Visual Rules and Feature Tracking ACET Reviewer: Lesson and Practice

TEACHER ABI ACET ABSTRACT REASONING

Visual Rules and Feature Tracking

Learn to notice exactly what changes—and what stays fixed—before solving harder sequences, analogies, and matrices.

Original SVG figures27 questionsProgressive difficultyACET preparation

LessonMethodGuided TrySkill CheckPracticeMastery

MY STATUS

Visual Rules and Feature Tracking

Not yet started on this browser.

NOT STARTED

START HERE

Do not guess the whole pattern at once

A figure can change along several independent features. Strong solvers inspect those features separately before combining them.

Shape: circle, square, triangle, polygon

Number: objects added, removed, doubled, or grouped

Position: left, center, right, corners, or a path

Direction: rotation, reflection, or reversal

Shading: white, gray, black, or alternating

Size: growing, shrinking, or alternating

DO IT FAST

Use S.N.A.P.S.

1. S — Shape: Does the object change identity or number of sides?
2. N — Number: How many objects appear in each frame?
3. A — Area: Where is the object located?
4. P — Pointing: Which direction does it face or rotate?
5. S — Shade and size: Do fill and scale alternate or progress?

Invariant check: Also record what stays the same. A constant feature eliminates distractors quickly.

GUIDED TRY

Track one feature at a time

1. Shape stays a triangle.
2. Number stays one.
3. Shading alternates white, black, white.
4. Therefore the next triangle must be black.

Black triangle. Ignore features that do not change; continue the one active rule.

GUIDED TRY

Begin with one feature, then combine the rules

1. Shape cycles circle → square → triangle.
2. Shading cycles white → black → gray.
3. Size cycles small → medium → large.
4. All three cycles restart together after the third frame.

Black medium square. The fifth frame continues every feature from the second frame.

ACET-LEVEL WALKTHROUGH

Turn a dense pattern into a tracking table

Frame	Shape	Position	Shade	Count
1	Circle	Left	White	1
2	Circle	Center	Black	2
3	Circle	Right	Gray	3
4	Circle	Left	White	4

Distractor 1: correct count but wrong position.

Distractor 2: correct position but wrong shade.

Distractor 3: repeats the previous count.

Correct next frame: five black circles centered.

FIVE-FORM SKILL CHECK

Find your starting level

CHOOSE YOUR PRACTICE

Build the skill in stages

Foundations

Track one changing feature.

Core

Follow cycles and two-part changes.

ACET Transfer

Separate interlocking visual rules.

FRESH MASTERY CHECK

Can you solve without the scaffolding?

Score 5/5 to verify this competency. If not, a fresh set loads.

QUICK ANSWERS

Visual Rules and Feature Tracking FAQ

What should I inspect first?

Start with the easiest visible features: number, position, and shading. Then inspect rotation, shape transformation, and interacting rules.

Does every feature need to change?

No. Many items change one or two features while keeping the others constant. Fixed features help eliminate distractors.

What if I see several possible patterns?

Prefer the simplest rule that explains every frame. Then test it against all answer choices rather than the last pair alone.

Should I rotate the page mentally?

Track a distinctive point, corner, or arrowhead. This is more reliable than treating the figure as a vague whole.

Why are the figures simple?

This first reviewer isolates feature tracking. Later reviewers combine these features in denser sequences, transformations, and matrices.

NEED A STUDY PLAN?

Use your diagnostic result to decide what comes next

If Abstract Reasoning was one of your lowest sections, master the visual rules individually before attempting mixed timed figures.

