Embedded Figures

low importance~0-1 Q in Tier 1⚡ 6 shortcuts2 subtopics

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Which figure contains the given part

⏱ 7 min read🧩 7 question types🎯 13 practice Q

The idea in one minute

This is the reverse question. One small part is given, and each option is a bigger figure. Choose the option that contains the part exactly as drawn.

Extra lines never matter. You may slide the part but not turn it or flip it.

The task

A small part is given. Each option is a bigger figure. Exactly one option contains the part. It has the same strokes, lengths and directions.

The option may have extra strokes around the part. That is fine.

Rule: The part must be present in full. Extra lines never disqualify an option.

Read the pictures

+ is a corner point. . is an empty point.
- is a flat stroke. | is an upright stroke.
/ is a rising slant. \ is a falling slant. X means both slants cross in that square.

Every stroke is one square long.

List the part's strokes

Write down the strokes with their directions. For example: 2 flat, 1 upright, 1 rising slant.

The right option shows all of them, joined in the same way. Sliding is allowed. Turning is not.

Use a rare stroke as anchor

A slant is rarer than a flat or upright stroke. Start with it.

Check its lean: / rises to the right, \ falls to the right.
Find it in the option.
Check the strokes that touch it, one by one.
Also try a T-joint: one stroke that ends on the middle of another. It is the next best anchor.

Tip: Parts often sit against an edge or in a corner of the correct option. Scan the border first.

Near-miss options

Wrong options are usually one step away from the part. One stroke is missing, changed or turned.

Counting strokes is not enough. A wrong option can have the same number of strokes as the part.

Watch: Check each stroke's direction and its end points. They must match the part.

A good scan order

Do the same steps for every option. This keeps you fast and calm.

Count the strokes. Drop any option with fewer strokes than the part.
Check the directions. Drop any option that lacks a direction the part needs.
Trace the anchor stroke and its neighbours in each option that is left.
Choose the option where every stroke lines up.

Most questions end after step 2 or 3. You rarely need to trace all four options in full.

A worked example

Which option contains the given part exactly as drawn? Rotation is not allowed.

Part

+   .   +
|     /
+---+---+

(A)

+---+   +   .
  \     |
+---+---+---+

.   +---+   .

(B)

+   .   +
|     /
+   +   +
| \   /
+---+---+

(C)

.   +---+   +
      \   /
.   +   +   .
  /   /
+---+---+   .

Solution

Part strokes: 2 flat, 1 upright and 1 rising slant (/).
Anchor on the rising slant (/) and trace the other strokes around it.
(A) only has a mirror-image copy, so the part is not there.
(C) only has a copy with one stroke changed, so the part is not there.
(B) holds the part in the bottom part of the option.

Answer: (B).

Question types you will see

Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.

Type 1very common2 practice Q

Part among busy figures

How to spot it:

Four options of similar size, each full of short strokes. The part is small.

Method

List the part's strokes by type.
Find the anchor stroke in each option.
Trace the other strokes around it.
Keep the option that completes.

Why it works:

Only one option has every stroke of the part in the right place.

Try this

Which option contains the given part exactly as drawn? Rotation is not allowed.

Part

+   +
| / |
+---+

(A)

.   +   +   +
  / | \ | /
+   +---+   .
      \
.   .   +   .

(B)

+---+---+
| \ | \
+   +   +
|
+   .   .

(C)

.   +   .   .
  / |
+   +   .   .
| / |
+---+   +---+

(D)

+---+   +   .
          \
.   +---+   +
          X |
.   .   +---+

Show solution

Part strokes: 1 flat, 2 upright and 1 rising slant (/).
Anchor on the rising slant (/) and trace the other strokes around it.
(A) only has a mirror-image copy, so the part is not there.
(B) only has an upside-down copy, so the part is not there.
(C) holds the part in the bottom-left of the option.

Answer

(C)

Type 2very common2 practice Q

Options one stroke away from the part

How to spot it:

Every option has about as many strokes as the part, but one stroke differs: missing, changed or turned.

