Shape Analogies
<p>Shape analogy questions follow the same logic as word analogies but use pictures instead of words. You are shown that shape A relates to shape B in a certain way, and you must apply the same relationship to shape C to find shape D.</p>
<h2>The Format</h2>
<p>The question shows: Shape A → Shape B, Shape C → ? You must choose the correct Shape D from the options so that the A-to-B relationship matches the C-to-D relationship.</p>
<h2>Common Transformations</h2>
<p>The relationship between A and B might involve one or more of these changes:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Size change:</strong> shape gets bigger or smaller</li>
<li><strong>Colour/shading change:</strong> black becomes white, or shading reverses</li>
<li><strong>Rotation:</strong> shape turns 90° or 180°</li>
<li><strong>Reflection:</strong> shape is flipped (mirror image)</li>
<li><strong>Shape change:</strong> the type of shape changes (circle becomes triangle)</li>
<li><strong>Addition/removal:</strong> an element is added or removed</li>
<li><strong>Position swap:</strong> elements inside the shape swap places</li>
<li><strong>Number change:</strong> the number of sides, dots, or lines changes</li>
</ul>
<h2>Step-by-Step Method</h2>
<ol>
<li><strong>Compare A and B:</strong> What exactly changed? List every difference.</li>
<li><strong>Define the rule:</strong> Express the change precisely. "The shape rotated 90° clockwise and the shading reversed."</li>
<li><strong>Apply the rule to C:</strong> Make each change you identified to shape C.</li>
<li><strong>Find the matching answer:</strong> Look through the options for the shape that matches your prediction.</li>
<li><strong>Verify:</strong> Check that your chosen answer has the SAME relationship to C as B has to A.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Worked Example 1: Single Change</h2>
<p>A: large black circle → B: small black circle<br>
C: large black triangle → D: ?</p>
<p>The change from A to B: the shape got smaller (everything else stayed the same).<br>
Apply to C: a large black triangle becomes a small black triangle.<br>
Answer: small black triangle.</p>
<h2>Worked Example 2: Two Changes</h2>
<p>A: white square with a dot in the top-left → B: black square with a dot in the bottom-right<br>
C: white circle with a cross in the top-left → D: ?</p>
<p>Changes from A to B: (1) shading reversed (white → black), (2) internal element moved diagonally opposite (top-left → bottom-right).<br>
Apply to C: (1) white circle → black circle, (2) cross moves from top-left → bottom-right.<br>
Answer: black circle with a cross in the bottom-right.</p>
<h2>Worked Example 3: Shape and Rotation</h2>
<p>A: upward-pointing arrow inside a circle → B: rightward-pointing arrow inside a square<br>
C: upward-pointing arrow inside a triangle → D: ?</p>
<p>Changes: (1) the arrow rotated 90° clockwise, (2) the outer shape gained one side (circle → square, i.e., more sides). But circles do not have a fixed number of sides. Let us reconsider: perhaps the outer shape simply changes to the "next" shape (circle → square). Then triangle → pentagon? Or perhaps circle → square is arbitrary and we should focus on the arrow rotation. In real exams, the pattern is always clear. The answer would be: rightward-pointing arrow inside the next logical outer shape.</p>
<h2>Tricky Analogies</h2>
<p>Watch out for:</p>
<ul>
<li>Changes that only affect PART of the shape (the outer shape changes but the inner shape stays the same)</li>
<li>Multiple simultaneous changes — you must apply ALL of them, not just the most obvious one</li>
<li>Distractor answers that apply the changes in the wrong order or apply only some of them</li>
</ul>
<h2>Practice Tips</h2>
<ul>
<li>Always list EVERY difference between A and B before looking at the answer options</li>
<li>Check your answer by verifying: "Does D relate to C in exactly the same way that B relates to A?"</li>
<li>If two answers look possible, the correct one applies ALL the changes, not just some</li>
<li>Practise drawing your predicted answer before looking at the options — this prevents you from being misled by distractors</li>
<li>Work through practice papers to build familiarity with common transformation patterns</li>
</ul>