Question 1

Study the pattern in the 3×3 matrix below:

[2, 4, 6]
[8, 10, 12]
[14, 16, ?]

What number should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

The matrix follows a simple arithmetic sequence where each number increases by 2. Starting from 2, the sequence continues: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18. The missing number is 18.

Question 2

In the following figure matrix, a pattern is followed in each row. Find the missing figure in place of the question mark.

Row 1: Circle, Square, Triangle
Row 2: Square, Triangle, Circle
Row 3: Triangle, Circle, ?

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

Each row contains the three shapes (Circle, Square, Triangle) in a different order. Row 3 already has Triangle and Circle, so it must have Square to complete the set.

Question 3

Study the 2×2 matrix pattern:

[Triangle pointing up] [Triangle pointing right]
[Triangle pointing down] [?]

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

The triangles rotate 90 degrees clockwise in each position. Starting from up (top-left), the sequence is: up → right → down → left. The missing figure should be a triangle pointing left.

Question 4

Study the pattern in the 3×3 grid below:

[Black Square] [White Square] [Black Square]
[White Square] [Black Square] [White Square]
[Black Square] [White Square] [?]

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

This is a checkerboard pattern. Each row and column alternates between Black and White squares. Position (3,3) should be Black to maintain the alternating pattern.

Question 5

In the following 3×3 matrix, shapes follow a specific pattern based on their position. Identify the missing figure.

[△, ▢, △]
[▢, △, ▢]
[△, ▢, ?]

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

This is a checkerboard alternation pattern. Triangles and squares alternate in a checkerboard fashion. Position (3,3) is in the same checkerboard color as positions (1,1), (1,3), (2,2), and (3,1). Looking at the pattern, positions with triangles form one checkerboard pattern and squares form the other. Position (3,3) should contain a triangle.

Question 6

Study the 3×3 matrix pattern below:

[●●●]
[●●○]
[●○○]

Each cell contains a combination of filled (●) and unfilled (○) circles. What should replace the question mark in the fourth row?

[○○○]

Note: The pattern continues downward.

Accepted Answer

The pattern shows a gradual replacement of filled circles with unfilled circles as you move down. Row 1 has 3 filled, Row 2 has 2 filled and 1 unfilled, Row 3 has 1 filled and 2 unfilled, Row 4 should have 0 filled and 3 unfilled (all unfilled circles).

Question 7

In the following 3×3 grid, each row follows a rule. Identify the missing figure:

Row 1: [Small circle] [Medium circle] [Large circle]
Row 2: [Small square] [Medium square] [Large square]
Row 3: [Small triangle] [Medium triangle] [?]

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

Each row contains the same shape in three different sizes: small, medium, and large. Row 3 has small and medium triangles, so it must have a large triangle to complete the pattern.

Question 8

In the following 3×3 figure matrix, each row contains shapes with a specific property. Identify the missing figure.

Row 1: ◯ (1 side), ◯ (1 side), ◯ (1 side)
Row 2: □ (4 sides), □ (4 sides), □ (4 sides)
Row 3: △ (3 sides), △ (3 sides), ?

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

Each row contains the same shape repeated three times. Row 1 has circles, Row 2 has squares, Row 3 has triangles. The missing figure must be a triangle to maintain the pattern.

Question 9

In the following series of figures, identify the pattern and find the missing figure:

Figure 1: 1 dot
Figure 2: 2 dots
Figure 3: 4 dots
Figure 4: 8 dots
Figure 5: ?

How many dots should Figure 5 contain?

Accepted Answer

Each figure doubles the number of dots from the previous figure. The pattern is: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16. Figure 5 should contain 16 dots.

Question 10

In the 3×3 matrix below, each row and column follows a specific pattern of transformation. Find the missing figure (marked with ?).

Row 1: Circle with 1 dot → Circle with 2 dots → Circle with 3 dots
Row 2: Square with 1 line → Square with 2 lines → Square with 3 lines
Row 3: Triangle with 1 dot → Triangle with 2 dots → ?

Additionally, each column increases the internal elements by 1 (dot or line) from left to right.
Each row maintains the same outer shape (Circle, Square, Triangle respectively).

What should replace the ? in Row 3, Column 3?

