The Systematic Scan Method

You now know the individual pattern categories: shape, colour, number, size, position, rotation, and symmetry. But knowing each category in isolation is not enough. Under the pressure of 14 seconds per question, you need a rapid, systematic method for scanning a set of shapes and identifying the rule. This lesson introduces the SCANS method — a proven checklist that gives you a structured approach to every AR question.

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Why You Need a System

Without a system, most candidates approach AR questions like this:

1. Stare at Set A
2. Notice something that seems consistent
3. Get excited and assume it is the rule
4. Test it against Set B
5. Realise it does not hold
6. Start again from scratch
7. Run out of time

This "stare and hope" approach is inefficient and unreliable. A systematic scan ensures you check the most common pattern categories in a logical order, reducing wasted time and missed patterns.

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The SCANS Framework

S — Shape C — Colour (shading) A — Arrangement (position, containment, symmetry) N — Number (count of shapes, sides, intersections) S — Size

Each letter prompts you to check a category of features. You work through the checklist in order, spending a few seconds on each. As soon as you find a consistent feature, you test it as a hypothesis.

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How to Apply SCANS: Step-by-Step

Step 1: S — Shape

Spend 2-3 seconds checking:

• Is there a specific shape type present in every box? (Always a triangle, always a circle)
• Are all shapes straight-sided or all curved?
• Is there a consistent number of sides on all shapes?

Quick check: Glance across all 6 boxes in Set A. If you see a triangle in every single one, that is worth investigating. If the shapes are completely different in every box, move on.

Step 2: C — Colour (Shading)

Spend 2-3 seconds checking:

• Are all shapes the same shade? (All black, all white)
• Is there a consistent proportion? (Always more black than white)
• Is shading linked to shape type? (Circles are always black)

Quick check: If Set A boxes are overwhelmingly one shade and Set B boxes are a different shade, you may have found the rule.

Step 3: A — Arrangement

Spend 2-3 seconds checking:

• Is a shape always in the same position? (Always top-right)
• Is there a spatial relationship? (Arrow always points towards the circle)
• Is the overall arrangement symmetrical?
• Are any shapes contained within other shapes?

Quick check: Look at the edges and corners of each box. If the same shape always appears in the same corner, that is significant.

Step 4: N — Number

Spend 2-3 seconds checking:

• Is the total number of shapes constant? (Always 4)
• Is the total number of shapes consistently odd or even?
• Is the total number of sides constant or consistently odd/even?
• Is the count of a specific shape type constant? (Always 2 triangles)

Quick check: Rapidly count the shapes in the first three boxes. If the count is 3, 3, 3, you likely have a number rule. If it is 2, 5, 3, the total count is not fixed — but check odd/even (all odd in this case).

Step 5: S — Size

Spend 2-3 seconds checking:

• Are all shapes the same size?
• Is size linked to colour or shape type? (Large shapes are black)
• Is the relative size relationship consistent? (Biggest shape is always in the centre)

Quick check: If you see a mix of large and small shapes in every box, check whether the sizes follow a pattern. If sizes seem random, move on.

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SCANS in Practice: A Full Worked Example

Set A:

• Box 1: Two small white triangles, one large black circle
• Box 2: Three small white squares, one large black pentagon
• Box 3: One small white hexagon, one large black triangle
• Box 4: Four small white rectangles, one large black hexagon
• Box 5: Two small white diamonds, one large black arrow
• Box 6: One small white triangle, one small white square, one large black circle

Applying SCANS:

S — Shape: No single shape type appears in every box. Triangles appear in Boxes 1, 3, 6 but not all. Circles appear in Boxes 1, 6 but not all. Shape type is not the rule on its own. Move on.

C — Colour: Every box has both white and black shapes. But notice: the large shape is always black, and the small shapes are always white. This links colour to size — but let us complete the scan to be sure.

A — Arrangement: The large black shape appears in various positions (no fixed position). No obvious symmetry. No containment. Move on.

N — Number: Total shapes per box: 3, 4, 2, 5, 3, 3. Not constant. Not consistently odd or even (3, 4, 2, 5, 3, 3). Not a clean number rule. Move on.