Pattern Reasoning
Spot the rule and pick what comes next.
Overview
The Pattern Reasoning Test asks you to work out the rule behind a row of shapes and pick the one that comes next. It follows the same matrix-style format as Raven's Progressive Matrices, long used at the core of IQ testing, and requires almost no knowledge or vocabulary. What it measures is how well you grasp an unfamiliar rule on the spot — the aspect psychologists call fluid intelligence. This is not a standardized intelligence test, however, so the score cannot be read as an IQ. Treat it as a reference point for watching how your own record moves.
Rules
- Look at the three shapes in the row and find the rule governing them
- Pick the shape that belongs in the fourth position from four choices
- Every choice gets the rule slightly wrong, so elimination will not work — you need to understand the rule
- Later questions run several rules at once
Score Guide
| Score | Rating | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 20 correct | Legendary | Top 1% |
| 18-19 correct | Exceptional | Top 1-5% |
| 16-17 correct | Excellent | Top 5-15% |
| 14-15 correct | Great | Top 15-30% |
| 12-13 correct | Above Average | Top 30-50% |
| 10-11 correct | Average | Top 50-70% |
| 9 correct or below | Below Average | Outside top 70% |
FAQ
Is this score an IQ?
No. An IQ comes from a standardized test administered under professional supervision and scored against age-based norms. This is a casual measurement you take in a browser, and it does not produce an intelligence quotient. It uses questions in a similar format to IQ tests, and that is where the resemblance ends.
Are there tips for solving these?
Checking one attribute at a time works well. Go through shape, count, orientation, and fill in turn to see which is changing, and even questions with several rules at once become manageable. Identifying the changing attribute beats staring at the whole row.
Can pattern reasoning be improved?
Your score will rise as you get used to the format. That is familiarity with the task, though, and not proof that general reasoning ability itself improved. Since repetition naturally lifts the score, watching your own trend is more useful than comparing with others.