Accepted Answer

To find the missing figure, we need to identify two patterns:

PATTERN 1 (Row-wise): Each row maintains the same outer shape throughout.
- Row 1: All circles
- Row 2: All squares
- Row 3: All triangles

PATTERN 2 (Column-wise): Each column increases the number of internal elements by 1.
- Column 1: 1 dot/line in each shape
- Column 2: 2 dots/lines in each shape
- Column 3: 3 dots/lines in each shape

Applying both patterns to the missing cell (Row 3, Column 3):
- Outer shape: Triangle (from row pattern)
- Internal elements: 3 dots (from column pattern)

Therefore, the missing figure should be a Triangle with 3 dots inside it.

Common mistakes:
- Choosing a circle/square with 3 dots: Misses the row pattern (wrong outer shape)
- Choosing a triangle with 2 dots: Misses the column pattern (wrong number of elements)
- Choosing a triangle with 3 lines: Confuses the type of internal element used in row 3

Question 11

Examine the 3×3 matrix where each cell contains overlapping shapes. Find the pattern and identify the missing figure.

[2 overlapping circles] [3 overlapping circles] [4 overlapping circles]
[2 overlapping squares] [3 overlapping squares] [4 overlapping squares]
[2 overlapping triangles] [3 overlapping triangles] [?]

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

The pattern operates on two dimensions: (1) Each row contains the same base shape (circles, squares, triangles), and (2) Each column increases the count of overlapping shapes (2, 3, 4). The missing cell requires triangles (row 3) with 4 overlapping instances (column 3).

Question 12

In the following figure matrix, a pattern is followed across rows and columns. Find the missing figure in place of the question mark.

Row 1: [Circle with 1 dot] [Circle with 2 dots] [Circle with 3 dots]
Row 2: [Square with 1 dot] [Square with 2 dots] [Square with 3 dots]
Row 3: [Triangle with 1 dot] [Triangle with 2 dots] [?]

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

The pattern follows a consistent rule: each row contains the same shape, and the number of dots increases by 1 across columns (1, 2, 3). Row 3 contains triangles, so the missing figure must be a triangle with 3 dots.

Question 13

Study the 3×3 matrix pattern below. Each cell contains overlapping shapes with a specific arrangement.

[2 overlapping circles, 1 overlap region] [3 overlapping circles, 3 overlap regions] [4 overlapping circles, 6 overlap regions]
[2 overlapping squares, 1 overlap region] [3 overlapping squares, 3 overlap regions] [4 overlapping squares, 6 overlap regions]
[2 overlapping triangles, 1 overlap region] [3 overlapping triangles, 3 overlap regions] [?]

What replaces the question mark?

Accepted Answer

The matrix follows a consistent pattern: (1) Each row uses the same shape type (circles, squares, triangles), (2) The number of shapes increases across columns (2, 3, 4), (3) The number of overlap regions follows the formula for combinations: C(n,2) where n is the number of shapes. For 4 shapes, C(4,2) = 6 overlaps. Row 3 uses triangles, and column 3 has 4 shapes with 6 overlap regions. Therefore, the answer is 4 overlapping triangles with 6 overlap regions.

Question 14

In the following figure matrix, a pattern is formed across rows and columns. Find the missing figure in place of the question mark.

Row 1: [Circle with 1 dot] [Circle with 2 dots] [Circle with 3 dots]
Row 2: [Square with 1 dot] [Square with 2 dots] [Square with 3 dots]
Row 3: [Triangle with 1 dot] [Triangle with 2 dots] [?]

Options:
(a) Triangle with 4 dots
(b) Triangle with 3 dots
(c) Square with 3 dots
(d) Pentagon with 3 dots

Accepted Answer

The pattern follows two rules: (1) Each row maintains the same shape, and (2) Each column increases the number of dots by 1. Row 3, Column 3 should have a triangle (maintaining row consistency) with 3 dots (following the column pattern: 1, 2, 3).

Question 15

Observe the pattern in the 3×3 matrix below:

[Black square] [Black circle] [Black triangle]
[White square] [White circle] [White triangle]
[Gray square] [?] [Gray triangle]

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

The matrix follows a dual-pattern rule: (1) Each row contains the same three shapes (square, circle, triangle) in the same order, and (2) Each column has the same fill pattern (Black, White, Gray). The missing cell is Row 3, Column 2, which requires a circle (column 2 shape) with gray fill (row 3 fill).

