Figure Classification – MBA CET questions with solutions

Approach: Figure classification into three groups by what is inside the outer shape.

Solution:
Figures 1 and 3: an outer shape (circle, square) with a V-mark inside.
Figures 2, 4 and 5: an outer shape with a smaller copy of the same shape sitting on its base (circle in circle, square in square, triangle in triangle).
Figures 6 and 7: an outer shape divided by two crossing lines (+ in the circle, × in the square).
Groups: (1, 3), (2, 4, 5), (6, 7).

Why the other options are wrong:
A: puts 1 with 2 and 6, which have different inner elements.
B: splits 2 and 4/5 and puts 4, 5 with 7.
C: mixes V-mark, small-copy and cross figures.
E: splits the crossing-line pair 6, 7.

Cetking shortcut: Ignore the outer shape; classify only by the inner element (V, small copy, cross).

Answer: D

Approach: Dot-position classification: locate each dot relative to the circle and the triangle.

Solution:
Figure 2: one dot in circle∩triangle, one dot outside both.
Figure 3: one dot in the triangle only, one dot outside both.
Figure 4: one dot in the triangle only, one dot outside both.
Figure 5: one dot in circle∩triangle, one dot outside both.
So in figures 2–5 one dot always lies outside both shapes.
Figure 1: one dot in circle∩triangle and the other inside the circle only — no dot is outside ⇒ Figure 1 is different.

Why the other options are wrong:
Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 all have one dot outside both the circle and the triangle.

Cetking shortcut: Look only for the 'outside' dot — the figure without one is the answer.

Answer: A

Approach: Odd one out by symmetry: check the left and right halves of each figure.

Solution:
A: two identical double circles in the bottom cells ⇒ mirror symmetric.
B: crosses and dots placed the same on both sides ⇒ mirror symmetric.
D: identical rectangles in both halves ⇒ mirror symmetric.
E: black and white triangles mirrored on both halves ⇒ mirror symmetric.
C: hearts in the top-right and bottom-left cells (diagonal) ⇒ not mirror symmetric about the vertical line.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, D, E: each is a mirror image about the central vertical line.

Cetking shortcut: Fold every figure along its middle line in your head; the one that does not match is the odd one.

Answer: C

Approach: Figure classification: list what the two given figures share, then match every feature.

Solution:
Both given figures: an outer shape with a rectangle placed diagonally (bottom-left to top-right), an upright triangle inside the rectangle, and a curved arrow outside turning clockwise.
a: triangle points down ⇒ out.
b: rectangle slants the other way (top-left to bottom-right) ⇒ out.
c: curved arrow turns anticlockwise ⇒ out.
e: a small square instead of a triangle ⇒ out.
d: diagonal rectangle with upright triangle and a clockwise arrow ⇒ belongs.

Why the other options are wrong:
A (a): inverted triangle.
B (b): rectangle slanted the other way.
C (c): anticlockwise arrow.
E (e): square inside instead of a triangle.

Cetking shortcut: Check one feature at a time across all options; each wrong option breaks exactly one feature.

Answer: D

Approach: Odd one out: position of the dot relative to the shaded part.

Solution:
A: shading at the bottom, dot at the top (opposite side).
B: top half shaded, dot at the bottom.
C: left half shaded, dot at the top-right.
E: right half shaded, dot at the bottom-left.
In all of these the dot is on the side opposite the shaded part.
D: the shaded quarter is at the bottom-left and the dot is at the top-left — not opposite; D also has only a quarter shaded.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, C, E: dot always lies opposite the shaded region.

Cetking shortcut: Draw an imaginary line from the shading through the centre — the dot should be at the other end.

Answer: D

Approach: Odd one out: count the shaded petals.

Solution:
Each flower has 4 petals and 4 straight lines.
Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5 each have exactly one shaded petal.
Figure 3 has two shaded petals (upper-left and right) ⇒ odd one.

Why the other options are wrong:
Figures 1, 2, 4, 5: one shaded petal each.

Cetking shortcut: Before analysing positions, count simple things (petals, lines, shaded parts).

Answer: C

Approach: Odd one out: direction of the arrow compared with the shaded sector.

