Preparation for European Institutions Open Competitions

The Abstract Reasoning Test

Ecole nationale d’administration -ENA French National School of Administration

Assessed Competencies

• Assessing the ability to think flexibly and

resolve new problems.

• Assessing candidates'ability to draw inferences

and understand the relationship between

various concepts.

The Abstract Reasoning Test

• Symbols or shapes

• Linear or planar geometric analogies

• No spatial (3 dimensional) geometric reasoning

• No word, no number

• Possibility to appeal to number in the form of pictorial

representation

The Abstract Reasoning Test

The Abstract Reasoning Test

• Multiple-choice questions

• Only one correct answer among 4 to 6 proposals

• Approximate duration: 20 minutes

Classic Questions

• Which figure completes the series ?

• What is the odd one out ?

• Which figure completes the statement :

A is to B as C is to D ?

The Abstract Reasoning Test

Classic Questions

• Which figure completes the series ?

The Abstract Reasoning Test

Réponse : D

Classic Questions

• What is the odd one out ?

The Abstract Reasoning Test

Réponse : D

Classic Questions

Which figure completes the statement :

A is to B as C is to D ?

The Abstract Reasoning Test

Réponse : C

• Objective : to identify the rule

Method:

• Observe

• Identify the rule

• Foresee the next result

Some advice on methodology

General advices

Similarly to all other logic tests :

• Read the instructions carefully

• Remain focused

• Manage your time

A key word : Training!

Identify the characteristics

of the diagrams

• Number of elements

• Shapes: circle, squares, etc.

• Colours of the shapes and/or alternation of colours

• Relative dimension : « big square », « small square »,etc.

• Meaningful symbols: arrows,etc.

• Direction of the movement : left to right, bottom-up, etc.

Identify the elements of the diagrams

• Series of diagrams

• Matrices : logical link between rows or colonnes of

symbols

• Analogy (A is to B as C is to D)

Identify specific structures of the diagrams

• Identical elements in every diagram

Identify the evolution of the elements of the diagrams

Réponse : C

• Progression : addition or removal of some elements from

one diagram to the next.

Identify the evolution of the elements of the diagrams

Réponse : C

Some frequent rules

Rotations

• Rotation of one or several elements from one diagram to

another

• Rotation of the same diagram

Important : Pay attention to the direction

• Clock-wise

• Or anti clock-wise

Some frequent rules

Rotations

• Rotation of one or several elements from one diagram to

another

Some frequent rules

Réponse : C

Rotations

• Rotation of the same diagram.

Some frequent rules

Réponse : D

Symmetry

• Symmetry to an axis

• Symmetry to a point

Some frequent rules

• Ascending sequences or descending sequences of the

dominos

For the top-halves, bottom-halves of the dominos.... :

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, blank, 1, 2....

6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, blank, 6, 5, 4, 3..

• Cross-referenced series

• Sums, substraction, products of dominos,etc

Some frequent rules Dominos

• Ascending sequences or descending sequences of the

dominos

Some frequent rules Dominos

Réponse : C

• Cross-referenced series

Some frequent rules Dominos

Réponse : C

• Observe the domino as a whole

• Observe the top-half or the bottom-half of the domino

Some frequent rules Dominos

Linear series : diagram 1 (D1) is linked to D2, D2

is linked to D3, etc ...

Some frequent rules Series of diagrams

Réponse : B Example, source EPSO

• Alternation: diagramme 1 (D1) is linked to D3, D2 is linked

to D4, etc ...

Example, source EPSO :

Some frequent rules

Series of diagrams

Réponse : C

Sequences: D1, D2 et D3 are in a sequence which is repeated in

D4, D5 and D6.

Example, source EPSO :

Some frequent rules

Series of diagrams

Réponse : D

Abstract reasoning : example of on-line test

• Documents provided during the training

• www.psychometric-success.com: Abstract reasoning for

all levels

• Tests de logique aux concours des écoles de commerce.

Sabine Duhamel,Marie-Lorène Giniès, Gérard Roudaut, William

Seck, Hubert Silly.Studyrama 2009.

Resources

Thank you for your attention

Anne-Catherine Gutknecht

Preparation for European institutions’ open competitions

Mail: anne-catherine.gutknecht@ena.fr https://www.facebook.com/Prepa.concours.UE