UPSC Prelims 2015 · CSAT

Question 14: Logical Reasoning and Mental Ability

Four cardboard pieces of specific shapes are shown in the following figure :

Which one of the following figures given can be formed by joining these pieces together ?

Four cardboard pieces (a thin triangle at the top, two upright rectangles in the middle, a thin triangle at the bottom), followed by four answer options (a) to (d), each a parallelogram divided into parts.

a[figure a]

b[figure b]

c[figure c]

d[figure d]

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).

The four pieces are two rectangles and two right-angled triangles. They have to fill a slanted parallelogram: the two triangles go at the slanted ends, and the two rectangles stack between them as one block. Only figure (d) is cut that way. The others show cut lines that the given pieces cannot make, such as slanted strips. In such questions check the slanted ends first, then count the pieces needed.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Wrong: its cut lines do not match two rectangles and two triangles.
(b) Wrong: it is cut into slanted strips, which these pieces cannot form.
(c) Wrong: it is also cut into slanted strips, so it needs different pieces.
(d) Right: two triangles fill the slanted ends and the two rectangles stack in between.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.