Help in solving Quantitative Aptitude Test question

[Jaocekeo]

Hi, Please I need help with this visual quantitative test. This was an assignment given to the son of a friend of mine (8 yrs old), however its been very hard to solve. I wonder if there is a way of deriving a formula to resolve this kind of problems. Thank you in anticipation.

 

[stapel]

I wonder if there is a way of deriving a formula to resolve this kind of problems.

Not that I'm aware of. You just kinda have to play with the numbers until you find a formula that works. Note: There may be more than one mathematically valid solution to a given "pattern", though "the" right answer will of course be whatever the author was thinking of when he wrote the exercise.

 

[stapel]

[For some reason, the forum's scripting is choking on my reply, so I'm splitting it into more than one posting.]

For instance, the rule for the "eg. 1." box could be "multiply the horizontal pairs, and add the results: 2*3 + 5*2 = 6 + 10 = 16".

 

[stapel]

...It could also be "multiply the numbers on the 'to the right' diagonal, divide the numbers on the 'to the left diagonal', and add: 5*3 + (2/2) = 15 + 1 = 16". Then you have to check to see if there are any numbers that would allow you to mirror this pattern in the second box.

For instance, for my first rule to work, there would have to be some number so that (?)*3 + 9*3 = 3*? + 27 = 67, so 3*? = 40. But is there any whole number (which is what I'm assuming you're supposed to use) that gives you 40 when you multiply by 3? No, so this can't possibly be "the" correct answer. For my second to work, there would have to be some number so that 9*3 + (?/3) = 27 + (?/3) = 27 + ?/3 = 67, so ?/3 = 40. Is there any number that gives you 40 after you divide it by 3? If so, then this is a mathematically valid rule, and it might be "the" right answer. If not, then keep trying.