NNAT3 Level G cheat sheet

A 3x3 matrix with one missing cell is solved by identifying the transformation that maps row 1 to row 2 and column 1 to column 2, then applying it to the target row and column.

Check three rule families in order: constant addition (elements added or removed per step), rotation/reflection (orientation changes by a fixed angle), and attribute change (color, fill, size, count).

If the same attribute changes in both rows and columns, the rule is additive across the whole matrix; apply it once per row-step and once per column-step.

When two candidate answers look plausible, test each against every visible row and column; a correct rule must hold for all complete lines, not just one.

Count-based rules are common: the number of small shapes in each row typically follows an arithmetic sequence (e.g., 2, 3, 4) or a doubling sequence.

Overlay rules: cells combine by union (all elements kept), intersection (only shared elements kept), or difference (elements in one cell but not the other).

Rotational symmetry is a frequent distractor: a figure that looks rotated may actually be reflected, so track a single asymmetric feature (e.g., a notch) to distinguish them.

Diagonal patterns exist in Level G matrices; if row/column rules fail, test whether the main diagonal shares a constant attribute.

Analogy format is A : B :: C : ? - the relationship from A to B must be applied identically to C to produce the answer.

Classify the A-to-B change into one of: size change, rotation, reflection, color/fill inversion, part addition/removal, or position shift.

If A to B involves a rotation, the angle and direction must match exactly in C to ?; a mirror image is not an acceptable substitute.

Compound rules are common at Level G: A to B may combine a rotation with a fill change, so both must be applied to C.

Check whether the relationship is reversible: if B to A is the same operation (e.g., rotation by 180°), the rule is an involution and easier to verify.

When the A-to-B change is a reflection, identify the axis (horizontal, vertical, diagonal); the same axis must be used for C to ?.

Eliminate answer choices that apply the rule to A instead of to C, or that apply only half of a compound rule.

If two rules seem possible, prefer the simpler one that accounts for every visible difference between A and B.

Serial sequences change by a constant step; identify the step by comparing consecutive figures (e.g., +1 shape, +90° rotation, alternating colors).

Alternating sequences use two interleaved rules (odd positions follow rule 1, even positions follow rule 2); check both subsequences separately.

Arithmetic progressions in shape count, size, or line length are the most common Level G serial rule; find the common difference.

Rotation sequences usually step by 45°, 90°, or 135°; track a single asymmetric marker to determine direction (clockwise vs. counterclockwise).

Growth sequences may be multiplicative (1, 2, 4, 8 elements) rather than additive; test both before deciding.

If the step changes (e.g., +1, +2, +3), the second difference is constant - a quadratic progression; extrapolate using the pattern of differences.

Color/fill sequences often alternate (black, white, black, white) or cycle through three states; determine the cycle length before predicting the next term.

Verify the predicted next term against the last two visible terms; a rule that fits only the first half of the sequence is likely wrong.

Mental rotation: track one distinctive feature (a corner, protrusion, or dot) through the rotation rather than trying to rotate the whole figure at once.

A figure rotated 90° clockwise moves its top edge to the right side; 180° moves top to bottom; 270° clockwise (or 90° counterclockwise) moves top to the left.

Reflections reverse chirality: a shape that is rotated can be superimposed on the original, but a reflected shape cannot without flipping.

Paper folding: unfold in reverse order of folding; each unfold mirrors the hole pattern across the fold line, doubling the number of holes.

Folding a square in half twice produces four layers; a single punch then yields four holes arranged symmetrically about both fold lines.

Cube/net problems: opposite faces on a cube net never share an edge; count edge-adjacencies to determine which faces can be adjacent.

Combining/overlapping figures: union keeps all parts, intersection keeps only overlaps, and subtraction removes the overlapping region.

When comparing rotated vs. reflected options, check a clockwise ordering of three features; rotation preserves clockwise order, reflection reverses it.