Solution:
1: sector points up-left, arrow points down-right (opposite).
2: sector points down, arrow points up (opposite).
3: sector points up-right, arrow points down-left (opposite).
5: sector points down-left, arrow points up-right (opposite).
4: sector points up and the arrow also points up ⇒ not opposite ⇒ odd one.

Why the other options are wrong:
1, 2, 3, 5: the arrow points opposite to the shaded sector.

Cetking shortcut: Compare the two directional elements (sector and arrow) in each box; ignore the small shapes.

Answer: D

Approach: Odd one out by number of sides.

Solution:
A: square (4 sides). B: rectangle (4). C: trapezium (4). E: parallelogram (4).
D: triangle (3 sides) ⇒ does not belong to the class of quadrilaterals.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, C, E: all are quadrilaterals.

Cetking shortcut: Count sides first — it is the fastest property to check in shape-classification questions.

Answer: D

Approach: Odd one out by meaning: living vs non-living.

Solution:
A: human figure; B: animal; C: caterpillar/worm; D: tree — all living things.
E: a triangle — a geometric shape, non-living ⇒ odd one.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, C, D: all show living things.

Cetking shortcut: When pictures show objects, classify them by what they represent before analysing lines.

Answer: E

Approach: Odd one out by number of sides of the inner shape.

Solution:
A: parallelogram with a four-sided shape inside.
B: rhombus with a rhombus inside.
C: four-sided arrowhead with a square inside.
E: rectangle with a four-sided shape inside.
D: trapezium with a triangle inside ⇒ inner shape is not four-sided ⇒ odd one.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, C, E: four-sided outer and four-sided inner shapes.

Cetking shortcut: Count sides of both shapes in each figure; the one with a different count stands out.

Answer: D

Approach: Odd one out by counting cubes.

Solution:
B: row of 3 plus one above and one below the end ⇒ 5 cubes.
C: 4 in a row plus 1 on top ⇒ 5 cubes.
D: 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ 5 cubes.
E: plus shape ⇒ 5 cubes.
A: 2 on top, 2 in the middle, 2 at the bottom ⇒ 6 cubes ⇒ odd one.

Why the other options are wrong:
B, C, D, E: each is made of 5 cubes.

Cetking shortcut: Count blocks before thinking about shapes — count is the most common rule for cube figures.

Answer: A

Approach: Look at how the inner lines divide each shape.

Solution:
(a) semicircle cut into 2 equal halves.
(b) square cut into 4 equal squares.
(c) parallelogram cut into 4 equal parallelograms (lines join midpoints).
(e) triangle cut into 3 equal parts from its centre.
(d) ellipse cut by two slanted lines that do not run along its axes, so the 4 parts are unequal → odd one out.

Why the other options are wrong:
(a), (b), (c), (e): each is divided into equal, symmetric parts.

Answer: D

Approach: Compare each element across the six figures: hatched corner, '=' sign, dot with bar, two circles.

Solution:
Fixed in every figure: the dot under the short bar on the right, the hollow circle bottom-left, the solid circle bottom-right.
The hatched corner grows from figure to figure (1 → 2 → 3 → 5 → 6). Figure 4's hatched triangle is smaller than figure 3's, so it breaks the growth → odd.
The '=' sign stays in the upper middle in figures 1–5. In figure 6 it has dropped lower → odd.
Odd pair = 4 and 6.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, D, E: each includes a figure (1, 2, 3 or 5) that fits both patterns.

Answer: C

Approach: Rotate each figure upright and read the letters.

Solution:
A, B, D and E are the same word ARMA, only turned through different angles.
In C the third letter is a W (the M is inverted), so it reads 'ARWA' — not a rotation of the others.
So C is the odd one out.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, D, E all become ARMA after rotation.

Cetking shortcut: For rotated words, check one asymmetric letter (here M/W) in every figure.

Answer: C

Approach: Check whether each figure is a rotation of '3#@'.

Solution:
A, B, C and E are the same string '3#@' turned through different angles — the 3 and the @ keep their shapes.
In D the string is a mirror image: the 3 is reversed (looks like Ɛ), which no rotation can produce.
So D is the odd one out.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, C, E can all be rotated back to '3#@'.

