Figure Series – MBA CET questions with solutions

Approach: Figure series with two alternating features.

Solution:
Main figure alternates: S-shaped (figures 1, 3) and Z-shaped (figures 2, 4) ⇒ figure 5 is S-shaped.
Top symbol alternates + (figures 1, 3) and × (figures 2, 4) ⇒ figure 5 has +.
Position of the top symbol also alternates: + sits on the right half, × on the left half ⇒ the + must be on the right.
Only option D has the S-shape with + on the right side.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: Z-shaped figure.
B: correct shape and +, but the + is on the left side.
C, E: carry × instead of +.

Cetking shortcut: With an alternating series, the 5th figure is a copy of figure 3 — just find the option identical to figure 3.

Answer: D

Approach: Figure series: each of the six arrowheads (2 rows × 3) turns 90° clockwise, with a fixed set of positions pausing at each step.

Solution:
Number positions 1–3 (top row) and 4–6 (bottom row). Directions: R, L, U, D.
Fig 1: R L D / U L R. Fig 2: D U D / R U D ⇒ all turned 90° clockwise except position 3.
Fig 2 → Fig 3 (D U L / D U D): only positions 3 and 4 turned.
Fig 3 → Fig 4 (L R U / D R L): all turned except position 4.
Fig 4 → Fig 5 (U D U / L D U): all turned except position 3.
The 3-step cycle repeats (all-but-3, only 3 & 4, all-but-4): next step turns only positions 3 and 4.
Fig 5 → Fig 6: position 3 U → R, position 4 L → U ⇒ U D R / U D U, i.e. ∧ ∨ > / ∧ ∨ ∧ = Option C.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: top row ∧ < > changes positions 2 and 3 wrongly.
B: resembles figure 4; positions 1, 2, 5, 6 should not change from figure 5.
D: position 3 not turned (same top row as figure 5).
E: position 4 is not turned and position 5 changes when it should not.

Cetking shortcut: Compare figure 5 with each option: only positions 3 and 4 should change, each by a 90° clockwise turn — only C does that.

Answer: C

Approach: Figure series: the figure turns clockwise by 90° and 45° alternately, and the shaded half switches side at every step.

Solution:
Track the long line (the 'base' with bent ends): A bottom → B left (90° clockwise) → C upper-left (45°) → D upper-right (90°) → E right (45°).
Next turn is 90° clockwise ⇒ the base comes to the bottom again (all answer figures have this).
Shading: seen with the base at the bottom, the black triangle is on the upper-left in A, upper-right in B, and keeps switching; in E it is on the upper-left again.
So the next figure has the base at the bottom and the black triangle on the upper-right, with the diagonal running from top-left to bottom-right.
Only Answer Figure 3 shows this.

Why the other options are wrong:
Figure 1: black part is at the lower-right.
Figure 2: black part is at the lower-left.
Figures 4 and 5: black part is at the upper-left, which repeats E's shading instead of switching.

Cetking shortcut: First fix the position of the base (bottom), then check only the side of the black triangle.

Answer: C

Approach: Odd figure in a series: find the alternating rule from the first and last figures.

Solution:
The L-line with an arrow alternates: up-arrow at the top (figures 1, B, D, last) and down-arrow at the bottom (A, C, E).
Order of the triangle and circle also alternates: figure 1 triangle-circle, A circle-triangle, B triangle-circle, C circle-triangle.
So D should be triangle-circle, E circle-triangle, last triangle-circle (which matches).
D shows circle-triangle ⇒ D does not fit.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, C, E: follow both alternations.

Cetking shortcut: Mark each figure 'up/down' and 'triangle first/circle first'; the one breaking the alternation is the answer.

Answer: D

Approach: Figure series: the column of four shapes moves down one place each step; the bottom shape goes to the top.

Solution:
Fig 1: hatched triangle, circle, square, black triangle.
Fig 2: black triangle, hatched triangle, circle, square.
Fig 3: square, black triangle, hatched triangle, circle.
Fig 4: circle, square, black triangle, hatched triangle.
Fig 5: hatched triangle, circle, square, black triangle (back to Fig 1) = Option C.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: square and circle swapped.
B: same as Fig 3.
D: order square, hatched, black, circle — not a shift of Fig 4.
E: order not a cyclic shift.