Method

Do not stop at the stroke count.
Check the direction of each stroke.
Check that the end points meet as in the part.
Reject any option with one wrong stroke.

Why it works:

A near-miss figure looks right at a glance but always breaks on one stroke.

Try this

Which option contains the given part exactly as drawn? Rotation is not allowed.

Part

+   +   +
|   | /
+---+   .

(A)

.   +   +   +
  / | /     |
+---+   .   +
    |
.   +   .   .

(B)

+   +---+
|   | /
+---+   +
        |
.   .   +

(C)

.   +   .
      \
+   +---+
  \ | /
+---+   .

(D)

.   .   +---+

+   +   .   .
| / |
+---+   .   .

Show solution

Part strokes: 1 flat, 2 upright and 1 rising slant (/).
Anchor on the rising slant (/) and trace the other strokes around it.
(A) only has a copy with one stroke changed, so the part is not there.
(C) only has a copy with one stroke changed, so the part is not there.
(B) holds the part in the top part of the option.

Answer

(B)

Type 3common2 practice Q

Part along an edge or corner

How to spot it:

The part has a flat side, like two flat strokes in a row. The options place it against a border.

Method

Scan the border of each option first.
Look in the corners for the flat side.
Then check the slant and upright strokes.

Why it works:

A part with a flat base usually sits on an edge, not in the middle.

Try this

Which option contains the given part exactly as drawn? Rotation is not allowed.

Part

+   .   +
|     /
+---+---+

(A)

+---+   +   .
  \     |
+---+---+---+

.   +---+   .

(B)

+   .   +
|     /
+   +   +
| \   /
+---+---+

(C)

.   +---+   +
      \   /
.   +   +   .
  /   /
+---+---+   .

Show solution

Part strokes: 2 flat, 1 upright and 1 rising slant (/).
Anchor on the rising slant (/) and trace the other strokes around it.
(A) only has a mirror-image copy, so the part is not there.
(C) only has a copy with one stroke changed, so the part is not there.
(B) holds the part in the bottom part of the option.

Answer

(B)

Type 4common2 practice Q

Slants as anchors

How to spot it:

The part has two or more slants. The options differ in how their slants lean.

Method

Write the lean of every slant in the part.
Find slants with the same leans in each option.
Check the flat and upright strokes that join them.

Why it works:

Mirror and water copies reverse a slant, so matching the leans removes them.

Try this

Which option contains the given part exactly as drawn? Rotation is not allowed.

Part

+---+   .
  /   \
+   .   +

(A)

+---+---+   .
  /   \ | \
+   .   +   +

(B)

.   +---+   +
  / | \ | /
+   +   +   .

(C)

.   .   +   .
          \
+---+   +   +
|     \ | /
+   .   +   .

Show solution

Part strokes: 1 flat, 1 rising slant (/) and 1 falling slant (\).
Anchor on the rising slant (/) and trace the other strokes around it.
(B) only has a mirror-image copy, so the part is not there.
(C) only has a copy with one stroke changed, so the part is not there.
(A) holds the part in the left side of the option.

Answer

(A)

Type 5common2 practice Q

Two finalists

How to spot it:

After the first pass, two options are left. Their filler lines make them look equal.

Method

Go back to the anchor stroke in both options.
Compare only the strokes that touch it.
Drop the option with a wrong or missing stroke there.

Why it works:

The wrong finalist breaks one stroke next to the anchor.

Try this

Which option contains the given part exactly as drawn? Rotation is not allowed.

Part

+   .
  \
+   +
| /
+---+

(A)

.   +   +
      X
+   +   +
| /   X
+   +---+

(B)

+   +   .   .
  X   \
+   +   +   +
| /         |
+---+   .   +

Show solution

Part strokes: 1 flat, 1 upright, 1 rising slant (/) and 1 falling slant (\).
Anchor on the rising slant (/) and trace the other strokes around it.
(A) only has a copy with one stroke changed, so the part is not there.
(B) holds the part in the left side of the option.

