Article: Abstract reasoning test questions generally feature a series of patterns or shapes that are all related. Start each question simply by taking inventory of the building blocks of the pattern. Look for predictable changes from one image to the next, taking note of things like: The number of shapes The size of the shapes The number of sides each shape has The shading of each shape The orientation of each shape The patterns in an abstract reasoning test are dictated by a set of rules or relationships. Once you've taken notice of the shapes within a pattern, start looking for the rules that dictate how these shapes change. The items that you noted when evaluating the pattern will often relate to the change in the shapes. For example, the pattern may dictate that the biggest shape in an image has two more sides than the previous image. So the first image may show a triangle, while the second will show a pentagon. Depending on the level of test you are taking, the pattern may have more than one rule governing it. Evaluate each part of the pattern carefully to see if there are multiple rules. Always be prepared for the chance that a pattern may have more than one rule. Once you've figured out the rule for the pattern, pick the answer that should come next in the pattern sequence. Be sure to look at each answer option carefully, since they are typically designed to look similar. For example, if each shape in a pattern has two more sides than the previous shape, your test may show a triangle, a pentagon, and a septagon. The answer you would choose, then, would be a nonagon, or a polygon with nine sides.

What is a summary?
Evaluate the pattern or shape. Look for the pattern rules or relationships. Choose the answer that should come next in the pattern.