Cetking shortcut: Four shapes shifting cyclically repeat after 4 steps ⇒ Fig 5 = Fig 1.

Answer: C

Approach: Figure series: outer and inner shapes follow side counts, and shading alternates.

Solution:
Outer shape sides: 4 (square), 5 (banner), 6 (hexagon), 5 (house) ⇒ up then down: next is 4.
Inner shape sides: 3, 4, 5, 4 ⇒ always one less than the outer ⇒ next is 3 (triangle).
Shading alternates: outer shaded (1), inner shaded (2), outer shaded (3), inner shaded (4) ⇒ next: outer shaded, inner white.
Option A: shaded four-sided outer shape (trapezium) with a white triangle inside.

Why the other options are wrong:
B: hexagon outer, rectangle inner, outer white.
C: inner shaded.
D: inner pentagon (5 sides).
E: outer pentagon, inner rectangle.

Cetking shortcut: Inner sides = outer sides − 1 and shading alternates: just look for 'shaded 4-sided with white triangle'.

Answer: A

Approach: Figure series with three independent elements.

Solution:
Black block: grows by one unit each step, alternately to the right and upward (right, up, right, up) ⇒ next it extends to the right, so the bottom strip reaches the right edge while the column keeps its height.
Triangle: white upright and hatched inverted alternate ⇒ next is hatched, pointing down.
Circle: white, white, black, black, white ⇒ pairs ⇒ next is white.
Option B has all three.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: black strip has not extended to the right edge.
C: upright hatched triangle and black circle.
D: white upright triangle and the black part grows upward.
E: black circle.

Cetking shortcut: Check the two easy elements first (triangle, circle): only A and B survive; the black block decides.

Answer: B

Approach: Count the symbols and track their positions from figure to figure.

Solution:
Symbols: A = 2, B = 3, C = 4, D = 5, E = 6 → the next figure has 7.
Each step: one old symbol moves and one new symbol appears (B adds ↑, C adds △, D adds ★, E adds =).
In E: △ □ on top, ○ in the middle-left, ★ ↑ = along the bottom.
Next: the bottom row ★ ↑ =, △ and ○ stay; □ shifts down to the middle-right and the new symbol S enters at the top-right → figure 4.

Why the other options are wrong:
1, 3, 5: several of E's symbols (△, ○, the bottom row) are moved at once.
2: S is added but nothing moves, which breaks the 'one shift per step' rule.

Cetking shortcut: Keep the symbols that stay still from E (bottom row ★ ↑ =, △ top-left, ○ middle-left); only figures 2 and 4 keep them, and 4 shows the one-symbol shift.

Answer: D

Approach: Compare the four triangular sections (top, right, bottom, left) of each figure.

Solution:
A: top ●, right △, bottom □, left +.
B: top ●, right +, bottom □, left △.
C: top □, right +, bottom ●, left △.
D = A and E = B → the cycle is A, B, C.
So the next figure = C: top □, right +, bottom ●, left △ → figure 5.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: □ on the left, △ at the bottom.
2: same as D (A).
3: + on top.
4: □ on top but △ on the right and + on the left (mirror of C).

Answer: E

Approach: Look for a figure that repeats.

Solution:
A: notched shape pointing up, arrow on the right going down.
B: chevron pointing right, arrow at the bottom going right.
C and D: further variants.
E is identical to A → cycle of 4 (A, B, C, D).
Next = B: right-pointing chevron with the arrow at the bottom going right → figure 2.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: flag-shaped outline, not B's chevron.
3, 4, 5: hourglass shapes that never appear in the cycle (3 and 4 also turn the arrow the wrong way).

Answer: B

Approach: Track the loops and the shading separately.

Solution:
Loops: bottom (A) → right (B) → top (C) → left (D) → bottom (E) → right next (90° anticlockwise each step). Options left: 2, 3, 5.
Shading: the hourglass turns 90° clockwise each step (A's dark upper-left half becomes B's dark upper half of the right triangle).
E is like A, so the next figure is like B: the dark shading sits in the upper half of the right (looped) triangle, and the lower half of that triangle is white → figure 5.

