Government of Tamilnadu

Department of Employment and Training

Course : Railway Recruitment Board

Subject : Reasoning

Topic : Non Verbal Series

 Copyright

The Department of Employment and Training has prepared the Railway Recruitment Board
exam study material in the form of e-content for the benefit of Competitive Exam aspirants and it is
being uploaded in this Virtual Learning Portal. This e-content study material is the sole property of the
Department of Employment and Training. No one (either an individual or an institution) is allowed to
make copy or reproduce the matter in any form. The trespassers will be prosecuted under the Indian
Copyright Act.

It is a cost-free service provided to the job seekers who are preparing for the Competitive
Exams.

Commissioner,

Department of Employment and Training

 NON VERBAL SERIES

This deals with the problems based upon the continuation of figures.There are various types of
problems on series. However,the fundamental concept for each type is the same.There is a sequence of
figures depicting a change step by step. Either one of these figures is out of order and has to be omitted
or figure has to be selected from a separate set of figures,which would continue the series.

TYPE1: FIVE FIGURE SERIES

This type of problems on series consists of five figures numbered A,B,C,D and E forming the set
of problem figures,followed by five other figures numbered 1,2,3,4 and 5 forming the set of Answer
Figures.The five consecutive problem figures form a definite sequence and it is required to select one of
the figures from the set of Answer Figures which will continue the same sequence.

Example 1:

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Answer: In each step, element at the upper-right position gets enlarged, inverts vertically and
reaches the lower-left corner; the existing element at the lower-left position, is lost and a new small
element appears at the upper-right position. Hence Answer is C

Example 2:

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Answer: In each step, the elements move in the sequence.Hence answer is B.

Example 3:
 (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Answer: In each step, the Clockwise-end element moves to the Anti Clockwise-end
position. Hence answer is D

Example 4:

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Answer: Both the larger and the smaller squares move to the adjacent corner anti clockwise in each
turn. Also, the shading in the smaller square moves 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... steps anti clockwise sequentially and
the shading in the larger square moves 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,.... steps Clockwise sequentially. Hence answer is A

TYPE2:THREE AND FOUR FIGURE SERIES

This type of questions are largely similar to those discussed in Type-1; the only difference being that in
this case,the series or the sequence is indicated by either three or four problem figures and it is required
to select a figure from amongst the answer figures,which would follow the problem figure to continue
the series.

TYPE3:CHOOSING THE MISSING FIGURE IN A SERIES

In this type of questions,you are given a set of five(or four) figures labelled A,B,C,D and E ,called problem
figures that follow a certain sequence and hence form a series.However,one of these five figures is
missing and is indicated by a question mark’?’.A figure is to be selected from another set of five figures
labelled 1,2,3 ,4 and 5,called Answer Figures,that would replace the question mark so as to establish the
series.

Example 1:
Answer: In each step ,the cross ‘x’ moves to the adjacent corner in clockwise direction, the middle and
the right hand side element move one space to the left and the left hand side element moves to the
right hand side.Hence answer is option 2

Example 2:

Answer: In each step one line segment is removed from the right hand side element and one line
segment is added to the left hand side element. Removal of line segments from the right hand side
element take place on the right and left sides alternately and addition of line segments on the left hand
side element takes place on the left and right sides alternately. The answer is option 4

Example 3:

Answer:

Sequentially 1,2,3, 1,2,3... arcs in the figure gets inverted. The arrowheads get inverted in each step. The
answer is option 3

TYPE4:DETECTING THE INCORRECT ORDER IN A SERIES

This type of questions on series consists of an unnumbered figure followed by five other figures
numbered as 1,2,3,4and5.All the six figures together form a series.the unnumbered figure marks the
beginning of the series and so its position is fixed.However,the positions of two of the figures in the
series are incorrect and the series would be established if these two figures are interchanged.It is
required to identify these two figures.the earlier of these two figures is the answer.In case ,the positions
of no two figures is to be interchanged ,then the answer is 5.

Examples

The problem consists of a set of six figures, the first of which is unnumbered and marks the beginning of
series which is continued in the successive figures numbered from 1 to 5. However the series will be
established only if the position of 2 of the numbered figures are interchanged. The number of the earlier
of the 2 figures is the answer. If no 2 figures need to be interchanged the answer is 5.

Answer: In each step, the outer main figure rotates 90 degrees anti clockwise, the anti clock wise end
element becomes the clock wise end element becomes the middle element. The existing middle
element is lost and a new element appears at the anti clock wise end position. The series is established
without alterations. Hence the answer is 5.