Figure Series
Figure Series is a non-verbal reasoning topic in which a sequence of figures is shown and the candidate has to find the next figure that continues the sequence, or the missing figure that fits in a gap in the sequence. The topic tests the ability to detect a pattern that changes in a regular way. Unlike figure analogy, where only two pairs are compared, a series asks the candidate to watch the change across several steps and decide what the change will be at the next step. This makes it a little more demanding, because a single figure cannot show the rule; the rule has to be gathered from the movement of the whole row. Steady practice makes the pattern jump out quite quickly.
Meaning of a Figure Series Question
A figure series question presents four or five figures one after another and leaves the last place marked with a question mark, or marks a middle figure with a question mark. All the figures obey one common rule that operates from step to step. The candidate reads the rule from the earlier figures and applies one more step to obtain the answer. The rule may be rotation by a fixed angle, addition or removal of a line or a dot, alternation between two shapes, an increase in the number of elements, a change of shading, or a combination of these. The answer is the option that both continues the visible trend and obeys the same rule as all the earlier steps.
Common Rules Used in Figure Series
- Rotation of the figure by a fixed angle at every step.
- Addition of one line, dot or curve at every step.
- Removal of one element at every step.
- Alternation between two figures, that is A, B, A, B and so on.
- Increase in the number of parts by a fixed number at every step.
- Progressive shading of more and more parts.
- Movement of a dot from one corner to the next.
- Change in the size of the figure at a fixed rate.
- Symmetric figures changing to a mirror image and back.
- A repeating cycle of three or four figures.
Types of Figure Series
Some series are based on rotation, where a marker such as a shaded corner turns by a fixed angle. Some are based on counting, where the number of sides or the number of elements increases in a simple progression. Some are based on alternation, where two different figures appear turn by turn. Some are based on a cycle, where a group of three or four figures repeats. Some series combine two independent changes, such as a dot moving and the outline rotating at the same time, and these require the candidate to track both changes together.
How to Solve a Figure Series Question
- Compare the first and the second figure and note what changed.
- Compare the second and the third figure to confirm the same change.
- Apply one more step of that change to the last visible figure.
- If changes alternate, find the cycle length before predicting.
- For two combined changes, track each change separately.
Worked Examples
If a line inside a square moves from the top edge to the right edge and then to the bottom edge, it is turning clockwise by ninety degrees at every step, so after the bottom it will appear on the left edge. If the number of small circles inside a shape is two, three and four, then the next figure will contain five circles. If the figures alternate between a shaded triangle and an unshaded triangle, then after the unshaded one the next will be shaded. If the number of sides of a polygon is three, four, five, then the next figure will be a hexagon with six sides.
How This Topic Appears in the Examination
Figure series is usually asked as a small set of objective questions carrying one mark each. The series is short, often only four or five figures, so the pattern has to be found quickly. Some questions hide the rule by combining two changes, which is where most candidates lose marks. With regular practice a candidate learns to check the familiar rules in a fixed order, which makes even the combined series manageable within a minute per question.
Memory Tips
Always compare two consecutive pairs before deciding the rule, because one pair alone can be misleading. Check the simple ideas first: rotation, addition, removal and alternation. Keep an eye on the number of elements, since the commonest series increases or decreases them by one. Watch a single moving part such as a dot or a shaded corner, because following one part is easier than watching the whole figure. If the row repeats, find the cycle length and use it to skip straight to the answer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Judging the rule from one pair of figures only.
- Missing a second change such as a dot that is also moving.
- Miscounting the elements in the later figures.
- Forgetting that a series may run in a cycle rather than in a straight line.
- Choosing an option that only looks like the last figure.
How to Prepare This Topic
- Learn the common series rules of rotation, counting and alternation.
- Practise at least twenty series questions every day.
- After solving, write the rule in one line to fix it in memory.
- Practise combined series by tracking each change separately.
- Time yourself so that each question takes less than a minute.
Additional Solved Examples
If a dot moves from the top-left to the top-right, then to the bottom-right, then to the bottom-left, it is moving clockwise around the corners, so next it will return to the top-left. If a figure loses one line at every step, then a figure with three lines will be followed by one with two lines and then one line. If the size of a square grows steadily, then next it will be larger than the previous one by the same amount. If the sequence is a circle, a triangle, a circle, a triangle, the cycle length is two, so the next figure after the triangle is a circle. Each of these rules is found by comparing two consecutive pairs.
Advanced Tips
When a series contains two changes, temporarily ignore one of them and look only at the other; the simpler change often becomes obvious, and the second can then be read from the remaining movement. In rotation series, follow a marked corner or a shaded part rather than the whole outline. In counting series, write the numbers below the figures so that the progression is visible. If the series looks irregular, check whether it repeats after three or four figures, because a cycle is a very common trick. Finally, test your predicted answer against the last two figures, not just the last one, to make sure it fits the trend.
Related Non-Verbal Topics
Figure Series is closely connected with Figure Analogy, Figure Classification and Pattern Completion. Analogy applies one rule to a pair, and a series applies one rule repeatedly; the two share the same idea of change. Classification finds the figure that breaks a rule, which is the reverse of continuing a rule. Pattern Completion asks for the missing part of a design, which again depends on reading a repeated pattern. Practising all of them together sharpens the eye for regular change, which is exactly what these questions reward.
Quick Revision Checklist
- Compare at least two consecutive pairs before fixing the rule.
- Check rotation, addition, removal and alternation first.
- Count the elements in each figure carefully.
- Follow one moving part such as a dot or shaded corner.
- Look for a repeating cycle of three or four figures.
- Track two changes separately if both are present.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a figure series question?
It shows a row of figures that change in a fixed way and asks you to find the next figure or the missing figure that continues the pattern.
What are the common rules in a figure series?
Rotation by a fixed angle, addition or removal of elements, alternation between two figures, increasing the number of parts and progressive shading are the common rules.
How do I handle a series with two changes?
Follow each change separately, first identifying the simpler one and then reading the second from the remaining movement of the figures.
How do I know if the series is a cycle?
Compare the figures at the first and the fourth or fifth place; if they repeat, the series runs in a cycle and the answer repeats the same pattern.
How much time should each question take?
A short series should take about a minute. Practising the common rules in a fixed order keeps the speed high.