Why the other options are wrong:
1, 4: loops on the left.
2: grey (not black) in the upper right triangle; the shading follows a whole-figure anticlockwise turn.
3: the dark part is in the lower half of the right triangle.

Answer: E

Approach: Follow how the Z's strokes change, one at a time.

Solution:
A: Z with small end-ticks.
B: the right tick folds into a short middle bar.
C: the diagonal shortens to the centre and a vertical drops from it.
D: the bottom bar returns from that vertical, so the lower part becomes a box.
Next: the remaining slanted stroke straightens and the left tick extends down. This gives a closed '6'-like shape made only of horizontal and vertical lines → figure 5.

Why the other options are wrong:
1, 2, 3, 4: each still has a slanted stroke, which the series has been removing.

Answer: E

Approach: Track two lines you can recognise: the ball-ended line and the triangle-ended line.

Solution:
Ball line row: 1 → 2 → 4 → 1 → 3 (moves down 1, 2, 1, 2 rows, wrapping round) → next row 4. Its ball points right, right, left, left, right → right next.
Triangle line row: 3 → 4 → 2 → 3 → 1 (same moves) → next row 2, with the triangle on the left.
So the next figure has the triangle on the left in row 2 and the ball on the right in row 4. Of the options that fit, only 2 has the top line bending down at its right end, as the cycle needs → figure 2.

Why the other options are wrong:
3: open arrowhead instead of a triangle.
4: row 3 carries a forked end.
1, 5: the top line's end bends the wrong way.

Answer: B

Approach: Look at the outer lines and the shaded sectors separately.

Solution:
Outer line pair: top (A, B) → right (C, D) → bottom (E) → stays at the bottom next (each side is used twice). Every option fits this, so the shading decides.
Shading in the 8-sector square grows from figure to figure and is carried forward from E. The next figure must keep E's shaded block and add the next sector, giving one solid block from the top-left through the left side, as in figure 3.

Why the other options are wrong:
1, 2, 4, 5: the shaded sectors are split up or in the wrong places compared with the block that has been growing.

Answer: C

Approach: Count the lines and dots, and note which way the curls face.

Solution:
(Lines, dots): A (1,1), B (1,2), C (2,2), D (2,3), E (3,3) → next (3,4).
Each time a dot is added, the figure flips left-right (A→B, C→D), so E→F flips: curls move to the left end and the bracket ticks to the right end.
Dots: below, below, above, above, below → below next.
3 lines, 4 dots below, curls on the left, ticks pointing up on the right → figure 3.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: line ends are turned the wrong way.
2, 4: dots on top (4 also has 3 dots).
5: lines flipped upside down.

Answer: C

Approach: Label the 6 positions TL, TR, ML, MR, BL, BR and track each symbol.

Solution:
A→B: ○ TR→MR, □ MR→ML, pin ML→TL, = TL→BL, × BL→BR, ★ drops out, new S at TR.
The same path TR→MR→ML→TL→BL→BR→out holds for B→C, C→D and D→E.
From E: + TR→MR, △ MR→ML, C ML→TL, S TL→BL, ○ BL→BR, □ drops out, new symbol at TR.
Next: TL C, TR new, ML △, MR +, BL S, BR ○ → figure 2.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: ○ in ML and □, △ at the bottom.
3: □ at TL and C at BL.
4: △ at TL and S at BR.
5: + at TL and □ at BL.

Cetking shortcut: Check just two corners: TL must be C (from ML) and BR must be ○ (from BL). Only figure 2 has both.

Answer: B

Approach: Track the arrow and the S separately.

Solution:
Arrow position: right, left, centre, right, left → centre next. Direction: ↑ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↑ → ↑ next (it points up again after E).
S position: middle, bottom-left, top-right, middle, bottom-left → top-right next.
S tilt: tilted, upright, tilted, upright, tilted → upright next.
Next: up arrow in the centre, upright S at top-right → figure 1.

Why the other options are wrong:
2, 5: arrow points down.
3: S is mirrored.
4: S is drawn upside down rather than in the upright form used in B and D.

Answer: A

Approach: Track the dot-ended element first, then check the other two.

