Figure Series: Meaning, Reasoning Questions with Answers, Tricks

Figure series in reasoning is a sequence of figures that follow a particular pattern and an aspirant has to identify that pattern to get the next missing figure in the figure series. Figure series is generally asked in many Government exams like SSC, Railway, Insurance, Defence and CUET, IPMAT and other competitive exams. Figure series problems are generally asked to check the problem-solving ability of the aspirants and whether an aspirant can solve the problem quickly by applying their logic. Figure series can be based on different geometrical shapes symbols, letters, numbers or pictures.

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This Story also Contains

1. Types of Figure Series
2. Question Weightage of Figure Series in Competitive Exams
3. Practice Question For Figure Series
4. Figure Series Questions for BITSAT/ CUET/ IPMAT
5. Figure Series Questions for SSC CHSL/ SSC STENOGRAPHER/ SSC CGL/ SSC CPO exams
6. Figure Series Questions for Railway Recruitment Board Exams

Types of Figure Series

There are the following types of figure series -

1. Missing Figure in a Series

2. Incorrect Order in a Series

3. Wrong Figure in a Series

4. Three, Four or Five Figure Series

Let’s understand in detail all the types -

1. Missing Figure in a Series

In this type of figure series, a series of figures are given and a figure of series is missing and an aspirant has to find the missing figure by determining the pattern that follows in the given question figure. To solve these types of questions, an aspirant has to look into the series given and observe the changes from figure one to the next figure and so on and apply the same logic to get the required missing figure in the series.

Example:

Directions: Select the figure from the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

Solution:
In the figure given, each alphabet covers half the distance in the anticlockwise direction. Follow the directions to find the next term.

Hence, the second option is correct.

2. Incorrect Order in Series

In this type of figure series, a figure series is given in the question and all the figures are numbered in terms of numbers or letters and an aspirant has to determine the correct order of the series.
Example:
Directions: In the series, figures are numbered (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5). These figures are arranged in incorrect order. Determine the correct order of the series.

1. 2, 1, 3, 4, 5

2. 3, 4, 5, 1, 2

3. 1, 2, 3, 5, 4

4. 2, 3, 1, 4, 5

Solution:
The pattern of the series is as follows -

3. Wrong Figure in a Series

In this type of figure series, a series of figures is given in the question and an aspirant has to determine the wrong figure in the series.
Example:

Directions: Out of the following five figures, four are alike in some manner and one differs from these in that manner. Select the odd figure.

Solution:

According to the given figures –

In Images first, second, third, and fifth, the half arrow is drawn to the right-hand side of the arrows at the other end of the line.

But in image 4, the half arrow is drawn to the left-hand side of the arrows at the other end of the line.

So, the fourth image differs from the other images, and the fourth image is given in the first option.

Hence, the first option is correct.

4. Three, Four or Five Figure Series

In this type of series, a series of three, four or five figures is given that follow a pattern and in answer, we have a set of answer figures. By following the same pattern an aspirant has to find the figure from the set of answer figures, that follows the same pattern as given in the question figure.
Example:

Directions: Which of the given figures when placed in the 5th position would continue the series that is established by the first four figures?

Solution

According to the given figures –

1. The shaded arrow is changing its position 90° in the clockwise direction.

2. The unshaded arrow is also changing its position 90° in the clockwise direction.

So, following the above pattern, the required figure will be as follows –

Therefore, the figure in the second option is the required figure. Hence, the second option is correct.

Question Weightage of Figure Series in Competitive Exams

The number of questions based on analogy varies from exam to exam -
1) Figure series question asked in SSC exams i.e. SSC MTS, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC CPO, Steno - 2 to 3 questions.
2) Figure series question asked in the Railways exam i.e. Group D, NTPC, JE, ALP etc - 1 to 2 questions.
3) Figure series questions asked in CUET, NPAT and other college entrance exams - 1 to 2 questions.

Practice Question For Figure Series

1. Directions: Select the figure that will replace the question mark (?) in the following figure series.

Solution:
Follow the pattern to obtain the missing figure in the given series –

Hence, the third option is correct.

2. Directions: Select the figure from the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

Solution:

In the figure given, each alphabet covers half the distance in the anticlockwise direction. Follow the directions to find the next term.

Hence, the second option is correct.

3. Directions: Select the figure from the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

Solution:

Here the pattern is as follows —

1. In each box one more line with a circle at the corner has been added.

2. Each time the circle is added from the bottom to the top alternatively.

The following figure will complete the given pattern —

Hence, the first option is correct.

4. Directions: Select the figure from among the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

Solution:

According to the given question figure –

The figure given in each box is rotated by 45° in a clockwise direction.

So, following the above pattern, the required figure will be as follows –

Therefore, the figure in the fourth option is the required figure. Hence, the fourth option is correct.

5. Directions: Select the figure from among the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

Solution:

Here the pattern is as follows —

In each box, one line at a time from right to left is flipped vertically.

Therefore, the complete series is as follows —

Hence, the third option is correct.

6. Directions: Select the figure from among the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

Solution:

Here the pattern is as follows –

1. The shaded part is moving to the one block in a clockwise direction.

2. The line attached at the corner of the figure is moving in an anticlockwise direction.

The following figure will complete the given pattern –

Hence, the fourth option is correct.

7. Directions: Select the figure from among the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

Solution:

Here the pattern is as follows —

In the given figure, the inner line of the hexagon moves one by one in a clockwise direction such as firstly it is from A to C, then it moves to A to D, A to E, B to D, B to E, and finally from B to F.

The following figure will complete the given pattern —

Hence, the first option is correct.

