Path & Movement
An element follows a defined trajectory — along edges, diagonals, or through grid cells.
Understanding this pattern
Path patterns move an element through space along a predictable trajectory. A dot might slide along the edges of a square, traverse a diagonal, or snake through grid cells. The movement can be linear (constant direction), bouncing (reverse at edges), or following a predetermined route. Predicting the next position requires understanding the path rule.
Example Question
Pattern Rule
A single asymmetric figure (e.g., an arrow or L-shape) simultaneously rotates by a fixed angle (90° clockwise) at each step AND moves one position forward along a fixed clockwise path around the outer cells of a grid. These two transformations—rotation and positional displacement—must both be tracked to identify the correct next frame.
Explanation
Option E is correct because it is the only choice that satisfies both constraints at once: the figure occupies the next cell along the clockwise positional path AND its orientation reflects a further 90° clockwise rotation from the previous frame. The wrong options are each tempting for a specific reason: some show the correct position but the wrong rotation (a common trap for candidates who track movement but forget to rotate), while others show the correct rotation but place the figure in the wrong cell (the reverse error). This question belongs to the 'compound transformation' family, where the difficulty scales with the number of independent rules that must be composed — missing either the path rule or the rotation rule leads to a plausible-looking but incorrect answer.
How to spot it
- An element appears in a different position each frame
- The positions form a line, diagonal, or edge-following pattern
- Movement direction may reverse when hitting a boundary
Common traps
- Assuming linear movement when the element bounces off edges
- Miscounting the number of positions per step (1 cell vs 2 cells)
- Not recognizing that the path wraps around (exits right, enters left)
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