Understanding abstract reasoning in the JOA
Abstract reasoning uses visual information to explore relationships and patterns. Instead of starting with a sentence or calculation, you may need to compare shapes, symbols, positions or shading. This ADF aptitude test lesson demonstrates ways to organise those observations so you can test a rule against the figures shown.
Begin with the task itself. Are you completing a sequence, filling a missing matrix cell or selecting items that do not belong? These are different questions. An answer that looks similar to the other figures may still be wrong if it does not satisfy the required relationship.
Compare one visual feature at a time
Choose a feature and follow it through the example. Count the shapes, compare their size, note whether they are filled or outlined, and check their position. When more than one feature changes, tracking them separately helps you avoid combining unrelated observations into an unreliable rule.
For a matrix, inspect completed rows and columns before tackling the missing cell. In some examples, a figure combines features from the previous figures. In others, a feature moves or changes. Do not assume every matrix uses addition or combination; establish the rule from the evidence shown.
Rotation, position and alternating changes
Rotation changes an object's orientation, while movement changes its location. Keep those separate when comparing figures. Track a distinctive feature, such as an arrowhead or shaded region, so that you can describe both its direction and its position. Clockwise and anticlockwise are easy to confuse when you follow several changes at once.
If a single repeated change does not fit, compare alternating positions in the sequence. One feature may follow a different pattern from another. Test the proposed changes across every available step and use the answer choices to eliminate figures that break the rule.
Odd ones out and matching features
For abstract odd-ones-out questions, compare the same features across all options. A count, arrangement or combination of details may separate the groups. Matching pairs can help organise the figures, but your final explanation should identify what the retained group shares and why the selected items differ.
Avoid selecting an option just because it looks unusual at first glance. A small change in shading or position may matter more than an obvious difference in size. Where the instructions ask for two items, make sure your rule accounts for both choices and the remaining figures.
Checking your pattern and practising independently
Before settling on an answer, describe the rule in a sentence and test it again. Does it explain every completed row or every step? Does the selected answer preserve all relevant features? If your explanation needs an unexplained exception, look for a better fit instead of forcing the pattern.
Pause the video at practice questions and make your own attempt. Review the feature you missed rather than simply memorising the answer letter. When you revisit the lesson, compare your reasoning with the worked explanation and note where the two diverged. Finish with the course conclusion, then choose the free quiz or a timed practice simulation if you want additional independent exercises.
Official format reference: ADF Careers JOA guide, checked 16 October 2026. Follow your assessment invitation for current instructions. The examples and teaching categories in this course are independent practice material.