8. Directions: Select the figure from among the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

Solution:

According to the given question figure –

The figure given in each box is rotated by 45°, 90°, 135°, and 180° respectively in clockwise direction.

So, following the above pattern, the required figure will be as follows –

Therefore, the figure in the third option is the required figure. Hence, the third option is correct.

9. Directions: Which of the given figures when placed in the 5th position would continue the series that is established by the first four figures?

Solution:

In the above-given figure series, each element shifts one position in an anticlockwise direction.

So, following the pattern, the required figure will be as follows –

Hence, the second option is correct.

10. Directions: Out of the following five figures, four are alike in some manner and one differs from these in that manner. Select the odd figure.

Solution:

In the given series, the symbols inside the figure box are in a set pattern. For each of the figures, the symbols are in sequence of star, circle, parallel lines, and hash in a clockwise direction. Only the fourth figure in the series does not follow the pattern. Thus, the answer figure is:

Hence, the third option is correct.

11. Directions: Which figure from the given options would replace the question mark (?) if the following figure series were to be continued?

Solution

According to the given figures –

1. X and triangle interchange their positions at each step.

2. O and T interchange their positions at each step.

3. At each step, a new character/symbol is introduced which replaces the center element.

So, following the above pattern, the required figure will be as follows –

Hence, the third option is correct.

12. Directions: Select the figure that will replace the question mark (?) in the following figure series.

Solution

In the given figure, follow the directions to find the next term –

Hence, the first option is correct.

13. Directions: Select a suitable figure from the answer figures that would replace the question mark (?).

Solution

The movement of geometrical shape is as follows —

The top left corner shifted to the top right corner, the top right corner shifted to the bottom left corner, the bottom left corner shifted to the bottom right corner, the centre shifted to the top left corner, and the bottom left corner shifted to the centre.

Therefore, in the given figure the following pattern will complete the series –

Hence, the second option is correct.

14. Directions: Select the figure from among the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

Solution

According to the given question figure –

The number of crosses (x) on the right-hand side is reduced by 1 in each box, while the number of zeroes (0) is increased by 1 in each box.

So, following the above pattern, the required figure will be as follows –

Therefore, the figure in the first option is the required figure. Hence, the first option is correct.

15. Directions: Select the figure that will replace the question mark (?) in the following figure series.

Solution

In the given figure, follow the directions to find the next term –

Hence, the third option is correct.

Figure Series Questions for BITSAT/ CUET/ IPMAT

1) Directions: Which figure should replace the question mark (?) if the series were to be continued?

1)

2)

3)

4)

Solution

In the given figure, follow the directions to find the next term –

1. An arrow at the centre is rotating 45° in the clockwise direction.

2. B is rotating by 90° in the anti-clockwise direction. Movement of B – Top left→Top centre→Top right

3. A greater than symbol is rotating 90° in the anti-clockwise direction. Movement of (<) symbol in every alternate box –

Bottom centre→Bottom left→Bottom right→Bottom left

So, following the above pattern, the required figure will be as follows –

Therefore, the figure in the fourth option is the required figure. Hence, the fourth option is correct.

2) Directions: Select the figure from among the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

1)

2)

3)

4)

Solution

According to the given figure series –

1. The '(' element in each figure is increasing alternately and subsequently shifting in the anticlockwise direction.

2. Only two such lines are being formed in the same direction.

So the answer figure is:

So the series becomes:

Hence, the first option is correct.

Figure Series Questions for SSC CHSL/ SSC STENOGRAPHER/ SSC CGL/ SSC CPO exams

1) Directions: Select the figure that will replace the question mark (?) in the following figure series.

1)

2)

3)

4)

Solution

In the given figure, alternate boxes are similar to each other.

Thus, the missing part of the figure is alternated to –

Therefore, the complete figure is –

Hence, the second option is correct.

2) Directions: Select the figure from among the given options that can replace the question mark (?) in the following series.

1)

2)

3)

4)

Solution

According to the given figure series –

From Box 1 to Box 2 – The square becomes unshaded and shifts at the first position followed by the unshaded triangle at the second position and the circle at the third position. The symbol at the third position, i.e., the circle becomes shaded. The letter A is being increased by three, resulting in the letter D.

From Box 2 to Box 3 – The circle becomes unshaded and shifts at the first position followed by the unshaded square at the second position and the triangle at the third position. The symbol at the third position, i.e., the triangle becomes shaded. The letter D is being increased by three, resulting in the letter G.

From Box 3 to Box 4 – The triangle becomes unshaded and shifts at the first position followed by the unshaded circle at the second position and the square at the third position. The symbol at the third position, i.e., the square becomes shaded. The letter G is being increased by three, resulting in the letter J.

Similarly, from Box 4 to Box 5 – The square will become unshaded and will shift at the first position followed by the unshaded triangle at the second position and the circle at the third position. The symbol at the third position, i.e., the circle becomes shaded. The letter J will be increased by three, resulting in the letter M.

The following figure will complete the given pattern –

Hence, the fourth option is correct.

Figure Series Questions for Railway Recruitment Board Exams

1) Directions: Select the figure that will replace the question mark (?) in the following figure series.

1)

2)

3)

4)

Solution

According to the given question figure –

The triangle on the top left side is shaded alternatively while the image in the center remains unaltered.

Therefore, the following figure will complete the given series –

Hence, the fourth option is correct.

About the Faculty
Tanu Gupta, with over a decade of experience as a reasoning faculty, specializes in preparing students for various entrance examinations and career development. Her extensive work with multiple educational platforms and institutions has honed her expertise in logical and analytical thinking. Her dedication to innovative teaching methods ensures these articles provide practical insights and expert guidance.