Solution:
Dot-ended element: the dot points up (A), right (B), down (C), left (D), up (E). It turns 90° clockwise each step, so next it points right. Options 1, 2 and 4 show the bottom element with the dot on the right.
The step-shaped and hook-shaped elements also turn 90° and move round. Applying one more turn to E gives a step at the top falling to the right and a hook at the right curling at the bottom → figure 1.

Why the other options are wrong:
3, 5: dot element faces left.
4: top and right elements are copied from E without turning.
2: the top step rises instead of falling.

Answer: A

Approach: Watch the bottom arrow change in each figure.

Solution:
A: 5 complete arrows.
B: 5th arrow loses its tail dot.
C: 5th loses its head (plain line).
D: 5th line removed.
E: 4th arrow (←) loses its head, keeping the dot.
Next: the 4th loses its dot → a plain line under 3 complete arrows (→, ←, →) → figure 1.

Why the other options are wrong:
2, 4: the 4th line is removed too early.
3: the arrow directions are reversed.
5: the 4th line still has its dot.

Answer: A

Approach: Track the length of the curve and where its free end sits.

Solution:
A: quarter arc. B: about three-quarters of a circle. C: a full circle and a bit more. D and E: the curve keeps coiling inside, adding the same arc (about half a turn) each step.
The next figure adds another half turn past E's end and keeps the same direction of coiling → figure 2.

Why the other options are wrong:
1, 3, 4, 5: the free end stops short, goes past the required point, or the spiral coils the other way.

Answer: B

Approach: Track each symbol round the 8 border cells in the anticlockwise order TL → ML → BL → BM → BR → MR → TR → TM.

Solution:
×: TM → TL (1) → BL (2) → BM (1) → MR (2) → next 1 step → TR.
○: ML → BM (2) → BR (1) → TR (2) → next 1 step → TM.
★: ML → BL (1) → BR (2) → next 1 step → MR.
S: BM → next 1 step → BR; □ stays at TL, and the new symbol ↑ enters at ML.
Next: □ ○ × on the top row, ↑ middle-left, ★ middle-right, S bottom-right → figure 1.

Why the other options are wrong:
2, 3, 5: ○ × ★ are shifted one cell along the top row.
4: × at TL and S at TR.

Answer: A

Approach: Check orientation, loop shape and loop size separately.

Solution:
Orientation: A and B face the same way, C and D are their mirror image, E is turned again → the next figure faces the same way as E: stem on the right, arm at the top going left, loop at the bottom-left. Options left: 2, 4.
Loop shape: square, round, square, round, square → round next.
Loop size: small, big, big, small, small → big next.
Big semicircle at the bottom-left with the stem on the right → figure 4.

Why the other options are wrong:
1, 3, 5: stem on the left with the arm going right (wrong orientation).
2: correct orientation but the loop is small.

Answer: D

Approach: Compare pairs: A→B, C→D, E→F.

Solution:
A: bottom strip black → B: top strip black (flipped upside down).
C: black at the bottom with a slanted edge → D: the same fill flipped to the top.
E: black fills most of the box from the bottom, edge slanting down to the right, top strip white.
Next = E flipped upside down: black from the top, edge slanting up to the right, one full white strip at the bottom → figure 1.

Why the other options are wrong:
2: too little black (two white strips).
3: the slant runs the wrong way.
4, 5: no full white strip at the bottom.

Answer: A

Approach: Track each shape across the five boxes separately.

Solution:
Diamond: bottom-left, top-right, bottom-left, ?, bottom-left → it alternates, so box 4 has it at top-right.
Star: bottom-right, centre, top-left, ?, centre → it alternates between a corner and the centre, the corners going bottom-right, top-left, bottom-right → box 4 has it at bottom-right.
Option C: diamond top-right, star bottom-right ✓.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, B, E: diamond not at top-right. D: star at top-left.

Cetking shortcut: The diamond's simple alternation leaves C or D; the star's corner pattern decides.

Answer: C

Approach: Track the triangle and the square separately.

