second figure's shape — the third figure keeps its own shape unless the rule says shape changes.
• Applying only the most obvious change, such as size, and missing a turn or a shading change.
• Inventing a change that is not in the first pair; every change in your answer must be evidenced there.