Cetking shortcut: Look at the asymmetric symbol (3): rotation keeps its bulges on the same side relative to the string; a mirror flips them.

Answer: D

Approach: Compare the fill of the outer and inner shapes.

Solution:
A: black square with a white circle inside.
B: black circle with a white triangle.
D: black triangle with a white star.
E: black rounded rectangle with a white square.
In each, a white shape sits inside a solid black shape.
C: an outline (white) diamond with a black heart inside — the colours are reversed.
So C is the odd one.

Answer: C

Approach: Classify by the types of shapes used in each figure.

Solution: A: only stars and triangles. B: only squares and circles. C: only squares and circles. D: only stars and triangles.
E: stars and squares – the only figure that mixes a shape from each family.
So the figures pair up (A–D, B–C) and E is the odd one.

Why the other options are wrong: A and D share the star–triangle set; B and C share the square–circle set, so none of them is unique.

Cetking shortcut: Ignore shading and position first; list which shape types appear in each figure.

Answer: E

Approach: Count the small squares on each side of the dividing line.

Solution: a: 3 and 2 (difference 1, total 5). b: 1 and 3 (difference 2, total 4). c: 4 and 5 (difference 1, total 9). d: 5 and 4 (difference 1, total 9). e: 2 and 3 (difference 1, total 5).
In every figure except b, the two parts differ by exactly one square, so the total is odd. In b they differ by 2.

Why the other options are wrong: a, c, d, e all follow the 'differ by one' rule; the direction of the dividing line does not matter.

Cetking shortcut: Count dots per region – line direction is a distractor.

Answer: B

Approach: Relate the hatching direction to the arrow direction.

Solution: a: hatching '\' and arrow ↙ – perpendicular. c: hatching '/' and arrow ↘ – perpendicular. d: '/' and ↘ – perpendicular. e: '\' and ↙ – perpendicular.
b: hatching '/' and arrow ↙ – the arrow runs parallel to the hatching. So b is the odd one.

Why the other options are wrong: a, c, d, e all have the arrow at right angles to the hatch lines; the top shapes and their colours are distractors.

Cetking shortcut: When all figures share the same layout, compare the two directional elements (lines vs arrow) with each other.

Answer: B

Approach: Group figures by a shared property.

Solution: Plain outline figures with no internal lines: 1 (rectangle), 5 (square), 9 (triangle).
Containers / 3-D vessels: 2 (bucket), 3 (cylinder), 6 (pot).
Shapes divided into four parts by two lines: 4 (circle with ×), 7 (rhombus with +), 8 (square with ×).
Groups: 1, 5, 9; 2, 3, 6; 4, 8, 7.

Why the other options are wrong: A, B, C, E split at least one natural group (e.g. B puts the cylinder 3 with 7 and 8; A puts 1 with 3 and 9).

Cetking shortcut: Fix the most obvious group first (2, 3, 6 vessels) and check which options contain it.

Answer: D

Approach: Check each figure's line of symmetry.

Solution: A, B, C and D are each symmetric about the vertical centre line (the left half mirrors the right half).
E is symmetric about the horizontal centre line (the top half mirrors the bottom) but not about the vertical line.
So E is the odd one.

Why the other options are wrong: A–D all share vertical-axis symmetry; colours and counts are distractors.

Cetking shortcut: Fold each grid mentally along the vertical centre line first.

Answer: E

Approach: Odd figure out — check whether each letter is a mirror image or a rotated letter.

Solution:
(1) Я = mirror image of R.
(3) mirror image of Q (tail turns to the left).
(4) Ƨ = mirror image of S.
(5) mirror image of Z.
(2) is G turned upside down (rotated 180°) — its bar/hook is at the top, whereas a mirror G would keep the bar at the lower half.
So figure (2) is different.

Why the other options are wrong:
Figures 1, 3, 4, 5 are all plain lateral (mirror) images of R, Q, S, Z.

Cetking shortcut: In 'mirror letters' sets, check where the cross-bar/tail sits — a rotated letter moves it top↔bottom, a mirror only left↔right.

Answer: B

Approach: Figure classification — identify what the three left figures share.

Solution:
Each left figure: a single straight line with ONE small UNSHADED SQUARE on it (its position and the line's angle vary).
(b) is a line with one unshaded square on it ⇒ same type.

