PAF GD Pilot Non-Verbal Intelligence Syllabus

Which axis acts as the reflecting line for a mirror image versus a water image?

Mirror image: reflection across a vertical line (placed to the side). Water image: reflection across a horizontal line (placed at the bottom).

What is a Finding Embedded Figures problem?

You are given a simple figure and a larger complex figure, and you must determine in which option the simple figure is hidden/contained without changing its shape, size or proportion.

What is the key constraint when locating an embedded figure?

The hidden figure must appear in exactly the same shape, size and orientation (no rotation, distortion or resizing) within the complex figure.

What is a 'Completing Incomplete Patterns' question?

A pattern or design has a missing portion (often a cut-out piece), and you must choose the option that fits the gap to complete the original symmetrical or continuous pattern.

What principle most often helps complete an incomplete pattern?

Symmetry and continuity — the missing piece must continue the lines, curves and shading so the overall design remains symmetric and unbroken.

What is a Paper Folding (and punching) problem?

A sheet of paper is folded one or more times and then punched/cut; you must determine how the holes/cuts appear when the paper is unfolded.

In a paper-folding problem, how do the punched holes multiply when unfolded?

Each fold doubles the number of holes: one fold can produce 2 holes per punch, two folds up to 4, three folds up to 8 — because holes are reflected across each fold line.

Across what line do the holes get mirrored when paper is unfolded?

Across each fold line (crease); each unfolding reflects the existing holes symmetrically to the opposite side of that crease.

What is paper cutting (folding and cutting) in non-verbal reasoning?

A sheet is folded and a piece is cut out; you must visualise the symmetrical pattern of cuts that appears when the paper is fully opened, reflecting the cut across each fold line.

Define lateral inversion.

The left-right reversal of an image produced by a plane mirror — the right side of the object appears as the left side of the image and vice versa.

Which letters of the English alphabet look the same as their mirror (vertical) image?

Symmetrical letters about a vertical axis: A, H, I, M, O, T, U, V, W, X, Y.

Which letters look the same as their water (horizontal) reflection?

Letters symmetrical about a horizontal axis: B, C, D, E, H, I, K, O, X.

What is rotational symmetry of a figure?

A figure has rotational symmetry if it looks identical after being rotated by a certain angle (less than 360°) about its centre; the number of such positions is its order of rotational symmetry.

How do you find the order of rotational symmetry?

Order = 360° ÷ (smallest angle of rotation that maps the figure onto itself). E.g. an equilateral triangle (120°) has order 3; a square (90°) has order 4.

What is line (reflective) symmetry?

A figure has line symmetry if a line (axis) can divide it into two halves that are exact mirror images of each other.

How many lines of symmetry do a square and an equilateral triangle have?

A square has 4 lines of symmetry; an equilateral triangle has 3 lines of symmetry. (A circle has infinite.)

By what angle is a figure rotated for a 'clockwise 90°' transformation, and which way does it turn?

It turns a quarter turn to the right (the direction clock hands move); a point at the top moves to the right side.

What does a 180° rotation do to a figure?

It turns the figure a half turn, so it appears upside down and back-to-front; top goes to bottom and left goes to right. (Same result whether clockwise or anticlockwise.)

How can you distinguish a rotation from a reflection of the same figure?

A rotation preserves the figure's 'handedness' (it can be obtained by turning), while a reflection reverses it into a mirror form that cannot be reproduced by turning in the plane.

In analogy-type non-verbal questions (A:B :: C:?), what must you find?

The relationship/transformation that turns figure A into figure B, then apply that same transformation to figure C to get the answer.

What types of changes should you scan for when finding the rule in a figure analogy?

Rotation, reflection, change in number of sides/elements, shading/inversion of colour, addition or removal of parts, and change in size or position.

How do you count progression of elements in a 'dot/line counting' series?

Track how the number of dots, lines or sides increases or decreases by a constant step from one figure to the next, then continue that arithmetic progression.

When solving an embedded-figure question quickly, what is a useful elimination tactic?

Trace the outline of the given simple figure inside each option; eliminate any option where a line of the simple figure does not align exactly with a line in the complex figure.

What is the relationship between a figure and its mirror image regarding the distance from the mirror?

The image is the same perpendicular distance behind the mirror as the object is in front, and the same size — only laterally inverted.

In matrix (3x3) figure problems, why check both rows and columns and diagonals?

The transformation rule can run along rows, down columns, or sometimes along diagonals or combine elements; checking all directions reveals the consistent rule for the missing cell.

What does shading/colour inversion mean as a transformation?

A transformation in which shaded (black) parts become unshaded (white) and unshaded parts become shaded, while the shape stays otherwise unchanged.

For a figure folded twice (into quarters) and punched once, how many holes appear when opened?

Up to 4 holes — the single punch is reflected across both fold lines, producing one hole in each of the four quarters (symmetrically placed).

What is the standard step-by-step approach to any paper-folding question?

Mentally unfold the paper one fold at a time in reverse order; at each unfold, mirror the existing holes/cuts across that fold's crease until the sheet is fully open.

How do you identify the odd figure when all shapes look similar but differ in rotation direction?

Check the direction (clockwise vs anticlockwise) of arrows, curves or shading in each figure; the one rotating or pointing in the opposite direction to the rest is the odd one out.

What distinguishes 'Completing Incomplete Patterns' from 'Finding Embedded Figures'?

Completing incomplete patterns means selecting a missing piece that fits into a gap to finish a design (focus on continuity/symmetry); finding embedded figures means locating a whole given shape hidden inside a larger complex figure (focus on detection, no gap).