Solution:
Square: centre, ?, centre, bottom-left, centre → it alternates between the centre and the bottom-left corner → box 2: bottom-left.
Triangle: top-left, ?, bottom-right, top-left, top-right → it repeats a 3-step cycle top-left → top-right → bottom-right → box 2: top-right.
Option B: triangle top-right, square bottom-left ✓.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, E: square at the centre. C: triangle bottom-right. D: triangle top-left, square top-right.

Answer: B

Approach: Measure the turn between consecutive figures.

Solution:
Each figure is the previous one turned through the same angle, 135° clockwise (teacher, board and students move together).
Figure 1 upright → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 each step +135°.
Turn figure 5 another 135° clockwise → option E.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, C: turned by the wrong angle. B, D: mirror images — the teacher and students are on swapped sides, which no rotation gives.

Cetking shortcut: Follow one landmark (the board) — it moves 135° clockwise every step; first discard options where teacher and students are on swapped sides (mirrors).

Answer: E

Approach: Track the speech bubble and the cylinder separately.

Solution:
Speech bubble: stays in the top-left corner in every figure.
Cylinder: centre → top-right → bottom-left → centre → top-right → so the cycle repeats every 3 figures.
Next: cylinder at bottom-left, bubble at top-left → option D.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: bubble moved to the centre. B: cylinder at the centre. C: bubble at top-right. E: repeats figure 5.

Answer: D

Approach: Write each 2×2 grid as [top row / bottom row] and compare consecutive grids.

Solution:
Fig 1: [5 7 / 8 3] → Fig 2: [3 8 / 5 7]
Rule: new top row = old bottom row reversed; new bottom row = old top row.
Check: Fig 2 → Fig 3: top = (5 7) reversed = 7 5; bottom = 3 8 → [7 5 / 3 8] ✓
Fig 3 → Fig 4: top = (3 8) reversed = 8 3; bottom = 7 5 → [8 3 / 7 5] ✓
Fig 5: top = (7 5) reversed = 5 7; bottom = 8 3 → [5 7 / 8 3] = option E.

Cetking shortcut: Each number moves one place along the cycle top-left → bottom-left → top-right → bottom-right → top-left, so after 4 steps the grid returns to figure 1.

Answer: E

Approach: Treat each box as a 3-row × 2-column grid of six cells and find the empty cell.

Solution:
Each box has 5 crosses and one empty cell.
Box 1: empty = left-top. Box 2: empty = right-middle. Box 4 = box 1, box 5 = box 2, so the cycle has length 3.
The empty cell moves one row down each step while switching sides: left-top → right-middle → left-bottom → (repeat).
Box 3: crosses in left-top, left-middle and all three right cells; left-bottom empty → option D.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: repeats box 1. B: empty cell left-middle. C: empty right-bottom. E: empty right-top.

Answer: D

Approach: Track the order of the four symbols – one swap happens at each step.

Solution: Write top to bottom (O = grey circle, T = triangle, X = crossed circle, S = star).
Fig 1: O T X S → Fig 2: T O X S (swap positions 1–2) → Fig 3: T X O S (swap 2–3) → Fig 4: T X S O (swap 3–4) → Fig 5: O X S T (swap 4–1).
Next swap repeats the cycle (positions 1–2): X O S T.
Option A shows X, O, S, T from top to bottom.

Why the other options are wrong: The swaps run 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-1 and then repeat, so the next swap is 1-2; B, C, D and E come from other swaps of O X S T.

Cetking shortcut: Look for one pair changing places between figures, and note which pair moves next.

Answer: A

Approach: Two operations take turns: (i) swap T and L and mirror the L; (ii) flip the figure top-to-bottom.

Solution: Fig 1 → Fig 2: T and L swap places and the L is mirrored (chevron unchanged).
Fig 2 → Fig 3: the figure is flipped top-to-bottom (chevron points down at the top, L becomes ┐ at bottom-left, T at bottom-right).
Fig 3 → ?: apply (i) again – T moves to bottom-left, the L moves to bottom-right and is mirrored to ┌; chevron stays at the top pointing down.
? → Fig 5: applying (ii) gives back Fig 1 ✔.
Option B matches.

Why the other options are wrong: A keeps ┌ on the left (no swap); C, D and E have the chevron pointing up, so the flip has already happened.

Cetking shortcut: Use the last figure as a check: the missing figure must lead back to Fig 5.