Why the other options are wrong:
(a) has a triangle. (c) square is shaded. (d) has a circle. (e) has two squares.

Cetking shortcut: Ignore the angle/position of the line — they vary in the given figures, so they can't be the rule.

Answer: B

Approach: Common-property pair — find what both given figures share.

Solution:
Hexagon: divided by one vertical and one horizontal line into 4 EQUAL parts, one part shaded.
Four-petal flower: 4 equal petals, one shaded.
Rule: a figure divided into 4 identical parts with exactly one part shaded.
Figure 3: the concave shape is cut by a vertical and a horizontal line into 4 equal quarters, one shaded ✓.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: 4 horizontal bands of unequal size. 2: diagonals of a trapezium give unequal triangles. 4: diamond parts are unequal. 5: pencil shape parts are unequal.

Cetking shortcut: Check 'equal parts' — most distractors also have one shaded part but unequal divisions.

Answer: C

Approach: Common-property pair — 3×3 symbol grids with a fixed repetition pattern.

Solution:
Grid 1: three symbols appear twice (star, hour-glass, bell) and three appear once — and the pairs sit in the SAME cells: top-middle = top-right; top-left = middle-right; centre = bottom-left.
Grid 2: N at top-middle and top-right; flower-cross at top-left and middle-right; S at centre and bottom-left — the same pattern.
Figure 3: double-square at top-middle & top-right; pentagon at top-left & middle-right; flower-cross at centre & bottom-left ✓.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: one cell is empty. 2, 4, 5: repeated symbols sit in other cells / repeat a different number of times.

Cetking shortcut: Mark the three repeated pairs in one given grid; check only those cell positions in the options.

Answer: C

Approach: Common-property pair — nested polygons with consecutive side counts, plus an outside symbol copying the middle shape.

Solution:
Figure 1: pentagon ⊃ square ⊃ triangle (5, 4, 3) — outside small diamond (4) = middle shape.
Figure 2: diamond ⊃ pentagon ⊃ hexagon (4, 5, 6) — outside small pentagon (5) = middle shape.
Rule: three nested shapes with consecutive sides; the outside symbol has the same sides as the MIDDLE one.
Figure 2: hexagon ⊃ pentagon ⊃ square (6, 5, 4) with an outside pentagon (5) ✓.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: outside hexagon ≠ middle square. 3: hexagon–square–triangle is not consecutive. 4: outside triangle ≠ middle shape. 5: outside square ≠ middle pentagon.

Cetking shortcut: Look at the small outside symbol first — it must match the middle shape; that alone leaves option 2.

Answer: B

Approach: Common-property pair — the bottom-left symbol is the top-right symbol turned upside down (mirror + water image = 180° rotation).

Solution:
In both given squares, the diagonal splits the square; the symbol in the lower-left half is the upper-right symbol rotated by 180°.
Figure 3: the upper-right 'M-like' zig-zag appears in the lower-left as a 'W', i.e. rotated 180° ✓.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: the symbol is copied unchanged. 2, 4, 5: the lower symbol is only a single mirror/water image (or differently shaded), not a 180° turn of the upper one.

Cetking shortcut: Mirror + water image together = 180° rotation; check the symbol's 'top' end landing at the bottom.

Answer: C

Approach: Common-property pair — dot figures: same number of dots in an unsymmetrical (scattered) layout.

Solution:
Figure 1: 5 dots, arranged with no line of symmetry.
Figure 2: 5 dots, again with an irregular scattered layout (the dots have only shifted positions).
Rule: exactly 5 dots in an irregular, non-patterned arrangement.
Figure 2 of the options: 5 dots (two top, one right-middle, two bottom) in an irregular layout ✓.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: 5 dots but a symmetric T-shape. 3: 6 dots. 4: 5 dots but the symmetric dice-five/X pattern. 5: 6 dots.

Cetking shortcut: Count dots first (removes 3 and 5), then reject the neat symmetric patterns.

Answer: B

Approach: Grouping figures into three classes by shape family.