Question 16

In the following 3×3 figure matrix, each cell contains a shape with internal divisions. Identify the pattern and find the missing figure.

[Square divided into 2 parts] [Square divided into 3 parts] [Square divided into 4 parts]
[Circle divided into 2 parts] [Circle divided into 3 parts] [Circle divided into 4 parts]
[Triangle divided into 2 parts] [Triangle divided into 3 parts] [?]

What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

The matrix follows two independent patterns: (1) Each row contains the same shape (squares, circles, triangles), and (2) Each column increases the number of internal divisions (2, 3, 4). The missing cell requires a triangle (row 3) divided into 4 parts (column 3).

Question 17

A 3×3 matrix contains shapes with shading patterns. Top-left: White triangle pointing up. Top-middle: Gray triangle pointing right. Top-right: Black triangle pointing down. Middle-left: Gray triangle pointing right. Middle-middle: Black triangle pointing down. Middle-right: White triangle pointing left. Bottom-left: Black triangle pointing down. Bottom-middle: White triangle pointing left. Bottom-right: ?. The shading cycles (White→Gray→Black) and direction cycles (Up→Right→Down→Left). What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

Shading follows a 3-step cycle per row: (1) White, Gray, Black; (2) Gray, Black, White; (3) Black, White, ?. At position (3,3), shading should be Gray. Direction follows a 4-step cycle per row: (1) Up, Right, Down; (2) Right, Down, Left; (3) Down, Left, ?. At position (3,3), direction should be Up. Answer: Gray triangle pointing up.

Question 18

A 3×3 matrix shows nested shapes with line counts. Top-left: 1 square (4 lines). Top-middle: 1 square + 1 triangle inside (4+3=7 lines). Top-right: 1 square + 1 triangle + 1 circle inside (4+3+0=7 lines, circles have 0 line segments). Middle-left: 2 squares nested (4+4=8 lines). Middle-middle: 2 squares + 1 triangle (4+4+3=11 lines). Middle-right: 2 squares + 1 triangle + 1 circle (4+4+3+0=11 lines). Bottom-left: 3 squares nested (4+4+4=12 lines). Bottom-middle: 3 squares + 1 triangle (4+4+4+3=15 lines). Bottom-right: ?. How many line segments are in the missing cell?

Accepted Answer

The pattern: each row adds one more nested square (Row 1: 1 square, Row 2: 2 squares, Row 3: 3 squares). Each column adds shapes (Col 1: squares only, Col 2: squares + triangle, Col 3: squares + triangle + circle). Position (3,3) should have 3 squares + 1 triangle + 1 circle = 4+4+4+3+0 = 15 lines.

Question 19

In a 3×3 matrix, each cell contains overlapping shapes. Top-left: 1 circle overlapping 1 square (2 shapes total). Top-middle: 2 circles overlapping 1 square (3 shapes total). Top-right: 3 circles overlapping 1 square (4 shapes total). Middle-left: 2 circles overlapping 2 squares (4 shapes total). Middle-middle: 3 circles overlapping 2 squares (5 shapes total). Middle-right: 4 circles overlapping 2 squares (6 shapes total). Bottom-left: 3 circles overlapping 3 squares (6 shapes total). Bottom-middle: 4 circles overlapping 3 squares (7 shapes total). Bottom-right: ?. What is the total number of shapes in the missing cell?

Accepted Answer

The matrix follows a rule where: circles increase by 1 moving right, circles increase by 1 moving down, squares increase by 1 moving down (constant per row). Position (3,3) should have: 5 circles (3+2 from row/column progression) + 3 squares = 8 shapes total.

Question 20

In a 3×3 matrix, the first row contains: Circle with 2 dots, Square with 3 dots, Triangle with 4 dots. The second row contains: Pentagon with 5 dots, Hexagon with 6 dots, Heptagon with 7 dots. The third row contains: Octagon with 8 dots, Nonagon with 9 dots, ?. What should replace the question mark?

Accepted Answer

The pattern follows two simultaneous progressions: (1) Shape sides increase by 1 in each cell (3→4→5→6→7→8→9→10), (2) Number of dots equals the number of sides. The missing cell should contain a Decagon (10 sides) with 10 dots.

SSC CHSL Figure Matrix & Completion

Figure Matrix & Completion— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Figure Matrix & Completion — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Figure Matrix & Completion