In this post, we start with an overview of "Pattern Matrices" question types, including what skills they measure and how many are on the OLSAT test. We also provide a sample question, accompanied by tips and strategies to help your student perform successfully on "Pattern Matrices" questions during the official OLSAT® exam.
Pattern Matrices: What To Expect?
“Pattern Matrices” questions, like series questions, assess a student’s ability to predict, according to a rule, a missing element in a series of pictures or figures.
With this question type, a student is shown a series of figural shapes that change across the rows and columns throughout the design. These questions require the child to understand how the objects in rows and columns relate to each other. The student must isolate and apply the rule/s in order to identify which object from the answer choices fits the empty box in the bottom right-hand corner of the matrix.
Pre-K students taking the OLSAT® (for admission into Kindergarten) are asked approximately one of these types of questions.
Kindergarten students taking the OLSAT® (for admission into 1st Grade) are asked approximately two of these types of questions.
Pattern Matrices: Sample Question
Pattern Matrices:Tips and Strategies
If your student is challenged with a pattern matrix question and finds it hard to detect the rule/s, take a step by step approach.
Encourage your student to discover the rule/s by looking in each direction:
Encourage your student to isolate one element (e.g: outer shape, inner shape/s) and identify how it changes:
Also, learn everything you need to know about other tests that measure a child’s potential to learn in school, like the NNAT2.