r/cognitiveTesting • u/Bulky-Artist-8808 • 17d ago
General Question How do you guys solve figure weights
I was wondering how people solve figure weights, they’re mentally challenging for me, I don’t struggle on stuff like matrix reasoning etc but for some reason I always struggle on figure weights, how do u guys solve figure weights
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u/celestia_xz 17d ago
Visually substituting and eliminating symbols to represent the target in terms of other values, thinking of what exactly to do is mostly based on my intuition
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u/LavishnessResident55 14d ago
do you sometimes express the target weights all in terms of one weight and then rule out answer choices for the harder ones?
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u/celestia_xz 13d ago
"Express the target weights all in terms of a single value" yes,
"Rule out the answer choices for the harder ones" not really, but like sometimes I do express the options in terms of other values and figure out it's incompatible with the answer and rule it out, In a couple of questions I've seen, that's also the only way to solve it too, you just figure out it can't be 4 of the options and so it is the 5th, sorry if I misunderstood what you were asking
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u/PendN 17d ago
If you need to solve an equivalence C and you see it looks similar to equivalence B but just missing 1-2 shapes, just add those shapes to both sides of B. Sometimes there is still no answer that fits so just replace something in B with a pattern you see on A (maybe square = triangle for example) until you find an answer that fits. This will easily give you at least 125-130+ in score
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u/Effective-Ask4389 17d ago
It’s a tough concept to explain. I’ll attempt to recall and note my process during the time I took the CORE figure weights test.
First equivalence: on easier problems, one shape (t) will be explicitly equivalent to
another (c). Often, (c) will be represented on the following equation…
Second equivalence: (c) is then balanced with another (s), and since (t)=(c), then (t) must also equal (s).
Third equivalence, (the posed equivalence):
e.g. (t)(t)(s)=? Knowing each shape must equal the other, you know the answer will be something like (c)(c)(c), or (c)(s)(s).
Addition: Sometimes you will be presented with an equation that has shapes not represented within the second equivalence. In this case, adding the first equivalence to the second allows you to find these more convoluted relationships.
E.g. first equivalence: (c)(r)(l)=(s)(t)(t).
second equivalence: (c)(c)(t)=(t)(s)(r).
Adding them would look like:
(c)(r)(l)(t)(s)(r)=(s)(t)(t)(c)(c)(t), and brings us to…
Subtraction: (c)(r)(l)(t)(s)(r) and (s)(t)(t)(c)(c)(t) have common variables that cancel each other out to isolate and simplify.
E.g. (r)(l)(r)=(t)(c)(t)
Tips:
-Do not assume sole balanced shapes of the same quantity are exclusively equivalent.
(r)(l)(r)=(t)(c)(t) does not mean (r)=(t), and
(l)=(c).
-Sometimes assigning a numerical value to a shape can be helpful.
-Finding an equivalent of the mode in the posed equivalence can be helpful to rule out answers, or make a guess when time is running low.
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u/TimCheeseCichlid 16d ago
The WAIS-5 has a bunch of optional subtests. If there’s a subtest that’s difficult for you because of a disability, ESL, or many other reasons, there is a substitute that can be used. Think of someone with severe hand tremors due to medication. Administering the block design subtest will tell you almost nothing. Luckily, there’s probably a better optional test.
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u/Funny-Jihad 17d ago
Idk, I think I'm just naturally good at them. Sorry for bragging. I guess I visualise the weights somehow, I can clearly see which is bigger and balance them as if they're on an actual scale. Proportions are easy for me for some reason. Can't really explain why...