PassCCAT
Lvl58
Rotation & flip

How to solve rotation & flip

Spatial

Decide which option is the prompt figure rotated or flipped, not a different shape.

How to solve these

Mini-lesson

Rotation and flip items ask whether an option is the same figure turned or mirrored, or a genuinely different shape. The trick is to tell a rotation apart from a mirror image.

  1. 1

    Pick a landmark on the figure

    Choose one distinctive feature, like the long arm of the shape, and track where it points. Following one landmark is easier than watching the whole figure.

  2. 2

    Turn it in your head by the asked amount

    For 90 degrees clockwise, the part pointing up now points right. Rotate your landmark, not the page, and note its new direction.

  3. 3

    Rule out the mirror images

    A flip reverses the figure like a reflection; a rotation never does. This figure is mirrored, not turned: it looks back-to-front. Spotting that lets you delete the trap options fast.

Hacks

  • Rotations preserve which side things are on; flips swap left and right. That single test removes the mirror traps.
  • 90 degrees clockwise four times returns the start, so use that to check your mental turn.
  • If you get stuck, imagine rotating the original until it matches an option, rather than rotating each option.

Avoid these

  • Choosing a mirror image that happens to look turned.
  • Rotating the wrong way (clockwise vs counter-clockwise).

Worked examples

Answers shown

Follow the steps on real items before you practise.

Example 1Difficulty 2

Which option is the figure flipped left-to-right (mirrored)?

Answer: C. Here is why:

  1. A flip is a reflection: left and right swap, like in a mirror.
  2. The original's foot points right, so after a left-to-right flip it should point left.
  3. Option C is the only one that looks reversed. The rest are just rotations.
Example 2Difficulty 3

Which option shows the figure rotated 90 degrees clockwise?

Answer: B. Here is why:

  1. Pick a landmark: the long arm of the L points up in the original.
  2. Turn 90 degrees clockwise: that arm should now point to the right.
  3. Option B matches. Rule out the mirror images, which look back-to-front, and the other turn angles.
Example 3Difficulty 4

Which option shows the figure rotated 180 degrees?

Answer: C. Here is why:

  1. 180 degrees is a half turn: what points up now points down, and right now points left.
  2. Track the long arm: up in the original, so it should point straight down.
  3. Option C matches. The mirror images (B, D) are reflections, not a rotation.