Abstract

Reasoning
Ferndale International
School
College Entrance Test
Review
Abstract reasoning refers
to the ability to analyze
information, detect patterns
and relationships, and solve
problems on a complex,
intangible level.
Abstract reasoning skills
include: Being able to
formulate theories about
the nature of objects and
ideas.
Completing the series
 1

A B C D E

The first square has 25 black squares, the second has 16, the third 9, the
fourth 4 and so the 5th will have one square (reducing sequence of the
square numbers 25, 16, 9, 4, 1)
Also squares are removed from the right and from the bottom, so the final
square will be in the top left corner.
ANSWER: D
2

A B C D E

The first box has two lines, the second 3, the third 4, the fourth 5 and so
the fifth box will have six lines, so the answer is..

ANSWER: C
3

A B C D E

The first box has 5 short lines and no long lines, the second box: 4 short &
1 long, the third box: 3 short & 2 long, the fourth box 2 short and 3 long. So
each time there is one more long line and one less short line, so in the fifth
box there will be 1 short and 4 long lines.
ANSWER: A
4

A B C D E

Each box contains 8 straight lines and a circle. Only answer C contains 8
straight lines and a circle.

ANSWER: C
5

A B C D E

The first box has 7 straight lines, the second 11, the third 15, the fourth 19
and so the fifth box will have 23 lines, so the answer is D

ANSWER: D
6

A B C D E
Triangle pattern: Triangle Triangle None Triangle… The next one should
have a Triangle.
All images have V.

ANSWER: D
 2 3
4

7
1

A B C D E
Number of black circles: 1, 2, 3, 4… so the next one in the pattern should
have 5.

ANSWER: A
8

A B C D E
Shapes are rotating COUNTERCLOCKWISE

Answer should have a square at the upper right corner to continue the
counterclockwise movement.

ANSWER: B
9

A B C D E
Number of squares: 3, 4, 5, 6… the next one should have 7.
The set of 3 squares should be on top, and the other set should be at the
bottom.

ANSWER: A
 4 3 2 1
10
8 6 4 2

A B C D E
Number of black circles are decreasing: 4, 3, 2, 1.
Next one should have 0.

Gray circles are decreasing by 2: 8, 6, 4, 2.

Next one should have 0.
ANSWER: B
11
f g e h d i c ?
A.A B. B
C. J D. K
E. L

2 interspersed sequences:
First pattern F E D C: decreasing by one

Second pattern: G H I: increasing by one

 answer should follow this pattern, so..

ANSWER: C
 y e w g u i ?
12
A. S B. T
C. R D. K
E. L

2 interspersed sequences again.

First one decrementing by 2, second incrementing by 2.
Answer should follow first pattern.

ANSWER: A
13
g ? d i j d k l d

A. F B. E
C. C D. H E. D

Take out the d's and you get a simple alphabetical sequence!

ANSWER: D
14
b c e g k ? q s

A. L B. M
C. N D. O E. P
Prime numbers:
B=2, C=3, E=5, G=7, K=11, ___, Q=17, S=19
Next one should be 13. Answer is…

ANSWER: B
15
1 21 13 ?
8 7 2 35

A. 5 B. 6 C. 4 D. 23
8 8 35 35
Alternating numbers are added.
1/8 + ½ = ___ (answer)
2/7 + 13/35 = 23/35

ANSWER: D
16
-5 3 -2 1 10

A. 3 B. -3
C. 4 D. -4

-5 x -2 = 10

3 x 1 = __

ANSWER: A
 17
1 3 9 27 81

A. 223 B. 253
C. 243 D. 213
Each number is multiplied by 3 every time to get the next number in the
pattern, starts with number 1:
1x3 = 3
3x3= 9
9x3= 27
27x3= 81
81x3= ______

ANSWER: C
 18
1 5 17 53 161

A. 465B. 485
C. 365D. 385
Each number is multiplied by 3 then 2 is added every time to get the next
number in the pattern, starts with number 1:
1x3 +2 = 5
5x3 +2 = 17
17x3 +2 = 53
53x3 +2 = 161
161x3 = 483+2= ____

ANSWER: B
 19
1 5 14 30 55

A. 105 B. 95
C. 81 D. 91
Perfect squares are added to each number to get the next one:
1+4 = 5
5+9 = 14
14+16 = 30
30+25 = 55
55+ (next perfect square is 36)= ____

ANSWER: D
Spatial problems
 Use the map to answer the question: Officer McKay starts from
20 location ‘O’ and proceeds as follows: left onto plaza way -
heading North, second left - heading west, second left -
heading south, first left - heading east. She proceeds for one
block. What is her location?
A.M
B. N
C. R
D. P

ANSWER: B
21If you continue folding along the dotted
line, which image would result?

A B C D E

ANSWER: E
22 Identify the figure when folded:

A B C D

ANSWER: A
23 Find the number of triangles in the given
figure:

A. 8 B. 10 C. 12 D.
14

ANSWER: D
24 Find the minimum number of straight lines
required to make the given figure:

A. 13 B. 15 C. 17
D. 19

ANSWER: A
25 Find out the alternative figure which
contains figure (X) as its part.

X 1 2 3 4

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

ANSWER: D
26 Find out the alternative figure
which contains figure (X) as its part.

X 1 2 3 4

A.
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

ANSWER: A
27 Find out the alternative figure which
contains figure (X) as its part.

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

ANSWER: A
 Find out the alternative figure which
contains figure (X) as its part.

28

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

ANSWER: C
 Select the alternative which represents three
out of the five alternative figures which when
fitted into each other would form a complete
29 square.

A. 1, 4, 5 C. 2,
4, 5
B. 1, 2, 3
D. 2, 3, 4

ANSWER: C
 Select the alternative which represents three
out of the five alternative figures which when
fitted into each other would form a complete
30 square.