Ask Teacher Abi for guidance

REVIEW DASHBOARD

Continue your ACET preparation

Next competency: Shape Sequences

ACET Student Hub Diagnostic

{t:'Three synchronized cycles',s:['C-1-w-s-C','S-1-b-m-C','T-1-g-l-C','C-1-w-s-C'],o:['T-1-g-l-C','S-1-b-m-C','S-1-w-m-C','C-1-b-m-C'],a:1,e:'Shape, shade, and size restart together; the fifth frame matches the second.'}, {t:'Count + position + shade',s:['C-1-w-s-L','C-2-b-s-C','C-3-g-s-R','C-4-w-s-L'],o:['C-5-w-s-C','C-5-g-s-C','C-5-b-s-C','C-4-b-s-C'],a:2,e:'Count rises, position cycles left-center-right, and shade cycles white-black-gray.'}, {t:'Rotation + size + shade',s:['A-1-w-s-C-0','A-1-b-m-C-90','A-1-g-l-C-180'],o:['A-1-b-s-C-270','A-1-w-l-C-270','A-1-g-m-C-270','A-1-w-s-C-270'],a:3,e:'The arrow turns 90 degrees while size and shade each run a three-step cycle.'}, {t:'Sides + shade + size',s:['T-1-w-l-C','S-1-g-m-C','P-1-b-s-C','H-1-w-l-C','T-1-g-m-C'],o:['S-1-b-s-C','H-1-g-m-C','T-1-b-m-C','S-1-g-m-C'],a:0,e:'The demonstrated 3-4-5-6 shape cycle combines with independent shade and size cycles.'}],transfer:[ {t:'Odd-even chains',s:['C-1-w-s-C','A-1-b-m-C-0','S-1-w-s-C','A-1-b-m-C-180','P-1-w-s-C'],o:['A-1-w-m-C-0','A-1-b-m-C-0','H-1-w-s-C','A-1-b-m-C-90'],a:1,e:'Odd shapes increase in sides; even black arrows alternate up and down.'}, {t:'Four-feature cycle',s:['C-1-w-s-L','C-2-b-s-C','C-3-g-s-R','C-4-w-s-L'],o:['C-5-g-s-C','C-4-b-s-C','C-5-b-s-C','C-5-b-s-R'],a:2,e:'The next frame has five objects, center position, and black shading.'}, {t:'Rotation + shade',s:['A-1-w-m-C-0','A-1-b-m-C-90','A-1-w-m-C-180','A-1-b-m-C-270'],o:['A-1-b-m-C-0','A-1-w-m-C-90','A-1-b-m-C-90','A-1-w-m-C-0'],a:3,e:'The arrow completes its four quarter-turns and returns to white.'}, {t:'Interlocking count chain',s:['T-1-w-m-C','C-1-b-s-C','S-1-w-m-C','C-2-b-s-C','P-1-w-m-C'],o:['C-3-b-s-C','H-1-w-m-C','C-2-b-s-C','C-3-w-s-C'],a:0,e:'Odd polygons gain one side; even black-circle counts increase from one to two to three.'}],mastery:[ {t:'Compound recurrence',s:['C-1-w-s-C','S-1-b-m-C','T-1-g-l-C','C-1-w-s-C','S-1-b-m-C'],o:['S-1-g-l-C','T-1-g-l-C','T-1-b-l-C','C-1-g-l-C'],a:1,e:'All three synchronized cycles require a gray large triangle.'}, {t:'Separated rules',s:['T-1-w-m-C','A-1-b-m-C-0','S-1-w-m-C','A-1-b-m-C-90','P-1-w-m-C'],o:['A-1-b-m-C-90','H-1-w-m-C','A-1-b-m-C-180','A-1-w-m-C-180'],a:2,e:'Even arrows rotate 90 degrees; the next even frame points down and remains black.'}, {t:'Growth + bounce + shade',s:['C-1-w-s-L','C-2-b-s-C','C-3-w-s-R','C-4-b-s-C'],o:['C-5-b-s-L','C-4-w-s-L','C-5-w-s-C','C-5-w-s-L'],a:3,e:'Count reaches five, position bounces back left, and shading returns to white.'}, {t:'Three-cycle restart',s:['T-1-w-l-C','S-1-b-m-C','P-1-g-s-C','H-1-w-l-C','T-1-b-m-C'],o:['S-1-g-s-C','S-1-b-m-C','T-1-g-m-C','S-1-w-m-C'],a:0,e:'After the demonstrated reset, the square returns while shade becomes gray and size becomes small.'}, {t:'Alternating families',s:['A-1-w-m-C-0','T-1-b-m-C','A-1-w-m-C-90','S-1-b-m-C','A-1-w-m-C-180'],o:['H-1-b-m-C','P-1-b-m-C','A-1-w-m-C-270','T-1-b-m-C'],a:1,e:'Even-position polygons increase from three to four to five sides.'}],masteryB:[ {t:'Dual polygon chains',s:['C-1-b-m-C','T-1-w-m-C','S-1-b-m-C','D-1-w-m-C','P-1-b-m-C'],o:['H-1-w-m-C','P-1-b-m-C','P-1-w-m-C','D-1-b-m-C'],a:2,e:'The white even-position polygons increase from three to four to five sides.'}, {t:'Corner + rotation + size',s:['A-1-w-s-U-0','A-1-b-m-V-90','A-1-g-l-X-180','A-1-w-s-Y-270'],o:['A-1-b-s-U-0','A-1-w-m-U-0','A-1-b-l-U-0','A-1-b-m-U-0'],a:3,e:'Position and rotation complete their cycles; shade becomes black and size becomes medium.'}, {t:'Count + shade + position',s:['C-1-w-s-L','C-2-g-s-C','C-3-b-s-R','C-4-w-s-L'],o:['C-5-g-s-C','C-5-b-s-C','C-4-g-s-C','C-5-g-s-R'],a:0,e:'Count reaches five, shade becomes gray, and position moves to center.'}, {t:'Sides + position + shade',s:['T-1-w-m-L','S-1-b-m-C','P-1-w-m-R','H-1-b-m-L','T-1-w-m-C'],o:['S-1-w-m-R','S-1-b-m-R','T-1-w-m-R','S-1-b-m-C'],a:1,e:'The demonstrated shape cycle advances to square, position moves right, and shade becomes black.'}, {t:'Interlocking transformation',s:['A-1-g-m-C-0','T-1-b-m-C','A-1-g-m-C-90','S-1-b-m-C','A-1-g-m-C-180'],o:['A-1-g-m-C-270','H-1-b-m-C','P-1-b-m-C','A-1-b-m-C-270'],a:2,e:'The even polygon chain increases from triangle to square to pentagon.'}]}; function read(){try{return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(KEY)||'{}')}catch{return{}}}function prog(){return read()[SLUG]||{}}function save(u){const p=read();p[SLUG]=Object.assign({},p[SLUG]||{},u,{updatedAt:new Date().toISOString()});localStorage.setItem(KEY,JSON.stringify(p));status()}function status(){const p=prog(),b=$('[data-badge]'),c=$('[data-status]');if(p.verified){b.textContent='VERIFIED';c.textContent='Mastery verified: 5/5.'}else if(p.masteryScore!=null){b.textContent='RECHECK';c.textContent='Latest mastery: '+p.masteryScore+'/5.'}else if(p.checkScore!=null){b.textContent='IN PROGRESS';c.textContent='Starting check: '+p.checkScore+'/5.'}else{b.textContent='NOT STARTED';c.textContent='Not yet started on this browser.'}}function render(el,a,p){el.innerHTML=a.map((x,i)=>'

