5.1 Pattern & Figure Series
Key Takeaways
- A figure series changes by ONE primary rule at a time — isolate the feature that changes by a constant step before predicting the next figure.
- Trackable features: side count, element count, rotation angle, shading cycle, and position shift; enumerate all five, then pick the one with a clean constant progression.
- Multiple features changing simultaneously is the standard trap — solve each feature independently, then combine only if both rules are consistent.
- Decoy distractors match exactly one feature but violate another; always verify the predicted figure satisfies EVERY changing feature, not just the obvious one.
5.1 Pattern & Figure Series
Quick Answer: In a figure series, exactly one feature changes by a constant rule each step — count of sides, count of elements, rotation angle, shading cycle, or position shift. Enumerate every feature, find the one with a clean constant step, and project that step forward one stage. Most wrong answers match only one feature and break another.
The Non-Verbal Intelligence portion of the PAF GD Pilot Initial Test carries roughly 25% of total marks, and figure series are the single most common item type within it. You will not be asked to draw anything; you will see four or five figures in a row and choose the figure that should come next from four options. Because this is a text guide, every figure is described in words — train yourself to picture the described shape, then apply the method.
The Feature Checklist
Before looking at the answer options, run every figure in the series through the same five-feature checklist. The rule that changes by a constant step is almost always one of these:
| # | Feature | What you track | Typical step |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Side count | Number of sides on the main polygon | +1 side per step (triangle → square → pentagon) |
| 2 | Element count | Number of small shapes inside or around the figure | +1 element per step, or doubling |
| 3 | Rotation | Angle the whole figure or an arrow inside it turns | 45°, 90°, or 120° per step |
| 4 | Shading | Which region is filled, or fill style (solid → striped → empty) | Cycles through a fixed order |
| 5 | Position shift | Where a dot or marker sits (top-left, top-right, bottom-right, bottom-left) | Clockwise corner move per step |
The method is deliberately exhaustive on purpose: checking all five features takes only a few seconds and protects you from the decoy trap described below.
Worked Example 1 — Rotation Rule
Series described in words: A triangle with a small dot at its top vertex appears in figure 1. In figure 2 the same triangle has rotated a quarter-turn clockwise and the dot is now at the right vertex. In figure 3 the triangle has rotated another quarter-turn clockwise and the dot is at the bottom vertex. What comes next?
Step 1 — Enumerate features. Side count: three in every figure (no change). Element count: one dot in every figure (no change). Shading: no fill in any figure (no change). Position shift: the dot moves from top → right → bottom, which is a clockwise 90° rotation per step. Rotation: the whole triangle rotates 90° clockwise per step.
Step 2 — Identify the changing feature. Two features move together here — the triangle's rotation and the dot's position — but they are the SAME rule viewed two ways: a 90° clockwise rotation of the entire figure carries the dot with it.
Step 3 — Project one step. Another 90° clockwise rotation puts the dot at the left vertex. The correct option is the triangle with the dot on the left vertex.
Worked Example 2 — Side-Count Rule
Series described in words: Figure 1 is a triangle (3 sides). Figure 2 is a square (4 sides). Figure 3 is a pentagon (5 sides). What comes next?
Side count increases by exactly one each step: 3 → 4 → 5 → 6. The next figure is a hexagon. Element count, rotation, shading, and position are all constant (no fill, no rotation, no extra elements), so the side-count rule is the only one operating.
Worked Example 3 — Combined Rotation and Shading
Series described in words: Figure 1 is an arrow pointing up, fully shaded. Figure 2 is the same arrow pointing right, half-shaded (striped). Figure 3 is the arrow pointing down, unshaded (outline only).
Two features change at once: rotation 90° clockwise per step (up → right → down → left), and shading cycles solid → striped → empty → solid. The next figure must satisfy BOTH: arrow pointing left AND solid-shaded. A decoy option showing a left-pointing striped arrow matches the rotation rule but breaks the shading cycle — reject it.
The Decoy Trap
PAF distractors are engineered to match exactly one feature and violate another. If you spot the rotation rule first and stop checking, you will pick the rotation-matching distractor even when its shading or element count is wrong. The defense is mechanical: after predicting the next figure, confirm it satisfies EVERY feature in your checklist, not only the one that first caught your eye.
Worked Example 4 — Position Shift
Series described in words: A square has a dot in its top-left corner in figure 1, top-right in figure 2, bottom-right in figure 3. What comes next?
The dot moves one corner clockwise per step. The next position is the bottom-left corner. The correct option is the square with a dot in the bottom-left corner. A common distractor places the dot in the top-left again (the figure-1 position) — that breaks the clockwise rule, so reject it.
A Mermaid View of the Method
The flow below captures the decision process for any series item. Run it on every question and you will rarely fall for a decoy.
A series shows a triangle, then a square, then a pentagon, all unshaded and unrotated. Which figure comes next?
An arrow points up in figure 1, right in figure 2, down in figure 3. What is the rotation rule and where should the arrow point next?
In a series, the arrow rotates 90° clockwise per step AND the shading cycles solid → striped → empty → solid. Figure 3 is a down-pointing, empty arrow. What is figure 4?
A square has a dot in the top-left corner in figure 1, top-right in figure 2, bottom-right in figure 3. Where is the dot in figure 4?