What comes next?

Strategy card

A figure pattern is a set of rules applied step by step.

Step 1: List what changes: position, turn, count, color, fill, size.
Step 2: Write each rule in a few words ("turns 90° right").
Step 3: Predict the next figure before looking at the choices.
Step 4: Match your prediction, then double-check every rule.

Tip: Predicting first stops tricky answer choices from fooling you.

Worked example

Which figure comes next in the pattern?

A: red arrow pointing left
B: small red arrow pointing down-right
C: small red arrow pointing up-left
D: small red arrow pointing left (the answer)
E: big red arrow pointing left

Why: The size goes small, medium, big, and starts again. The arrow turns an eighth of a turn counterclockwise each step. So next comes the small red arrow pointing left.

Your turn

Your turn 1 of 3

Which figure comes next in the pattern?

Your turn 2 of 3

Which figure comes next in the pattern?

Your turn 3 of 3

Which figure comes next in the pattern?

Keep practicing

Grown-ups: Talk about patterns in music, tiles or sports schedules. Parent guide

Next lesson: Analogies: find the link