Type 1 Questions: Set A, Set B, or Neither

Type 1 is the most frequently appearing question format in the UCAT Abstract Reasoning subtest. Mastering it is essential for a strong AR score. This lesson breaks down exactly how Type 1 questions work, provides a systematic approach, and walks through detailed worked examples.

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How Type 1 Questions Are Structured

You will see two sets of shapes displayed side by side:

Set A	Set B
6 boxes, each containing abstract shapes	6 boxes, each containing abstract shapes
All 6 boxes follow Rule A	All 6 boxes follow Rule B

Below the sets, you are given 5 test shapes (one at a time). For each test shape, you must select one of three options:

• Set A — the test shape follows Rule A
• Set B — the test shape follows Rule B
• Neither — the test shape follows neither rule

Important: Rule A and Rule B are always different rules. They are not simply opposites of each other (though sometimes they happen to be complementary, such as "odd number of shapes" vs "even number of shapes").

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The Systematic Approach

Step 1: Identify Rule A (Focus on Set A First)

Look at the six boxes in Set A. Your goal is to find what they all have in common.

Use the SCANS framework:

1. Shape: Are the same shape types present in every box? Do all shapes have a certain number of sides?
2. Colour: Is there a consistent pattern in fills (black, white, grey, striped)?
3. Arrangement: Are shapes always in certain positions? Is there symmetry?
4. Number: Is the total number of shapes constant? Is the total number of sides constant?
5. Size: Are there consistent size patterns?

Pro tip: Start with the simplest box in the set — the one with the fewest shapes. It often reveals the rule most clearly because there are fewer distracting elements.

Step 2: Verify Rule A

Once you think you have found Rule A, check it against all six boxes. If even one box does not fit, your rule is wrong — go back and look again.

Step 3: Identify Rule B (Focus on Set B)

Repeat the process for Set B. Do NOT assume Rule B is the opposite of Rule A. While it sometimes is (e.g., "even total sides" vs "odd total sides"), it can be a completely unrelated rule.

Step 4: Test Each Shape

For each of the five test shapes:

1. Does it satisfy Rule A? → Set A
2. Does it satisfy Rule B? → Set B
3. Does it satisfy neither? → Neither
4. If it satisfies both (rare but possible with poorly identified rules) → recheck your rules

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Worked Example 1: Simple Numerical Rule

Set A Boxes

• Box 1: Two circles, one square → 3 shapes
• Box 2: One triangle, two pentagons → 3 shapes
• Box 3: Three hexagons → 3 shapes
• Box 4: One circle, one square, one triangle → 3 shapes
• Box 5: Two stars, one arrow → 3 shapes
• Box 6: One diamond, two circles → 3 shapes

Set B Boxes

• Box 1: One large circle, one small square → 2 shapes
• Box 2: Four triangles → 4 shapes
• Box 3: One hexagon, one pentagon → 2 shapes
• Box 4: One square → 1 shape (but it has a dot inside, plus a line, so 3 elements)
• Wait — let me reconsider. Perhaps the rule is not about count...
• Box 4: Two arrows, two circles → 4 shapes
• Box 5: One star → 1 shape
• Box 6: Five small circles → 5 shapes

Analysis

Rule A: Every box contains exactly 3 shapes. (Verified across all 6 boxes.)

Rule B: The number of shapes varies (2, 4, 2, 4, 1, 5) — but they are all not 3. However, "not 3" is not a useful rule — it is simply the absence of Rule A. Let us look for a positive rule in Set B.

Check SCANS on Set B:

• Number of shapes: 2, 4, 2, 4, 1, 5 → no obvious pattern
• Fill/colour: perhaps all shapes in each box are the same colour? → Check... Yes! In every Set B box, all shapes are the same shade.

Rule B: All shapes in each box have the same fill/colour.

Test Shapes