Solution:
Curved shapes: 1 (semicircle), 3 (circle), 5 (semicircle).
Triangles: 2, 6, 8.
Four-sided figures: 4 (square), 7 (parallelogram), 9 (parallelogram).
Grouping: 1,3,5 ; 2,6,8 ; 4,7,9.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: puts 9 (four-sided) with triangles and 8 (triangle) with quadrilaterals. B, D, E: mix shapes from different families.

Cetking shortcut: Find one sure group (triangles 2, 6, 8) — only option C has it.

Answer: C

Approach: Grouping figures by the kind of inner design.

Solution:
Same shape inside the same shape: 1 (triangle in triangle), 5 (circle in circle), 6 (rectangle in rectangle).
Crossing lines inside: 2 (lines meeting in the triangle), 3 (X in square), 4 (X in circle).
A different shape inside: 7 (triangle in circle), 8 (rectangle in circle), 9 (triangle in rectangle).
Grouping: 1,5,6 ; 2,3,4 ; 7,8,9.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, C, D, E: each mixes 'same-inside-same' figures with 'different-inside' or 'crossed-line' figures.

Cetking shortcut: The 'same shape inside itself' group (1, 5, 6) appears only in option B.

Answer: B

Approach: Grouping figures by the number of straight lines used.

Solution:
Two lines: 1 (X), 2 (V), 3 (=).
Three lines: 4 (Z), 5 (crossed lines with a base), 6 (three verticals).
Four lines: 7 (rectangle), 8 (trapezium), 9 (N with a base).
Grouping: 1,2,3 ; 4,5,6 ; 7,8,9.

Why the other options are wrong:
B, C, D, E: each mixes figures with different line counts.

Cetking shortcut: For figures made of plain strokes, count the lines first — it's the most common rule.

Answer: A

Approach: Grouping figures by outer frame type.

Solution:
Square frame with a small circle in each corner: 1, 4, 7.
Triangular/pointed shapes with black (shaded) corners: 2, 6, 9.
Cup / goblet / mushroom shapes standing on a base: 3, 5, 8.
Grouping: 1,4,7 ; 2,6,9 ; 3,5,8.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: puts 3 with the black-cornered shapes. B, D, E: break the corner-circle group or mix cup shapes with others.

Cetking shortcut: Spot the most obvious class (square with four corner circles: 1, 4, 7), then pick between A and C.

Answer: C

Approach: Grouping figures by the direction of the curved lines inside.

Solution:
Curves bending inward towards the centre (back-to-back arcs): 1, 2, 5.
Curves bulging outward, forming a rounded centre: 3, 7, 8.
Straight lines fanning out from one point: 4, 6, 9.
Grouping: 1,2,5 ; 3,7,8 ; 4,6,9.

Why the other options are wrong:
B, C, D, E: each mixes inward-curve figures with outward-curve or fan figures.

Cetking shortcut: The fan group (4, 6, 9) is easiest to spot — options A and C have it; then check the curve direction in 1 vs 3.

Answer: A

Approach: Figure classification — check how the two black circles are connected.

Solution:
Every figure has a hexagon with 5 small circles (2 black, 3 white) joined by lines.
A, B, D, E: the two black circles are never joined directly — each black circle is linked only to white circles.
C: the left black circle is joined directly to the central black circle.
So C is the odd one out.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, D, E all follow the rule 'no black–black line'; their different layouts are just rotations/rearrangements.

Cetking shortcut: Count circles first (all have 2 black + 3 white), then check the connections between same-colour circles.

Answer: C

Approach: Figure classification — compare the L-shape and the position of the dot.

Solution:
Each figure is an L-shaped corner inside a circle, with one dot placed relative to the long (vertical) arm.
The official key groups figures 4 and 6 as the two different figures.
Figure 6: the dot sits beside the long arm on the side away from the short arm.
Figure 4: the L opens the same way as figure 6 (corner at bottom-left), with the dot beyond the tip of the long arm.
The remaining figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 are taken as the matching set.

Answer: D

Approach: Figure classification — direction in which the four hooked ends curl.

Solution:
Each figure is a cross (I and V diagonal, II–IV upright) with a hook at every arm end.
In I, II, III and IV the hooks all curl in the same rotational sense (they are rotations of one another).
In V the hooks curl the opposite way — V is the mirror image of I, not a rotation of it.
So V is the odd one out.

