| 'L' | 12 | |
| 'N' | 1 |
| circle | 1 |
| ‘L’ + ‘N’ + rectangle | 1 |
| ‘L’ + ‘N’ | 1 |
| ‘L’ + circle + ellipse | 1 |
So which is the right answer? Hold on a mo and I’ll tell you! But, let me answer another question first.
Why did I post the question? It’s the kind of test that when sitting the '11 plus' exam at the age of 10
would leave me shaking with terror in my desk, because no one answer seemed more ‘right’ than the rest.
Meanwhile my friends had put down their answers and skipped happily on with the rest of test.
I wanted to test a theory: (a) that the majority of those who answered the question would in fact choose
one particular answer; and (b) that there would be a small minority who would share my existential doubts
and see more than one ‘right’ answer. So a hearty thanks to David Gibb, Pamela Adams and Robert Hill
for pointing out that – depending on the rules chosen for the transformation - there could be more than one
answer. You don’t know how much better you have made me feel!
All three have given me permission to quote their answers, so here they are:
(David Gibb)
Three possible answers:
1. The number of straight lines in the figures goes 6; 5; 4; 3 : hence second from left (the L) with 2
straight lines
2. The number of angles in the figures goes 6; 5; 4; 3: hence second from right (the N) with 2 angles
3. The number of horizontal lines in the figures goes 2; 1; 2; 1: hence furthest right (the rectangle)
with 2 horizontal lines
(Pamela Adams)
I’m going with the N. I think the sequence is counting angles.
If you’re counting sides, it’s the L.
(Robert Hill)
I'd say it's a lousy question because it has no clearly correct answer.
The L shape is perhaps the nearest and is what I would choose if forced to choose one.
The answer "ought" to be a closed figure with two straight sides, but that would enclose zero area and
would look indistinguishable from a line segment.
The L shape at least has two straight segments but is not closed.The circle and ellipse are arguable answers because they are closed and could be regarded as composed
of two halves, but (a) the halves are not straight and (b) there are no corners to show where we should
regard the halves as meeting.
As far as I’m concerned, all the answers were ‘the right answer’. In fact, with a little bit of ingenuity a logical
case can be made for every single one of the figures in the bottom row. But, what I did find very interesting
was that of the 17 people would took part only three indicated that there could be more than one ‘right’ answer.
Tomorrow - the link with AR.
Follow Ups:
Post a Followup