A. 1, 2, 3 C. 1, 3, 5

B. 1, 3, 4 D. 3, 4, 5

ANSWER: C
 Choose the alternative which closely
resembles the water-image of the given
combination.
31

ANSWER: D
 Choose the alternative which closely
resembles the water-image of the given
combination.
32

ANSWER: B
 Find out from the four alternatives how the
pattern (X) would appear when the
transparent sheet is folded at the dotted line.
33

(X) A B C D

ANSWER: D
 Find out from the four alternatives how the
pattern (X) would appear when the
transparent sheet is folded at the dotted line.
34

(X) A B C D

ANSWER: B
Logical reasoning
 Based on the 2 previous statements (statement i
and ii), shade the letter of the only
CORRECT conclusion.

39
I. All hamburgers are meals
II. Some cows are hamburgers
Conclusion: M
A. All meals are cows
B. At least some meals are cows H
C. No cows are meals C
D. None of the meals are cows

ANSWER: B
 Based on the 2 previous statements (statement i and ii), shade the letter of
the only INCORRECT conclusion.

40
I. All cities have houses
II. All countries have cities
Conclusion:
A. All houses have countries
B. All countries have houses
C. Not all houses have
countries H
D. No valid conclusion is
possible
Ci
C

ANSWER: A
 Based on the 2 previous statements (statement i and
ii), shade the letter of the only CORRECT
conclusion.

41 I. Some cars are four wheelers

II. All cars are three wheelers
Conclusion:
4
A. No three wheelers are four wheelers
B. All four wheelers are three wheelers C
C. At least some three wheelers are four 3
wheelers
D. No valid conclusion is possible

ANSWER: C
In a horse race: Hill Royal came in ahead of
Trigger. Hill Royal finished after Black
Beauty. Copenhagen beat Black Beauty
but finished after Bucephalus. Where did
Copenhagen finish?
A. First
B. Second
C. Third Bucephalus

D. Fourth Copenhagen
E. Fifth Black Beauty
Hill Royal
Trigger

ANSWER: B
 Debbie, Kimi and Michael have Ferraris. Michael also has a
Reliant Robin. Jensen has a Mercedes and a Model T. Rubens
also has a Mercedes. Debbie also has a Bugatti Veyron. Rubens
has just bought aFerrari
ToyotaR.Robin
Prius. Who has the fewest
Mercedes Model T.
cars?Prius
Bugatti

A. Debbie

B. Kimi
C. Michael
D. Jensen
E. Rubens

ANSWER: B
 An old treasure map has the following instructions:
Stand next to the black rock and face West. Walk
46 20 yards and then turn 90 degrees clockwise. Walk
another 10 yards and then turn 45 degrees
anticlockwise. Walk another 15 yards, reverse your
direction and walk 5 yards back. Turn 135 degrees
clockwise and walk another 10 yards. In which
direction are you now facing?
Ignore the distances (these are red
A. North herrings) , the direction you face is all that
B. South matters!

C. East
W, N, NW, SE, W
D. West
E. South East

ANSWER: D
47
Athos, Porthos and Aramis live in three adjoining
houses. Aramis has a black cat called d'Artagnan,
Porthos has a white dog whereas Athos has a red
herring. Porthos has a neighbor with a red door. The
owner of a four legged animal has a blue door. Either
a feline or fish owner has a green door. Aramis and
Porthos are not neighbors. Whose door is red?
A. Athos Porthos, white dog, blue door
Athos, red herring, red door
B. Porthos
Aramis, black cat, green door
C. Aramis
D. D’Artagnan
E. None of the above

ANSWER: A
 Mrs Krashem, a driving instructor, has to arrange bookings for
some of her pupils. She has 8 new pupils who wish to book

48 either a morning or afternoon of a particular day. These are

2 hour introductory lessons, so she only sees one pupil each
morning or afternoon. Ms Banger is only available Tuesday
AM but Mr Bumpem can make any time on a Wednesday.
Mrs Exhaust is free on Tuesdays all day but Mr Hilstart is
only free Wednesday afternoons. Ms Boot is only available
Friday AM whereas Miss Bonnet can only make Saturday
PM. Mrs Speed is available all day Fridays whereas Mr
Parker can make any time on a Saturday. Which of the
following must both have MORNING appointments?

A. Mr Bumpen and Mrs Exhaust

B. Mrs Exhaust and Mr Parker
C. Mr Parker and Mrs Speed
D. Mrs Speed and Mrs Exhaust
E. Mr Bumpen and Mr Parker

ANSWER: E
49
How many degrees are there between the
two hands of a clock at 6.30 am?
A. O degrees Minute hand is at 180 degrees
Hour hand is at 180 + 360/24 degrees
B. 5 degrees as it has moved half an hour further =
C. 10 degrees 180 +15 degrees.
D. 15 degrees Therefore difference in angle = 15
E. 30 degrees degrees

ANSWER: D
 It is 4.30 am and your alarm goes off. You crawl sleepily
out of bed. You have a job interview to go to that day
50 and you must leave by 5 am to catch the train as the
interview is being held 150 miles away. Suddenly all the
lights go off. There has been a power failure. It is still
pitch dark outside and you have no other light available.
You have 6 brown socks and 6 pink socks in your drawer,
all mixed up and identical in all but color. How many
socks must you take from the drawer to be sure of taking
a matching pair of the same color?
Once you have taken two socks from the drawer
A. 2 (the possible combinations are BB, PP or BP),
B. 3 the third sock you remove must give you a pair of either
brown or pink.
C. 4
By the way, you didn't get the job. 
D. 5
E. 6

ANSWER: B