OLSAT Level D cheat sheet

Antonym items: pick the choice opposite in core meaning, not merely different in tone; a word and its near-synonym are never antonyms.

Analogies follow A : B :: C : ? - establish the exact relationship (part-to-whole, function, degree, category) before scanning choices.

Whole-to-part analogies (tree : branch) require the answer to be a component of the third term, not a category member.

Degree relationships (warm : hot) demand the answer preserve both direction and intensity, e.g. cool : cold, not cool : freezing.

Function analogies (knife : cut) require an instrument-and-purpose match; a tool paired with an unrelated action is a trap.

Context-sentence items: replace the blank with each choice and test grammatical fit and logical coherence with the rest of the sentence.

Classification (odd-one-out) items: four of five words share a single defining attribute; the outlier may still be loosely related, so name the shared rule explicitly.

Passage-based comprehension: answers must be supported by stated text; choices that are true in general life but absent from the passage are wrong.

Syllogism rule: 'All A are B' plus 'All B are C' yields 'All A are C'; the reverse direction is never valid.

'Some A are B' does not license 'Some B are not A'; only the symmetric reading 'Some B are A' is guaranteed.

'No A are B' converts to 'No B are A' - exclusion statements are reversible, inclusion statements of the 'some' type are not.

Ordering puzzles: convert each clue into a fixed relation (before/after, left/right) and chain them; count positions from a stated end, not from the middle.

Seating/line puzzles: place the most constrained item first (one with two or more direct clues) to fix the frame before filling.

If-then statements: 'If P then Q' is falsified only by P true and Q false; it does not assert 'if Q then P'.

Logic-grid items: mark exclusions as you read; a cell with all but one option eliminated is forced and should be filled immediately.

Inference questions: a valid conclusion must be true in every arrangement consistent with the clues, not merely possible in one.

Series items: check four change axes in order - number of elements, type of element, position/rotation, and shading or fill.

Rotation convention: quarter turns are 90°, half turns 180°; track clockwise vs counterclockwise separately, since series often alternate direction.

Progression types to test: constant increment (+1 each step), arithmetic (+1, +2, +3), and doubling (1, 2, 4, 8).

Analogy pairs in pictures follow the same relational rules as word analogies: whole-to-part, size change, count change, or transformation.

Classification items: identify the single attribute all but one figure share - symmetry, number of sides, open vs closed, or presence of a dot.

Superimposition (overlay) items: combine figures and apply the stated rule; overlapping lines may cancel or be retained depending on the rule given.

Matrix items: read across rows and down columns independently; the correct cell must satisfy both the row rule and the column rule.

Mirror vs rotation: a reflected figure reverses orientation (handedness), while a rotated figure preserves it - check a distinctive asymmetric detail.

Count sides and vertices separately: a square has 4 sides and 4 vertices, but stars and arrows differ in each count, so do not assume equality.

Symmetry checks: count lines of symmetry (equilateral triangle 3, square 4, regular pentagon 5, circle infinite) to distinguish otherwise similar shapes.

Closed vs open figures: a figure is closed only if its outline returns to the start point with no gap; gaps disqualify it from polygon classification.

Fold-and-punch items: unfold one fold at a time in reverse order; each unfold reflects the hole pattern across the crease line.

Paper-folding reflection: a hole punched through all layers appears once per layer, mirrored across every fold line in sequence.

Cube/net items: opposite faces on a net are separated by exactly one face in a straight line; adjacent faces share an edge in the folded cube.

Pattern completion: continue the repeating unit rather than the single element; identify the period (length of the repeat) before extending.

Embedded-figure items: the target shape may be rotated but never resized or distorted; trace candidate outlines to confirm exact match.