Non-Verbal Reasoning — Study Notes for SOF NSO

Overview

Non-Verbal Reasoning tests your ability to analyze, interpret and solve problems using visual information rather than words or numbers. In SOF NSO, this section accounts for a significant portion of the Logical Reasoning component and appears across all class levels. Unlike verbal problems that rely on language skills, non-verbal reasoning measures pure logical thinking through figures, shapes and patterns.

The core challenge is identifying relationships between figures—whether it's spotting what comes next in a series, finding the odd one out in a group, or recognizing how two figures relate by analogy. These questions assess spatial intelligence, pattern recognition and the ability to think abstractly. Mastery requires practice in systematically analyzing figures by breaking them down into elements: shape, size, rotation, shading, number of elements and position.

Students often struggle because they try to "see" the answer intuitively rather than methodically checking each attribute. Success comes from developing a step-by-step approach: examine one feature at a time, eliminate impossible options and verify your answer against all given figures.

Key Concepts

• **Figure Pattern Recognition**: Every figure is composed of distinct elements—outer shape, inner elements, shading patterns, line styles, symmetry and orientation. Learn to deconstruct complex figures into these basic attributes systematically.

• **Transformation Rules**: Figures change following logical rules—rotation (clockwise/anticlockwise by 90°/180°), reflection (horizontal/vertical flip), size change (enlargement/reduction) or element addition/deletion. One rule or multiple rules may apply simultaneously.

• **Series Logic**: In figure series, each step follows a consistent rule. The pattern may involve progressive change (adding one element each time), alternating patterns (ABAB sequence) or cyclic rotation through positions.

• **Analogy Relationships**: Figure analogy follows the format A:B::C:D meaning "A is to B as C is to D". The relationship between A and B must be identical to the relationship between C and D. Common relationships include rotation, shape change, element swap or positional shift.

• **Classification Principle**: In odd-one-out problems, three or four figures share a common property while one differs. The distinguishing feature could be symmetry, number of sides, type of shading, direction of rotation or any other attribute.

• **Element Counting**: Many problems hinge on counting specific elements—number of dots, lines, triangles, intersections or enclosed regions. Systematic counting prevents errors.

• **Positional Analysis**: Track how elements move within a figure—clockwise/anticlockwise movement, diagonal shifts, corner-to-center movement or exchange of positions between elements.

• **Negative Space Recognition**: Sometimes the answer lies in what's NOT present—missing segments, gaps or spaces between elements form the pattern rather than the solid elements themselves.

Key Facts

1. **Figure series problems** typically show 4-5 figures with one missing position marked with a question mark; find the figure that logically continues or completes the series.

2. **Analogy format** presents three figures (A, B, C) and asks which option relates to C the same way B relates to A—the transformation is identical.

3. **Classification questions** show 4-5 figures where one doesn't belong; identify the unique property that makes one figure different from all others.

4. **Rotation angles** commonly used are 45°, 90°, 180° and 270° in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions.

5. **Symmetry types** include line symmetry (vertical, horizontal, diagonal) and rotational symmetry (figure looks identical after rotation).

6. **Shading patterns** include full shading, half shading, quarter shading, diagonal lines, dots, crosshatching and alternating sections.

7. **Common transformations**: mirror image (left-right flip), water image (top-bottom flip), inversion (180° rotation) and size scaling.

8. **Multiple rules** often apply together—a figure might rotate 90° clockwise AND change its shading pattern simultaneously.

Worked Examples

**Example 1: Figure Series**

Problem: Find the next figure in the series: A square with 1 dot (top-left) → A square with 2 dots (top-left, top-right) → A square with 3 dots (top-left, top-right, bottom-right) → ?

*Step 1*: Identify the pattern—dots are being added one at a time moving clockwise around corners.

*Step 2*: The sequence follows corners: top-left → top-right → bottom-right → next should be bottom-left.

*Step 3*: The fourth figure should show a square with 4 dots at all four corners.

**Answer**: Square with dots at all four corners.

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**Example 2: Figure Analogy**

Problem: Triangle:Hexagon::Square:? (Where Triangle has 3 sides, Hexagon has 6 sides, Square has 4 sides)

*Step 1*: Analyze relationship between first pair—Triangle (3 sides) relates to Hexagon (6 sides). The relationship is "double the number of sides".

*Step 2*: Apply same relationship to second pair—Square has 4 sides, so answer must have 8 sides.

*Step 3*: Look for an octagon (8-sided figure) in the options.

**Answer**: Octagon.

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**Example 3: Odd One Out**

Problem: Identify the different figure among: (A) Circle (B) Oval (C) Ring (D) Triangle

*Step 1*: Analyze common property—Circle, Oval and Ring are all curved figures with no straight lines.

*Step 2*: Identify exception—Triangle is the only figure with straight sides and corners.

*Step 3*: Verify—all others share the curved property; Triangle is the only angular figure.

**Answer**: (D) Triangle.

Common Mistakes

**Mistake 1**: *Looking at overall appearance only* → Students see figures holistically and miss subtle changes. **Fix**: Train yourself to examine each attribute separately—shape, shading, orientation, element count, position—using a mental checklist.

**Mistake 2**: *Assuming single-rule patterns* → Many students find one transformation and stop looking. **Fix**: Always check if multiple rules apply simultaneously. A figure might rotate AND add elements in the same step.

**Mistake 3**: *Ignoring direction of rotation* → Confusing clockwise with anticlockwise rotation leads to wrong answers. **Fix**: Mark a reference point on the figure (like a dot or corner) and physically trace the rotation direction to confirm.

**Mistake 4**: *Miscounting elements* → Rushing through counting leads to off-by-one errors, especially in complex figures. **Fix**: Use your finger or pencil to touch each element as you count. For overlapping figures, count systematically from left to right or top to bottom.

**Mistake 5**: *Choosing visually similar options* → Students pick answers that "look close" rather than follow the logical rule. **Fix**: Don't trust your eyes alone—verify that your chosen answer satisfies the exact transformation rule you identified.

Quick Reference

• Break every figure into: shape + size + shading + orientation + elements + position—check each systematically.
• In series problems, verify your answer by applying the rule to all given figures, not just the last one.
• For analogies, state the relationship in words ("rotates 90° clockwise") before looking at options.
• Odd-one-out has exactly ONE distinguishing feature—if you find two differences, you're analyzing the wrong property.
• Common transformations: rotate 90°/180°, flip horizontal/vertical, add/remove one element, change shading.
• When stuck, eliminate obviously wrong options first, then compare remaining choices feature-by-feature.