Why the other options are wrong:
I–IV: can be turned into one another by rotation only; V cannot.

Cetking shortcut: Compare the two X-shaped figures (I and V) first — if they are mirror images, one of them is the odd one.

Answer: E

Approach: Figure classification — how the four corner dots are joined.

Solution:
In A, B, C and D every corner dot is joined to the central dot (straight or curved lines), forming an X through the centre.
In E two dots are joined by right-angled bent lines and not all four corner dots meet at the centre.
So E is the odd one out.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, C: straight X through the centre.
B, D: curved arms, but all four still meet at the central dot.

Cetking shortcut: Check the common rule 'all four arms meet at the centre' — only E fails.

Answer: E

Approach: Pairing pieces into squares — find which shapes have complementary edges.

Solution:
Each piece has a straight base and sides; its top edge is jagged.
A pairs with E: A's notched top fits into E's notched top when one is turned upside down.
B pairs with D: the small step in B's edge matches the step in D's edge.
C's profile (a step on the right with a sloping edge) has no matching partner, so C does not fit with the others.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, D, E: each has a complementary partner that completes a square.

Cetking shortcut: Turn one piece upside down in your mind and slide it onto another — matching notches complete the square.

Answer: C

Approach: Figure classification — symmetry about the horizontal line.

Solution:
Each box has a horizontal line through its middle.
(b), (c), (d), (e): the lower half is the mirror (water) image of the upper half.
(a): the parallelogram is slanted — its lower half is not the mirror image of its upper half.
So (a) is the odd one out.

Why the other options are wrong:
(b) dots and curves, (c) star halves, (d) bell halves, (e) S-curves: all reflect across the line.

Cetking shortcut: Fold each figure along the horizontal line — only the parallelogram fails to match.

Answer: A

Approach: Odd figure out — compare which two lines are missing and where the short cutting line sits.

Solution: Each figure is a square with a point inside from which six lines run out to the corners or sides. Of the eight possible directions, two neighbouring side-lines are missing, leaving a 'gap' in one quadrant, and one short cutting line crosses the diagonal in one corner.
A: gap top-right, cut in the bottom-right corner. B: gap bottom-left, cut top-left. C: gap top-left, cut top-right. D: gap bottom-right, cut bottom-left.
In all four the cut sits one quadrant clockwise from the gap.
E: gap bottom-left, but the cut is in the bottom-right corner — one quadrant anticlockwise. E is the mirror image of the pattern, so it is the odd one.

Why the other options are wrong: A, B, C and D all place the cut one quadrant clockwise from the gap, so they are rotations of one another.

Cetking shortcut: Find the gap first, then note on which side of it the corner cut lies — a flipped side means a mirror image.

Answer: E

Approach: Odd figure out — check the order in which the numbers 1–5 are placed.

Solution: Reading clockwise from the top:
Fig 1: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Fig 3: 1, 5, 4, 3, 2. Fig 4: 3, 2, 1, 5, 4. Fig 5: 3, 2, 1, 5, 4 — always decreasing by 1 clockwise (cyclic).
Fig 2: 4, 2, 1, 5, 3 — breaks the sequence.

Why the other options are wrong: Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5 all follow the 'decreasing clockwise' order.

Answer: B

Approach: Shape rule — shaded n-sided outer figure with an unshaded (n−1)-sided figure inside.

Solution: Rectangle (4) with triangle (3); heptagon (7) with hexagon (6); pentagon (5) with quadrilateral (4).
Outer shaded, inner white, inner has one side fewer.
Option E: shaded octagon (8) with white 7-sided figure inside — fits.

Why the other options are wrong: A: shaded figure inside an unshaded one. B: inner does not have one side fewer than the outer. C: triangle outside a quadrilateral (inner has more sides). D: shading reversed.

Cetking shortcut: Check shading first (outer dark, inner white) — it removes A and D at once.

Answer: E

Approach: Figure classification — find what the two given figures share.

Solution: Both given figures: an irregular, tilted four-sided shape containing a triangle, with opposite shading (dark outer with white triangle, white outer with dark triangle).
c: irregular dark quadrilateral with a white triangle — same features, continuing the alternation of shading.

