Inductive reasoning: Practice 1

10 original teaching questions with answers and explanations.

Instructions for this set

Choose the continuation of the intended simple repeating or arithmetic rule. Check it against every supplied step. Alphabet questions use the English alphabet.

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  1. 1. Using successive odd-number differences, continue: 4, 7, 12, 19, 28, ?
    1. 35
    2. 37
    3. 39
    4. 41

    Reference: q-33e348cd-71 · Report this question

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    Answer: C. 39

    Differences are 3, 5, 7, 9. The next difference is 11, so the next term is 39.
  2. 2. Continue the two interleaved counting sequences: 3, 20, 6, 18, 9, 16, ?
    1. 12
    2. 13
    3. 14
    4. 15

    Reference: q-bbf73606-72 · Report this question

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    Answer: A. 12

    Odd positions increase 3, 6, 9, 12; even positions decrease 20, 18, 16. The next term is in the odd-position sequence.
  3. 3. A marker repeats this clockwise cycle: north, east, south, west. It starts north. Where is it after six moves?
    1. North
    2. East
    3. South
    4. West

    Reference: q-6b7162ec-111 · Report this question

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    Answer: C. South

    Four moves complete one cycle. Two further moves reach south.
  4. 4. Continue by doubling and adding one: 2, 5, 11, 23, ?
    1. 45
    2. 46
    3. 47
    4. 48

    Reference: q-8bcab8f2-53 · Report this question

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    Answer: C. 47

    Each step is previous times two plus one. Therefore 23 times two plus one is 47.
  5. 5. Frames one to four contain 1, 2, 4 and 8 dots respectively. The number doubles in each new frame. What is the count in frame six?
    1. 12
    2. 16
    3. 24
    4. 32

    Reference: q-b7193a25-130 · Report this question

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    Answer: D. 32

    Starting with one dot in frame one, frames five and six contain 16 and 32 dots respectively.
  6. 6. Continue the letter series using successive jumps of 2, 3, 4, then 5 places: B, D, G, K, ?
    1. N
    2. O
    3. P
    4. Q

    Reference: q-185eea59-91 · Report this question

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    Answer: C. P

    K is position 11. Adding the next jump, five, reaches position 16, P.
  7. 7. A tile alternates hollow, solid, hollow, solid. What is the eighth tile?
    1. Hollow
    2. Solid
    3. Half shaded
    4. Cannot determine under the rule

    Reference: q-fe3facee-73 · Report this question

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    Answer: B. Solid

    Even-numbered tiles are solid; eight is even.
  8. 8. Continue by subtracting 3, then 6, then 9, then 12: 50, 47, 41, 32, ?
    1. 17
    2. 18
    3. 20
    4. 23

    Reference: q-db33c95c-70 · Report this question

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    Answer: C. 20

    The next subtraction is 12. Thus 32 minus 12 is 20.
  9. 9. A symbol rotates 90 degrees clockwise each step. Its arrow points left in frame one. Where does it point in frame four?
    1. Left
    2. Up
    3. Right
    4. Down

    Reference: q-6dab3440-120 · Report this question

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    Answer: D. Down

    Left becomes up, then right, then down after three rotations.
  10. 10. A repeated three-frame pattern is circle, square, triangle. Which shape occupies position eleven?
    1. Circle
    2. Square
    3. Triangle
    4. Pentagon

    Reference: q-89203e03-98 · Report this question

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    Answer: B. Square

    Positions 2, 5, 8 and 11 are the second element of the cycle: square.

Review your method

Return to the inductive reasoning lesson and identify the reasoning step behind each mistake before repeating the set.

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