Answer

(B)

Type 6occasional2 practice Q

Sparse options

How to spot it:

The options have very few extra lines, so the part stands out.

Method

Still trace stroke by stroke.
Look for the one stroke each wrong option is missing.
Pick the option with no gaps.

Why it works:

Sparse options often lack exactly the stroke you assume is there.

Try this

Which option contains the given part exactly as drawn? Rotation is not allowed.

Part

.   +   +
    | /
+---+   .

(A)

.   +
    |
+---+
  /
+   .

(B)

.   +   +
  / | / |
+   +   +

(C)

.   +---+
    | /
+---+   .

Show solution

Part strokes: 1 flat, 1 upright and 1 rising slant (/).
Anchor on the rising slant (/) and trace the other strokes around it.
(A) only has a copy with one stroke missing, so the part is not there.
(B) only has a copy with one stroke changed, so the part is not there.
(C) holds the part in the place where every stroke lines up.

Answer

(C)

Type 7occasional

Part with a closed shape

How to spot it:

The part contains a closed shape, like a box or a triangle. Some options leave it open.

Method

Note that the shape is closed.
In each option, find all its sides.
Reject options where one side is missing or points another way.

Why it works:

One missing side turns a closed shape into an open one, which is a different figure.

Try this

Which option contains the given part exactly as drawn? Rotation is not allowed.

Part

+---+
|   |
+---+

(A)

+   .   .   .
  \
+---+   +   .
|   |     \
+---+   .   +

(B)

+---+   .
|
+---+   +
  \     |
.   +   +

(C)

+---+   +
  / |   |
+---+---+

Show solution

Part strokes: 2 flat and 2 upright.
Anchor on the upright stroke and trace the other strokes around it.
(B) only has a copy with one stroke missing, so the part is not there.
(C) only has a copy with one stroke changed, so the part is not there.
(A) holds the part in the bottom-left of the option.

Answer

(A)

Shortcuts that save time

⚡ Reject by a missing direction

List the directions in the part: flat, upright, / and \. An option that lacks one of them is out at once.

Example

The part has a flat stroke, an upright stroke and a falling slant (\). Option B has no falling slant at all. Keep B?

Show solution

The part needs a \ stroke.
Option B has none.
Sliding cannot create one.

Answer

No. Reject B without tracing.

⚡ Count the strokes first

The option must have at least as many strokes as the part. Fewer strokes means it cannot contain the part.

Example

The part has 5 strokes. Option C has 4 strokes in total. Can C contain the part?

Show solution

A figure with 4 strokes cannot hold 5 strokes.
So C cannot contain the part.

Answer

No.

⚡ Two finalists: compare at the anchor

If two options survive, compare only the strokes that touch the anchor. The wrong one usually breaks a stroke there.

Mistakes to avoid

Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.

Mistake 01

Rejecting the right option because it has extra lines.

Extra strokes are allowed. Only the part's own strokes must be present.

Mistake 02

Accepting an option where the part fits only after turning it.

Rotation is not allowed. A turned copy is a wrong option.

Mistake 03

Comparing only the number of strokes.

A one-stroke change keeps the count but breaks the shape. Check each direction.

Mistake 04

Checking a slant's length but not its lean.

A / and a \ are different strokes. The lean decides.

Mistake 05

Stopping at the first partial match.

Trace every stroke of the part. One missing stroke means the option is out.

Quick revision

Read this the night before the exam.

The part must appear in full: same strokes, same directions, only slid.
Extra filling lines never disqualify an option.
Anchor on a slant or a T-joint. Scan edges and corners first.
Wrong options are one stroke away: missing, changed or turned.
A / and a \ are different strokes. Direction decides.
An option with fewer strokes than the part cannot contain it.

Practice: 13 questions

Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.

Topic test · 13 questions

Suggested time 11 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.

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