Answer: B

Approach: Track three things separately: outer shape, inner rectangle orientation, inner shading.

Solution: Outer shape cycle: hexagon → circle → diamond → hexagon → circle → diamond.
Inner rectangle: vertical, horizontal, vertical, horizontal → vertical → horizontal.
Inner shading in pairs: hatched, hatched, white, white → hatched, hatched.
So ? = dark circle with a vertical hatched rectangle = D.

Why the other options are wrong: A has a horizontal white rectangle; B and E have the wrong outer shape and a black inner; C has a white circle (the circle in this series is dark).

Cetking shortcut: Split the figure into features and run a separate cycle for each.

Answer: D

Approach: Alternate steps: the figure detaches from the dots and turns 180°, then a new figure attaches.

Solution: A: a 3-line shape is attached to 3 dots at the top. B: the same shape turns 180° (∨ → ∧), drops away from the dots and the dots stay at the top.
C: a 2-line '<' is attached to 2 dots on the right.
So D: the '<' turns 180° into '>' and moves away from the dots; the 2 dots stay on the right (top and bottom).
Option 3 shows '>' with 2 dots on the right.

Why the other options are wrong: 1 keeps a third line (stem); 2 has 3 dots; 4 and 5 keep '<' without the 180° turn.

Cetking shortcut: Match element counts first (2 lines, 2 dots) – this leaves only 3 and 4.

Answer: C

Approach: The two elements swap places and swap single/double outlines at each step.

Solution: A: double circle at top-left, single ∧ at bottom-right.
B: the elements swap places (∧ to top-left, circle to bottom-right) and the outlines swap (∧ becomes double, circle becomes single).
C: single arc at top-left, double square at bottom-right.
So D: the square goes to top-left as a single outline, the arc goes to bottom-right as a double arc.
Option 2 matches.

Why the other options are wrong: 1 and 3 do not swap places; 4 keeps the square double; 5 puts the double square at the top and the arc single.

Cetking shortcut: Two rules – position swap and single/double swap – check both.

Answer: B

Approach: The arrow moves along the sides of the triangle in a fixed cycle.

Solution: Fig 1: arrow along the base pointing right.
Fig 2: arrow along the right side pointing up.
Fig 3: arrow along the left side pointing down.
Fig 4: back to the base pointing right – a cycle of 3 (base → right side up → left side down).
Fig 5 = Fig 2: arrow along the right side pointing up = D.

Why the other options are wrong: A and C repeat the base arrow; B shows the left-side position, which comes after the right side; E has the right-side arrow pointing down.

Cetking shortcut: Find the cycle length (3) and repeat: the 5th figure = the 2nd figure.

Answer: D

Approach: The three shapes move up one place (cyclically) and only the middle shape is shaded.

Solution: Fig 1 (top to bottom): circle, black square, triangle.
Fig 2: square, grey triangle, circle – every shape moved up one place, the top one went to the bottom, and the middle shape is shaded.
Next: triangle, shaded circle, square.
Option b: triangle, grey circle, square ✔.

Why the other options are wrong: a has an inverted triangle at the top and the wrong order; c has circle at the top; d is horizontal; e is the reverse order with the top shape shaded.

Cetking shortcut: Track only the top shape: circle → square → triangle; then check that the middle shape is filled.

Answer: B

Approach: Three linked rules: outer shape becomes inner, the stick's head becomes the new outer shape, and the stick turns 90° clockwise.

Solution: A → B: hexagon (outer) goes inside, the square head of the stick becomes the outer square; the stick turns 90° clockwise (vertical on the right → horizontal at the top).
B → C: square goes inside, arrow head (triangle) becomes the outer triangle. C → D and D → E follow the same rule.
E: outer house shape, stick on the right with a round head at the top.
Next: the house goes inside, the round head becomes the outer circle, and the stick moves to the top (horizontal) with a new head at the right end.
Option 4 matches.

Why the other options are wrong: 5 keeps the house as the outer shape; 1 has a square inside; 2 has a trapezium outside; 3 has the head at the wrong end.

Cetking shortcut: Use the outer shape first: it must be a circle (E's stick head) with a house inside – only 3 and 4; then check the stick direction.

