Study Material — 4 PYQs (2024–2024) · Concept Notes · Shortcuts
SBI PO Embedded Figures is a frequently tested subtopic — 4 previous year questions from 2024–2024 papers are included below with concept notes, key rules and shortcut tricks.
4 questions from actual SBI PO papers · all shown free · click option to reveal solution
Exam Q 12024Previous Year Pattern
A composite figure shows a rectangle divided into 4 quadrants by one horizontal and one vertical line. Top-left quadrant: contains a circle with a dot in its center. Top-right quadrant: contains a square with a dot in its center. Bottom-left quadrant: contains a circle with a dot in its center. Bottom-right quadrant: contains a square with a dot in its center.
Which of the following is NOT embedded in the figure?
(A) A circle with a dot in its center
(B) A square with a dot in its center
(C) A triangle with a dot in its center
(D) Two circles with dots in their centers (top-left and bottom-left)
Exam Q 22024Previous Year Pattern
A main figure contains a large square divided into 16 equal smaller squares (4×4 grid). Within this grid: the top-left 2×2 block contains concentric circles, the top-right 2×2 block contains parallel diagonal lines, the bottom-left 2×2 block contains a cross pattern, and the bottom-right 2×2 block is empty. Which configuration is embedded in the main figure?
Exam Q 32024Previous Year Pattern
A complex figure shows a large circle containing a square rotated 45° (diamond orientation). Inside the diamond are four smaller circles positioned at each vertex of the diamond. Within each small circle is a triangle pointing toward the center of the diamond. Which of the following is embedded in the main figure?
Exam Q 42024Previous Year Pattern
A main figure consists of a rectangle divided into six equal rectangular cells arranged in a 2×3 grid (2 rows, 3 columns). The cells contain the following patterns in order (left to right, top to bottom): Cell 1 (top-left) has horizontal lines, Cell 2 (top-middle) has vertical lines, Cell 3 (top-right) has a checkerboard, Cell 4 (bottom-left) has dots, Cell 5 (bottom-middle) has diagonal lines, and Cell 6 (bottom-right) has a grid. Which configuration is NOT embedded in the main figure?
Concept Notes
Embedded Figures— Rules & Concept
Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Let's work through an example
Simple Figure: A right triangle with one horizontal line and one vertical line forming a 90-degree angle
Complex Figure Options
1
Identify the key features of the simple figure - right angle, horizontal base, vertical height.
2
Look for the same right angle pattern in each complex figure. Eliminate figures that don't have this exact angle combination.
3
Trace the complete triangle shape within the remaining options. Check if all three sides can be found without breaks or distortions.
4
Verify that the proportions match the original figure. In this case, the correct answer would be the complex figure where you can trace the complete right triangle maintaining its exact shape and proportional relationships. Another effective trick is the 'Elimination Method' - quickly eliminate options that clearly don't contain enough lines or shapes to form the required figure. If the simple figure has 5 distinct line segments, the complex figure must have at least 5 line segments in the correct arrangement.
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
include accepting distorted versions of the target figure or missing rotated orientations. Students often get confused when the embedded figure appears upside down or sideways. Remember, rotation is allowed but shape distortion is not.
Practice identifying figures in different orientations to build this skill. The key to mastering embedded figures is systematic scanning and pattern recognition rather than random searching.
Key Points to Remember
Embedded figure maintains exact shape and size but can be rotated or flipped
Simple figure cannot be stretched, distorted, or have proportions changed
Use Corner Method - identify unique angles and corners first for quick elimination
Systematic scanning beats random searching every time
Complex figure must contain at least the same number of line segments as simple figure
Rotation in any direction (90°, 180°, 270°) is perfectly acceptable