Pattern recognition test
Find the hidden rules in a 3×3 grid of shapes and choose the piece that completes it. Matrix puzzles like these are the single most widely used measure of fluid intelligence.
Try real example questions
These are the same worked examples shown before the section in the test. Pick an answer, then press “Explain” to step through the solution.
What a pattern recognition test measures
Pattern recognition questions measure fluid reasoning: the ability to work out the rules of a problem you have never seen before. You can't answer them from memory or schooling, which is why matrix puzzles (made famous by Raven's Progressive Matrices) are used around the world and across languages.
Research on matrix tests (Carpenter, Just & Shell, 1990) found that what makes them hard is mainly how many rules apply at once and how unfamiliar the rules are, not how complicated the pictures look.
The rules you'll meet
- Constant in a row: a shape, fill or size stays the same along a row.
- Progression: something increases step by step, such as the number of shapes (1 → 2 → 3) or an angle.
- Distribution of three: each row contains the same three values (for example circle, square, triangle) in a different order.
- Addition and subtraction: the third cell combines the first two, for example keeping every line that appears in either cell.
- Exclusive combination: a line or dot survives only if it is in exactly one of the first two cells.
How to solve matrix puzzles
- Look along the rows first, then check the columns.
- Describe one attribute at a time: shape, count, fill, rotation, position.
- Form a rule and test it on both complete rows before trusting it.
- Predict the missing piece before looking at the options, then find the option that matches every rule.
- Wrong options usually differ by a single attribute. If two look alike, find what's different and ask which rule it breaks.
In the IQ Atlas test
The section has 12 questions that start easy and end very hard, with up to 2 minutes for the hardest. Every set of questions is generated for you, and every answer option is checked to differ visibly from the correct one. After you finish you can review each mistake with an explanation. People who score at the very top can unlock the Genius Test, which includes harder matrices with four rules at once.
Frequently asked questions
Is a pattern recognition test the same as an IQ test?
It measures one important part of IQ: fluid reasoning. A full IQ test combines it with other abilities such as working memory, spatial reasoning and processing speed.
Can I practise for matrix tests?
Practice makes the format familiar and usually raises scores a little, mostly on the first retake. It doesn't change the underlying ability much, which is why IQ Atlas shows worked examples before each section so everyone starts equally familiar.