Visual Reasoning: Key Concepts, Solved Examples, & Prep Tips

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Visual Reasoning, as the name suggests deals with the logical reasoning topics which deals with the graphical representation of a problem and solving the problem based on the representation. Visual representations test the candidates aptitudes towards creative thinking and visualization along with object and image recognition and so on. Several important topics under visual reasoning are image and figure counting, cube and dice, venn diagram, seating arrangement, direction and distance and so on. 

In this article, we are going to cover the key concepts of Visual Reasoning along with the various types of it, solved examples, practice questions and the tips and tricks to solve the questions related to visual reasoning. Read the article thoroughly to clear all the doubts regarding the same. 

What is Visual Reasoning?

As mentioned above, Visual Reasoning is all about solving logical reasoning questions by representing the given question in graphical form to understand and to get the right answer. Some of the important chapters under visual reasoning are image and figure counting, cube and dice, Venn diagram, seating arrangement, direction and distance, and so on. Let us now understand various types of visual reasoning from below. 

Types of Visual Reasoning 

Let us see the various types of questions that may come in the Visual Reasoning section one by one from below. 

1. Image & Figure Counting

In this type of visual reasoning, figure counting refers to the process of formation of a defined geometrical figure with the use of pieces of different designs. On other hand, images are of various types such as Mirror Image, Water Image etc. Mirror Image is the image or the reflection of an object into a mirror when that object is placed near it. 

Water Image is the reflection of an object into water. It is the vertically inverted image obtained by turning the object upside down. 

2. Cube & Dice

In this type of visual reasoning, Cube is a three dimensional figure which can only be made out of square. Square when given a height equal to one of the sides, becomes a cube. Die/Dice is a three dimensional figure with each of its six sides/faces showing different numbers/letters/colours etc. It has 8 corners and  12 edges. In a dice, length, breadth and height all are equal to each other.

3. Venn Diagram

Logical Venn Diagram depicts the process of representing the things/ objects/ persons/ departments/ organizations/ events and so on through diagrammatic medium with the use of figures such as square, circle, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezium, triangle, and so on. 

4. Seating Arrangement

Seating Arrangement is a process of making a group of people sit as per a prefixed manner. These questions are based on a set of information including a certain set of conditions. Information of the arrangement of the people in a row or around the circle will be given, and candidates need to arrange people in the row or circle or square according to the given condition. 

5. Direction & Distance 

Direction and Distance questions are based on the distance and/or direction puzzle. Based on the given distance and direction, candidates need to find out the final direction from the starting point and/or find out the distance, covered between starting point and the final or end point. 

How to Solve Questions Based on Visual Reasoning – Know all Tips and Tricks 

Candidates can find various tips and tricks from below for solving the questions related to the Visual Reasoning section. 

Tip # 1: Learn the art of representing the given question or statement/s in graphical form to solve the questions related to the visual reasoning.

Tip # 2: Visual reasoning section tests the candidates aptitude towards creative thinking and visualization along with object and image recognition and so on. So candidates should be well aware of these things. 

Tip # 3: Practice mock tests and quizzes as much as possible to get well versed with all the topics and their question patterns to score well in the visual reasoning section. 

Also get  more insights on Cubes and Dice

Visual Reasoning Sample Questions

Question 1: In the evening at 4 PM, Seeta and Reema are sitting in a garden facing each other. If Reema’s shadow falls behind her, which direction is Seeta facing? 

Solution: If we draw directions according to the given information we get, In the evening the Sun is in the West. Hence, the shadow falls on the East. Since, Reema’s shadow falls behind her. It implies that Reema is facing the West side. As Seeta and Reema are facing each other, So Seeta will face East. 

Question 2:  In the morning a guy walks X km North, takes left and walks 3 KM, takes left and walks 5 KM, takes left and walks 5 KM and finally takes a right and walks 4 KM. Now his shadows are exactly pointing towards his initial position. What is the value of X?  

Solution: If we draw the directions then we get, X = 5 + 4 = 9 KM. Therefore, the correct answer is 4. 

Question 3: 

Direction: Study the following information carefully and answer the questions based on it.

Eight friends Divya, Dev, Piyush, Shiv, Nisha, Geeta, Bhavna, Govinda are sitting around the circular table but not necessarily in the same order and are facing towards the center of the table.

Nisha is third to the left of Bhavna. Dev and Piyush are neighbors. Divya is sitting opposite to Geeta. Shiv is an immediate neighbor of Bhavna. There are two people sitting between Nisha and Geeta. Dev and Govinda are sitting opposite to each other.

Who is sitting immediate to the right of Nisha?

