Figure Analogy (Non-Verbal)
Figure Analogy (Non-Verbal)
In a figure analogy, figure 1 changes into figure 2 by some rule, and you apply the same rule to figure 3. The rule is almost always one of five changes: rotation, adding or removing elements, swapping inside and outside, changing shading, or a mirror or flip. Here the figures are described in words, the way you should describe them to yourself in the exam.
1. Rule Checklist
| Change | What to check | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rotation | Direction and angle (45°, 90°, 135°, 180°), clockwise or anticlockwise | Arrow north → east is 90° clockwise |
| Count | Number of sides, lines, dots or elements, +1 or −1 | Triangle with 1 dot → square with 2 dots |
| Inside-outside swap | The inner shape becomes the outer and vice versa | Square in circle → circle in square |
| Shading | Black ↔ white, or the shaded part moves one step | Black outer, white inner → white outer, black inner |
| Mirror or flip | Vertical mirror swaps left-right; water image swaps top-bottom | F → mirror F facing left |
Compass steps: each step of 45° moves N → NE → E → SE → S → SW → W → NW
180° rotation = vertical mirror followed by horizontal mirror; it is not a single mirror image
Check at least two features (shape and shading, or position and count): the right option matches every change
✗ b changed to q, so the rule is a mirror image | ✓ A vertical mirror turns b into d; b to q is a 180° rotation
✗ Only the outer shape changed, so ignore the shading | ✓ Check every feature; a hidden shading change rules options out
हिंदी नोट: आकृति सादृश्यता में देखिए कि आकृति 1 से 2 में क्या बदला: घूर्णन, संख्या, अंदर-बाहर की अदला-बदली, छायांकन या दर्पण प्रतिबिंब। वही नियम आकृति 3 पर लगाइए।
Exam Pointer: These patterns had no verified NTPC shift in our check (the figure-analogy pages found were from other RRB and DSSSB papers) and are tagged syllabus-based. Non-verbal items are part of the NTPC reasoning syllabus, so learn the five rules.
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: Rotation
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Figure 1 is an arrow pointing north; figure 2 is the same arrow pointing east. Figure 3 is an arrow pointing west. What is figure 4?
North to east is a 90° clockwise turn. West turned 90° clockwise points north.
Answer: Arrow pointing north
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Figure 1 is an arrow pointing north-east; figure 2 is the arrow pointing west. Figure 3 is the arrow pointing south. What is figure 4?
NE → N → NW → W is three 45° steps anticlockwise, a 135° anticlockwise turn. From south, three steps anticlockwise: S → SE → E → NE.
Answer: Arrow pointing north-east
Pattern 2: Counting sides and elements
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Figure 1 shows 2 circles; figure 2 shows 3 circles. Figure 3 shows 4 triangles. What is figure 4?
One more element of the same shape: 5 triangles.
Answer: 5 triangles
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Figure 1 is a triangle with 1 dot inside; figure 2 is a square with 2 dots inside. Figure 3 is a pentagon with 3 dots inside. What is figure 4?
Both the sides and the dots go up by one. A pentagon with 3 dots becomes a hexagon with 4 dots.
Answer: Hexagon with 4 dots
Pattern 3: Inside-outside swap with shading
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Figure 1 is a small shaded square inside a large plain circle; figure 2 is a small shaded circle inside a large plain square. Figure 3 is a small shaded triangle inside a large plain hexagon. What is figure 4?
The two shapes swap places and the shading stays on the inner shape. So a small shaded hexagon inside a large plain triangle.
Answer: Small shaded hexagon inside a large plain triangle
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Figure 1 is a large black circle holding a small white square; figure 2 is a large white square holding a small black circle. Figure 3 is a large black pentagon holding a small white star. What is figure 4?
Two changes happen together: the shapes swap places and the colours invert. So the outer shape becomes a white star and the inner a black pentagon.
Answer: Large white star holding a small black pentagon
Pattern 4: Mirror image or rotation
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Figure 1 is the letter F; figure 2 is F reflected in a vertical mirror (its arms point left). Figure 3 is the letter L. What is figure 4?
Apply the same vertical mirror: L with its foot pointing left.
Answer: L with the foot pointing left
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Figure 1 is the letter b and figure 2 is the letter q. Figure 3 is the letter d. What is figure 4?
A vertical mirror would turn b into d, not q. Turning b by 180° gives q, so the rule is a half turn. d turned by 180° gives p.
Answer: p
60-Second Revision
- Check rotation, count, swap, shading and mirror, in that order.
- Count compass steps of 45° for rotations.
- A half turn is not a mirror image: b → q by rotation, b → d by mirror.
- The correct option matches every change, not just one.
Next Step: Analogy done. Attempt the analogy set in the ExamAtlas RRB NTPC 2026 mock tests; say each relation as one sentence before you look at the options.