'+x.t+'

'+(i+1)+'. Choose the figure that comes next.

'+seq(x.s)+'→ ?

'+x.o.map((o,j)=>''+String.fromCharCode(65+j)+''+svg(o)+'').join('')+'

').join('')}function score(f,a,p){let n=0,m=[];a.forEach((x,i)=>{const v=f.querySelector('input[name="'+p+i+'"]:checked');if(v&&+v.value===x.a)n++;else m.push({n:i+1,e:x.e})});return{n,m}}function show(el,k,h){el.className='result show'+(k?' '+k:'');el.innerHTML=h;el.scrollIntoView({behavior:'smooth',block:'nearest'})}function fb(x,total){return ''+x.n+'/'+total+' correct.
'+x.m.map(y=>'Item '+y.n+': '+y.e).join(' • ')+''}$('[data-demo]').innerHTML=seq(['C-1-w-s-C','S-1-b-m-C','T-1-g-l-C','C-1-w-s-C'])+'→ ?';$('[data-acet-demo]').innerHTML=seq(['C-1-w-s-L','C-2-b-s-C','C-3-g-s-R','C-4-w-s-L'])+'→ ?';$('[data-reveal]').onclick=()=>{$('[data-answer]').classList.add('show')};render($('[data-check-q]'),D.check,'c');let M=(prog().attempts||0)%2?D.masteryB:D.mastery;render($('[data-mastery-q]'),M,'m');status();$('[data-check-form]').onsubmit=e=>{e.preventDefault();const x=score(e.currentTarget,D.check,'c');save({checkScore:x.n});show($('[data-check-result]'),x.n<3?'low':x.n<5?'warn':'',fb(x,5)+'
'+(x.n<3?'Start with Foundations.':x.n<5?'Use Core Practice.':'Continue to ACET Transfer.'))};$$('[data-open]').forEach(b=>b.onclick=()=>{const k=b.dataset.open,a=D[k];$('[data-title]').textContent={foundation:'Foundations Practice',core:'Core Practice',transfer:'ACET-Style Transfer'}[k];$('[data-practice-form]').dataset.level=k;render($('[data-practice-q]'),a,'p');$('[data-panel]').classList.add('show')});$('[data-practice-form]').onsubmit=e=>{e.preventDefault();const k=e.currentTarget.dataset.level,a=D[k],x=score(e.currentTarget,a,'p');save({lastPractice:k,lastPracticeScore:x.n});show($('[data-practice-result]'),x.n<3?'warn':'',fb(x,a.length))};$('[data-mastery-form]').onsubmit=e=>{e.preventDefault();const x=score(e.currentTarget,M,'m'),ok=x.n===5,n=(prog().attempts||0)+1;save({masteryScore:x.n,attempts:n,verified:ok});show($('[data-mastery-result]'),ok?'':x.n===4?'warn':'low',fb(x,5)+'
'+(ok?'Competency verified.':'A fresh mastery set is now ready.'));if(!ok){M=M===D.mastery?D.masteryB:D.mastery;render($('[data-mastery-q]'),M,'m')}}})();