Why the other options are wrong: a: the outer shape has more than four sides. b: outer and triangle are both unshaded. d: outer is a regular upright rectangle, unlike the irregular quadrilaterals given. e: outer is a triangle with a square inside (reversed).

Cetking shortcut: List the features (sides of outer, inner shape, shading contrast) and test each option against all of them.

Answer: C

Approach: Odd figure out — adjacency of the black boxes.

Solution: Every figure has 4 black boxes, 3 white boxes and 2 empty cells.
In figures A, B, D and E exactly two black boxes share a side (e.g. in A the middle-right and bottom-right boxes).
In figure C the four black boxes sit in the four corners — no two are adjacent.
So figure C is the odd one; it is listed as the fifth option.

Why the other options are wrong: Figures A, B, D, E each contain one adjacent pair of black boxes.

Cetking shortcut: When counts are equal in every figure, look at positions/adjacency next.

Answer: E

Approach: Grouping figures by the inner design.

Solution: Group 1 — 1, 2, 5: four curved arcs bending inward forming a small central square (in a circle, hexagon and square).
Group 2 — 3, 7, 8: curved lines forming a rounded square inside (square, circle, octagon).
Group 3 — 4, 6, 9: straight lines radiating from one point (triangle, hexagon, rectangle).
This is option A.

Why the other options are wrong: Every other option mixes radiating-line figures with curved-line figures (e.g. B puts 1, 7 together and 4, 5 together; E even repeats figure 8).

Cetking shortcut: Classify by the inner pattern, not the outer shape — the outer shapes vary inside each group.

Answer: A

Approach: Odd one out: check symmetry about the central vertical line.

Solution: A – two identical rings, left and right: mirror symmetric.
B – crosses and dots placed identically on both sides: mirror symmetric.
D – two identical rectangles: mirror symmetric.
E – the triangles on the right are the mirror images of those on the left: mirror symmetric.
C – hearts sit in the top-right and bottom-left cells (diagonal), so the right half is not the mirror of the left half.

Cetking shortcut: Fold the figure along the middle line in your head – the one that does not overlap is the odd one.

Answer: C

Approach: Each figure is a black square cut into 8 equal small triangles (a 2 × 2 grid with both diagonals of every cell). Compare how much of each figure is white.

Solution: A – 4 of the 8 small triangles are white (half).
C – 4 of 8 white (half).
D – 4 of 8 white (half).
E – 4 of 8 white (half).
B – only 3 of 8 are white: the top triangle (worth 2) and one small triangle at the bottom right (worth 1); the rest is black.
So B is the only figure that is not half white.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, C, D, E all share the same white area (half the square), so none of them stands out.

Cetking shortcut: When shapes look different but similar in weight, compare the white-to-black area instead of the positions.

Answer: B

Approach: Odd one out: see which shapes are on each side of the dividing line.

Solution: B – square on one side; white rectangle + black rectangle on the other.
C – square on one side; black + white rectangle on the other.
D – square on one side; black + white rectangle on the other.
E – square on one side; white + black rectangle on the other.
A – a small white rectangle alone on one side; the square and black rectangle together on the other.
Only in A is the square not alone.

Cetking shortcut: Find the shape that is 'alone' on one side – in four figures it is the square.

Answer: A

Approach: Odd one out by rotation and reflection: every figure has the same line elements, so find the one that is a mirror image rather than a turned copy.

Solution: Each square has a centre point with: three lines running to corners, a short fourth diagonal that stops at a small slanting cut near the fourth corner, and two straight lines running to the middles of two sides.
Take A: the short diagonal points to the bottom-right corner. Going clockwise from that cut corner you meet a side-line (bottom middle), then the bottom-left corner, then the second side-line (left middle).
B = A turned 180°, C = A turned 90° anticlockwise, D = A turned 90° clockwise – the same clockwise order is kept in each.
E also has the short diagonal at the bottom-right, but its side-lines (top middle and right middle) are met anticlockwise from the cut corner – E is the mirror image of A, and no rotation can turn a mirror image into the others.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, C, D are all rotations of one figure.

Cetking shortcut: Pin down the odd-looking element (the short diagonal with its cut) and check which way the other lines lie relative to it.

Answer: E