Spatial reasoning
CAT4 figure recognition
Find a target shape hidden inside one of five busy designs.
What the questions look like
Your child sees a simple target shape and five complex line designs. Exactly one design contains the whole target outline, at the same size and the same way round.
In the digital CAT4 (Levels A–G) this section is timed at 9 minutes.
Worked example
Example 1 · easier
Which design hides this exact shape? It must be the same size and the same way round.
Show answer
Answer: B Only the right answer contains the whole outline of the shape at exactly the same size and the same way round. The other designs hide a shape that is flipped, turned, bigger, or slightly different. Tip: find one distinctive corner of the shape first, then trace its sides in the design.
What it measures
Holding a shape in mind and finding it among distractions, a spatial skill closely tied to reading diagrams and maps.
Tips for your child
- Pick one distinctive feature of the target first: a sharp corner, a slanted side.
- Find that feature in a design, then trace every side of the target from there.
- Check the size: sides must be exactly the same length, not just the same shape.
- Reject flipped or turned versions. The target must be the same way round.
Watch out for: Designs that contain the target flipped over, turned, or slightly bigger, which look right at a glance.
A harder example
Example 2 · harder
Which design hides this exact shape? It must be the same size and the same way round.
Show answer
Answer: B Only the right answer contains the whole outline of the shape at exactly the same size and the same way round. The other designs hide a shape that is flipped, turned, bigger, or slightly different. Tip: find one distinctive corner of the shape first, then trace its sides in the design.
Practise with fresh questions every time
Our figure recognition questions are generated new on every visit, so your child can practise as much as they like without memorising answers. Choose a level:
Questions parents ask
Does the target have to be exactly the same size?
Yes. In CAT4 the whole outline must be there, at the same size and the same way round. Bigger, turned or flipped versions are deliberately used as wrong answers.
Questions on this page are original Edzuno practice items in the CAT4 style, not real CAT4 questions. CAT4 is a trademark of GL Education. Timing source: GL Assessment.