Progression
Progression is the most common rule family in matrix-reasoning tests, and usually the easiest to spot. As you scan a row or column from left to right (or top to bottom), one property of the figure changes by a consistent amount at every step — the number of elements increases or decreases, the figure grows or shrinks, or its colour or fill cycles through a fixed sequence.
The key is to isolate exactly which property is progressing and by how much. Count the step size in the first two cells, then check that the same step carries into the third. Progressions can also run diagonally or reset at the start of each row, so always verify your rule against every row and column before locking in an answer.
How to spot it
- •Compare cell 1 to cell 2 first — the difference between them is usually your step size.
- •Check whether the progression resets at the start of each row or continues across the whole grid.
- •If dots or shapes are counting up or down, count carefully — off-by-one is the most common trap.
- •Progressions are sometimes combined with a second, independent rule — don't stop analysing after finding one pattern.