Non Verbal Reasoning · Reflections, Folding & Cutting
Mirror and Water Images — Questions & Answers
Mirror image questions ask how a figure, word or clock looks in a mirror; water image questions ask how it looks reflected in water below it. A mirror on the side swaps left and right; water swaps top and bottom.
- 5 solved questions
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How to approach
A mirror placed to the side (vertical line) swaps left and right; top and bottom stay where they are.
Water below the object (horizontal line) swaps top and bottom; left and right stay where they are.
Clock in a mirror: actual time = 12:00 − the time you see (use 11:60 − time when subtracting minutes).
5 solved Mirror and Water Images questions
Which answer figure is the mirror image of the question figure when the mirror is held along the line MN?
Solution — answer B
A mirror along a vertical line swaps left and right but keeps top and bottom as they are. Only one answer figure shows the question figure changed exactly that way; the others are turned upside down (a water image), turned through half a turn, left unchanged.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand Mirror Effect
When a mirror is held along a vertical line, like MN, the image produced is a mirror image. This means that the left and right sides of the figure are swapped, but the top and bottom remain in their original positions.
Step 2: Identify Correct Change
We are looking for an answer figure that has undergone this specific transformation: a left-right reversal only. The figure should not be rotated or flipped vertically, only horizontally.
Step 3: Exclude Other Transformations
Some incorrect answer figures might show different transformations. These could include being turned upside down (a water image), rotated through half a turn, or even left completely unchanged. These are not mirror images along a vertical line.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (B) Figure B. This figure correctly displays the question figure with only a left-right reversal, which is the characteristic of a mirror image along a vertical line.
Which answer figure is the mirror image of the question figure when the mirror is held along the line MN?
Solution — answer A
A mirror along a horizontal line (or a water surface below) swaps top and bottom but keeps left and right as they are. Only one answer figure shows the question figure changed exactly that way; the others are turned back to front (a left-right mirror image), turned through half a turn, left unchanged.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Identify Mirror Type
The question states the mirror is held along the line MN. This line is horizontal, meaning we need to find the reflection across a horizontal axis.
Step 2: Apply Reflection Rule
A mirror placed horizontally swaps the top and bottom parts of the figure. Crucially, it keeps the left and right sides in their original relative positions, unchanged.
Step 3: Evaluate Figures
Look for the figure where only the vertical orientation is inverted. The other figures might show a left-right swap, a rotation, or no change at all, which are incorrect for a horizontal mirror.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (A) Figure A. This figure correctly shows the top and bottom parts of the question figure swapped, while maintaining the left-right orientation, as expected from a horizontal mirror image.
Which answer figure is the water image of the question figure?
Solution — answer C
A mirror along a horizontal line (or a water surface below) swaps top and bottom but keeps left and right as they are. Only one answer figure shows the question figure changed exactly that way; the others are turned back to front (a left-right mirror image), turned through half a turn, left unchanged.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Define Water Image
A water image is formed by reflecting a figure across a horizontal line, as if a mirror were placed below it. This transformation swaps the top and bottom parts of the figure, while keeping the left and right sides unchanged.
Step 2: Apply Transformation Rule
To find the correct answer, we must identify the figure that results from applying this specific rule to the question figure. The original figure's top becomes its bottom, and its bottom becomes its top, without any horizontal flipping.
Step 3: Identify Correct Figure
We look for the answer figure that shows only the top and bottom parts of the question figure swapped. Other transformations, like a left-right mirror image, a half-turn rotation, or no change, are incorrect.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (C) Figure C. This figure correctly shows the question figure with its top and bottom parts swapped, while its left and right orientation remains the same, matching the definition of a water image.
Which answer figure is the mirror image of the question figure when the mirror is held along the line MN?
Solution — answer B
A mirror along a vertical line swaps left and right but keeps top and bottom as they are. Only one answer figure shows the question figure changed exactly that way; the others are written in reverse order without flipping each character, turned upside down (a water image), turned through half a turn.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand Mirror Effect
When a mirror is placed along a vertical line, like MN, the image produced will swap the left and right sides of the original figure. However, the top and bottom parts of the figure will remain in their original positions.
Step 2: Identify Correct Transformation
The correct answer figure must display the question figure with its left and right sides perfectly interchanged, but without any change to its vertical orientation. It should look like a true reflection across a vertical axis.
Step 3: Rule Out Incorrect Changes
Incorrect answer figures might show other transformations, such as the figure being turned upside down (a water image), rotated, or having its elements simply reordered without individual reflection. These are not vertical mirror images.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (B) Figure B. This figure is the only one that correctly shows the question figure with its left and right sides swapped, while keeping its top and bottom orientation unchanged, matching a vertical mirror image.
Which answer figure is the water image of the question figure?
Solution — answer C
A mirror along a horizontal line (or a water surface below) swaps top and bottom but keeps left and right as they are. Only one answer figure shows the question figure changed exactly that way; the others are turned back to front (a left-right mirror image), turned through half a turn, left unchanged.
4 steps · reveal one at a timeStep 1: Understand Water Images
A water image is formed by reflecting a figure across a horizontal line. This action swaps the top and bottom parts of the figure, while keeping the left and right sides exactly as they are.
Step 2: Apply the Reflection Rule
To find the water image, imagine a mirror placed below the question figure. The resulting image will show the figure flipped vertically. The original top becomes the new bottom, and the original bottom becomes the new top.
Step 3: Evaluate the Options
Compare the changed question figure with the provided options. Look for the figure that only has its top and bottom parts swapped. Discard figures that are flipped horizontally, rotated, or unchanged.
Step 4: The answer
So the answer is (C) Figure C. This figure correctly shows the question figure with its top and bottom parts swapped, while maintaining the left-right orientation, matching the definition of a water image.
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