Answer: D

Approach: Figure series — two changes at once: the flag-stick rotates 90° clockwise each step, and the count goes 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3.

Solution:
A: 1 vertical stick, flag at top. B: 1 horizontal stick, flag at the right end hanging down (A turned 90° clockwise).
C: 2 sticks, flag at bottom. D: 2 sticks, flag at left. E: 3 sticks, flag at top.
Next: 3 sticks, rotated 90° clockwise from E ⇒ horizontal sticks with the flag at the RIGHT end, hanging below the line — same orientation as B.
Figure 1 shows exactly this.

Why the other options are wrong:
2 and 5: four sticks. 3: flags above the line (wrong orientation). 4: flags placed away from the end / wrong side.

Cetking shortcut: Figures two apart (A, C, E or B, D) are 180° apart; so the next figure copies B's orientation with three sticks.

Answer: A

Approach: Figure series with a repeating cycle.

Solution:
Figure E is identical to figure A ⇒ the series repeats every 4 figures: A, B, C, D, A(=E), …
So the next figure must be the same as B.
Answer figure 3 is an exact copy of B (same two symbols, same orientation and hooks).

Why the other options are wrong:
1, 2, 4, 5: each differs from B in the shape or orientation of at least one of the two symbols.

Cetking shortcut: Whenever the last problem figure equals an earlier one, simply copy the figure that came after it.

Answer: C

Approach: Figure series (odd one out) — letters placed clockwise in alphabetical order.

Solution:
A: B (top) → C (right) → D (bottom) → E (left) — clockwise, consecutive.
B: G → H → I → J clockwise.
C: K → L → M → N clockwise.
E: T → U → V → W clockwise.
D: P (top), O (right), Q (bottom), R (left) — clockwise reads P, O, Q, R; for the pattern it should be O, P, Q, R.
So figure D (option 4) does not belong.

Why the other options are wrong:
Figures A, B, C, E all follow the clockwise consecutive order starting from the top.

Cetking shortcut: Read every figure from the top going clockwise — the one that isn't A-B-C-D-like breaks the series.

Answer: D

Approach: Figure series: the shaded quadrant moves clockwise one quadrant per step; the number of small circles alternates 2, 1, 2, 1.

Solution:
Shading: A top-left → B top-right → C bottom-right → D bottom-left.
Circles: A 2 (bottom row) → B 1 → C 2 (top row) → D 1.
The single circle sits in the quadrant just after the shaded one (B: shade top-right, circle bottom-right; D: shade bottom-left, circle top-left).
Figure 5: shade bottom-left, one circle top-left.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: two circles.
2: black circle (colour changed).
3, 4: shading at top-right (not moved).

Cetking shortcut: Fix the shading first (bottom-left) — it removes 3 and 4 at once; then count circles.

Answer: E

Approach: Figure series: the arrowhead moves 45° clockwise around the 8-spoke star each step.

Solution:
A: north-west → B: north → C: north-east → D: east → E: south-east.
Next: south → figure 2 (arrow pointing down).

Why the other options are wrong:
1: east (repeat of D).
3: north-west (back to A).
4: south-west (90° jump).
5: two arrowheads.

Answer: B

Approach: Figure series in a 6-sector circle: each grey sector moves one sector clockwise per step, and the symbol that appears twice cycles plus → star → heart.

Solution:
Grey sector 1: top-right → right → bottom-right → bottom-left → left → next top-left.
Grey sector 2: left → top-left → top-right → right → bottom-right → next bottom-left.
So figure 6 has grey sectors at top-left and bottom-left → options B or D.
Doubled symbol: fig 1 plus, fig 2 star, fig 3 heart, fig 4 plus, fig 5 star → fig 6 heart.
D has two hearts (plus one plus and one star); B has two stars.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, C, E: grey sectors in the wrong positions.
B: two stars instead of two hearts.

Cetking shortcut: Solve the shading first to cut five options to two, then use the symbol count.

Answer: D

Approach: Figure series — rotation of the black semicircle plus alternating size of the dot ring.

