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ISRO EC 2025 Q.93: solution and answer

ISRO 2025 · ECQ.93 · 1 mark · MCQ

Which of the following boxes should replace the question mark (?) to complete the pattern? (1 mark)

ISRO EC 2025 question 93: A 3x3 arrangement of boxes, each box itself a 3x3 grid of small squares holding a filled circle and/or a star.Tap to open full size
Figure from the ISRO EC 2025 paper. It is part of the question.
Figure description

A 3x3 arrangement of boxes, each box itself a 3x3 grid of small squares holding a filled circle and/or a star. Cell positions are (row, column) from top-left, 1 to 3. Row 1: box 1 has circle at top-left and star at bottom-right; box 2 has circle at top-middle and star at middle-right; box 3 has circle at top-right and no separate star. Row 2: box 1 has circle at bottom-left and star at bottom-middle; box 2 has star at centre and circle directly below it at bottom-middle; box 3 has star at top-middle and circle at bottom-right. Row 3: box 1 has circle at middle-left and star at bottom-left; box 2 has star at middle-left and circle at centre; box 3 is the question mark. Options are single boxes: (a) star at top-right only; (b) star at top-right with circle directly below at middle-right; (c) star at top-left and circle at top-right; (d) star at top-left and circle at middle-right.

  1. (A)

    Figure — a 3x3 box with only a star in the top-right square.

  2. (B)

    Figure — a 3x3 box with a star in the top-right square and a circle in the middle-right square.

  3. (C)

    Figure — a 3x3 box with a star in the top-left square and a circle in the top-right square.

  4. (D)

    Figure — a 3x3 box with a star in the top-left square and a circle in the middle-right square.

Answer and solution

ANSWER

The missing box has a star in the top-left square and a circle in the middle-right square, which is option (D).

Official answer: DSource: ISRO's final answer key of 15 May 2026

  1. Number the squares of each small box 1 to 9 row by row (1 top-left, 3 top-right, 4 middle-left, 6 middle-right, 7 bottom-left, 9 bottom-right). Track the circle and the star separately along each row of boxes.

  2. Row 1 circle: squares 1, 2, 3, so it moves one square right in each box. Row 1 star: squares 9, 6, then 3, so it moves up one row (a change of ) in each box. In the third box the star sits at square 3, hidden under the circle, which is why only a circle shows.

  3. Row 2 follows the same rules: circle at squares 7, 8, 9 ( per box) and star at squares 8, 5, 2 ( per box).

  4. Row 3 circle: squares 4, 5 in the first two boxes, so in the third box it is at square , the middle-right square.

  5. Row 3 star: squares 7, 4 in the first two boxes, so in the third box it is at square , the top-left square.

  6. The missing box has a star at top-left and a circle at middle-right. Option (a) has only a star, in the top-right. Option (b) has the star in the top-right, which is wrong. Option (c) has the circle in the top-right, which is wrong. Option (d) matches.

KEY IDEA

In a pattern grid, follow each symbol on its own. Here the circle shifts one square right and the star shifts one square up in every box along a row, and the same two shifts hold in all three rows.

WATCH OUT FOR

Forgetting that the star in the third box of row 1 is hidden under the circle. Reading that box as having no star breaks the star's rule and leads to the wrong star position in the missing box.

From the ISRO EC 2025 paper. Also Q.93 of the ISRO Scientist/Engineer Computer Science 2025 paper. Every question of this paper · The full paper (PDF, ISRO) · All 7 ISRO Spatial questions, with notes

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