Solution

Persons: Divya, Dev, Piyush, Shiv, Nisha, Geeta, Bhavna, Govinda

  1. Shiv is an immediate neighbor of Bhavna.
  2. Nisha is third to the left of Bhavna.
  3. There are two people sitting between Nisha and Geeta.
  4. Divya is sitting opposite to Geeta.
  5. Dev and Piyush are neighbors.
  6. Dev and Govinda are sitting opposite to each other.

Case 1 cannot satisfy the above conditions. Hence, Case 1 gets eliminated. Hence, Piyush is the correct answer.

Question 4: 

Directions: Eight persons A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H are sitting in a line and an equal number of persons are facing north and south direction. Not more than two consecutive adjacent persons face in the same direction. Persons at extreme ends face in the same direction.

A sits third to the right of D, who sits immediate right of H. H faces north direction. Two people sit between A and E. D does not sit at the extreme end. B sits immediate right of C and both face south direction. B and A are not adjacent to each other. G does not face south.

If row-1 people sit in alphabetical order starting from the left end then who will face S?

Solution

  1. D is facing the person who is sitting 2nd to the right of the person who faces C.
  2. B is sitting to the left of D.
  3. P is sitting 2nd to the right of S.
  4. Neither P nor S sit at any of the extreme ends of the row.
  5. R sits second to the left of T.
  6. T sits at one of the extreme ends but doesn’t face C.
  7. E is not an immediate neighbor of D.

Using statement 7, Case 1.B will be eliminated.

  1. A sits to the left of E.

D will face S if persons of Row 1 are arranged according to alphabetical order. So the correct answer is D.

Question 5: In the following figure, circle represents bed sheet, triangle represents pillow and square represents blanket. Which set of letters represents all the three elements?

visual reasoning 9

Solution: Here, D represents all three elements.

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Question 6: In the given Venn diagram, the circle represents ‘PhD students’, the triangle represents ‘science students’ and the rectangle represents ‘girls’. The numbers given in the shapes represent the number of persons of that particular category. How many girls are PhD students but are NOT science students?

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Solution: From the given diagram,

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The shaded part represents girls who are PhD students but not science students = 11 + 8 = 19

Hence, “19” is the correct answer.

Question 7: Find the answer in which the given figure is embedded. (Rotation is not allowed)

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Solution: The embedded part of this image is:- 

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Hence option 3 is the correct answer.

Question 8: A piece of paper is first folded as shown in the figure and then holes are punched into it. What does the paper look like when unfolded?

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Solution: The paper look when it unfolded is:-

visual reasoning 2

Question 9: What is the opposite face of “Red”?

visual reasoning 1

Solution: Blue is common in both dices, so putting blue as a constant term we have to rotate two dices by clockwise and anticlockwise direction, so we get the opposite side of red is yellow.

Hence, the correct answer is yellow.

Question 10: What is the example of a standard dice?

non verbal reasoning 6

Solution: As per definition of standard dice, any of the two opposite faces of dice must be 7.

So, only in dice A the sum of two adjacent faces is 7.

Hence, the correct answer is A.

Exams where Visual Reasoning is Part of Syllabus

Questions based on the visual reasoning section come up often in various prestigious government exams some of them are as follows. 

  • Bank (PO & Clerk) Exams 
  • SSC (CGL, 10+2, Steno, FCI, CPO, Multitasking)
  • LIC (AAO & ADO)
  • RRB
  • UPSC 
  • State PSC Exams 

Check out more details on other Reasoning Topics:

We hope you found this article regarding the visual reasoning section was informative and helpful, and please do not hesitate to contact us for any doubts or queries regarding the same. You can also download the Testbook App, which is absolutely free and start preparing for any government competitive examination by taking the mock tests before the examination to boost your preparation.

Visual Reasoning FAQs

Q.1 What is Visual Reasoning?
Ans.1

Visual Reasoning, as the name suggests deals with the logical reasoning topics which deals with the graphical representation of a problem and solving the problem based on the representation. Visual representations test the candidates aptitudes towards creative thinking and visualization along with object and image recognition and so on.

Q.2 How many types of visual reasoning questions are there?
Ans.2

Questions of visual reasoning can be categorized into topics like image and figure counting, cube and dice, venn diagram, seating arrangement, direction and distance and so on.

Q.3 Where will I get the tips and tricks for the visual reasoning section?
Ans.3

Some of the tips and tricks regarding the visual reasoning reasoning section are given above in the article.

Q.4 Where I will find some of the sample questions related to visual reasoning?
Ans.4

Various example questions along with their solutions are given above in the article. Kindly go through the article for the same.

Q.5 In which exam questions from visual reasoning come up?
Ans.5

Visual Reasoning is one of the most important sections for various government and non government recruitment examinations. Several prestigious exams frequently ask questions related to visual reasoning sections. More details can be found in the article above.

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