What is the CogAT Nonverbal Battery?
The CogAT Nonverbal Battery measures a student’s problem-solving and reasoning abilities by employing visual and spatial-based questions. This section of the CogAT is unique in that students do not rely on using words but instead use geometric shapes and figures. Many students may perceive the CogAT Nonverbal Battery as the most unfamiliar because the classroom does not formally teach many of its questions.
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This battery consists of figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification questions.
CogAT Nonverbal Battery Figure Matrices
These figure analogies require the same thought processes as picture and number analogies. Still, in the CogAT Nonverbal Battery, students must identify relationships between spatial forms instead of dealing with verbal or quantitative concepts. By studying and identifying distinct points of relation between previous figures, students can assess possible answer choices.
Sample Question- The first 3 figures on the left relate to each other in some way. Find a figure on the right of the line that goes with the first 3 figures in exactly the same way.
Answer- B- Vertical line divides figure into horizontal stripes and solid white.
Paper Folding
Students must envision the outcome of folding a piece of paper, making cuts or hole punches in some manner, and then unfolding it. The testing.com website has a fun, animated game to help students with this subtest. This section consists of 10 questions and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Sample Question- On the top row, you will see how a square piece of paper is folded sometimes once, sometimes more then once. Holes are then punched in the paper after it has been folded. Choose the answer in the second row that shows how the folded piece of paper would look after it is unfolded.
Answer- E
Figure Classification
These questions require the same thought processes as picture classification, except instead of inferring relationships between pictures, students infer relationships between shapes and figures. They then must find the answer on the bottom that belongs with the group on top.
Sample Question- Look at the 3 figures on top. They are related in some way. Choose an answer on the bottom that goes with the first 3 figures in exactly the same way.
Answer- A (All the shapes point to the left)
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