Solution:
The black semicircle turns 90° anticlockwise each step: curve up → curve left → curve down → curve right → curve up.
So figure 6 must have the curve facing left (flat side on the right).
The ring of 8 dots alternates: compact (1, 3, 5) and spread out (2, 4); figure 6 must have the spread ring.
Option C has the left-facing semicircle with the wider dot ring.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: semicircle faces right.
B, D: semicircle faces down.
E: semicircle faces left but with the tight dot ring of figures 1, 3, 5.

Cetking shortcut: Same position as figure 2 is expected (4-step cycle), so the answer must look like figure 2 → C.

Answer: C

Approach: Figure series (out-of-place figures) — count the hatch lines in the top-left corner.

Solution:
Hatch lines: figure 1 = 2, figure 2 = 3, figure 3 = 5, figure 4 = 4, figure 5 = 6, figure 6 = 7.
The series should increase by one line each step: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Figures 3 and 4 have swapped places (5 before 4).
So figures 3 and 4 are out of place.

Why the other options are wrong:
A 4 and 5, B 1 and 4, D 2 and 6, E 3 and 5: swapping these pairs does not give a clean +1 series.

Cetking shortcut: Count only the changing element (hatch lines); everything else (circles, dots, '=' sign) is constant.

Answer: C

Approach: Figure series (wrong figure) — alternate pattern of the arrow and the order of the two shapes.

Solution:
Figures alternate between two states.
Arrow up (figures 1, B, D, last): triangle comes first, then circle.
Arrow down (A, C, E): circle comes first, then triangle.
Figure D has the arrow up but shows circle then triangle — it breaks the rule.

Why the other options are wrong:
A, C, E: arrow down with circle–triangle order ✓.
B: arrow up with triangle–circle order ✓.

Cetking shortcut: Compare every alternate figure with the first and last figures, which are given correct.

Answer: D

Approach: Figure series — the big and small symbols swap in pairs.

Solution:
(A) big 1, small s → (B) big S, small 1: the two symbols swap size and side.
(C) big triangle, small hook → (D) big hook, small triangle: swap again.
(E) big L, small trapezium → next: big trapezium, small L on the right, both upright.
Answer figure 5 shows a big upright trapezium with a small upright L on its right.

Why the other options are wrong:
1: the small symbol is a reversed L (J).
2: the trapezium is inverted.
3: brings new symbols, breaking the swap.
4: puts the small L on the left.

Cetking shortcut: Spot the swap in A→B and C→D; then figure F is just E with the two symbols swapped.

Answer: E

Approach: Figure series — alternating position of the five dots.

Solution:
Figure 1: five dots along the top row.
Figure 2: five dots down the left column.
Figure 3: top row again.
Figure 4 must be the left column again.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: dots in the second row.
B, D: dots in a middle/second column.
C: dots along the diagonal.

Cetking shortcut: Alternating series: figure 4 = figure 2.

Answer: E

Approach: Figure series — a line of five dots rotating by 45° each step.

Solution:
Figure 1: vertical line (middle column).
Figure 2: diagonal from bottom-left to top-right (45° clockwise).
Figure 3: horizontal line (middle row) (another 45°).
Figure 4: next 45° turn gives the diagonal from top-left to bottom-right.

Why the other options are wrong:
A: an irregular pattern, not a straight line.
C: the same diagonal as figure 2 (no rotation).
D, E: vertical lines — the line has already passed vertical.

Cetking shortcut: Vertical → / → horizontal → \ : the line is turning like a clock hand.

Answer: B

Approach: Figure series — two independent dot groups: an alternating pair and a sliding row of three.

Solution:
Top two dots alternate: (row 1, col 1)+(row 2, col 2) in figures 1 and 3; (row 1, col 2)+(row 2, col 1) in figure 2. So figure 4 has (row 1, col 2)+(row 2, col 1).
Row-3 block of three dots moves one column right each time (wrapping around): columns 5-1-2 → 1-2-3 → 2-3-4 → next 3-4-5.
Option A: top dots at (1, 2) and (2, 1), row 3 dots at columns 3, 4, 5 ✓.

Why the other options are wrong:
B, C, D, E: either the top pair is wrong or the row of three is not at columns 3–5.

Cetking shortcut: Split the dots into groups and track each group separately.

Answer: A