Non-Verbal Reasoning · Transformations

Reflection 11+ practice

Reflect positions accurately across vertical and horizontal mirror lines.

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The key idea

Understand the rule first

A reflected point remains the same perpendicular distance from the mirror line. A vertical mirror swaps left and right; a horizontal mirror swaps top and bottom.

Worked example

A dot is two squares left of a vertical mirror line. Where is its reflection?

The mirror line is vertical, so left and right swap.
Distance must stay two squares.
Place the image two squares to the right.

two squares right of the line

Watch for this

A common misconception

Rotating a figure or moving a mark without preserving its distance from the mirror.

Reusable method: Measure distance from the mirror line.

Question 1 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningcore
A mark is at the top-left of a square. Reflect it across a vertical line through the centre.
- Atop-right
- Bbottom-left
- Cbottom-right
- Dtop-left
Need a hint?
Swap left and right but keep the height.
Show worked answer
Answer A: top-right
Top-left reflects to top-right.
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.
Question 2 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningcore
An arrow points down-right. Reflect it across a horizontal line.
- Adown-left
- Bup-right
- Cup-left
- Ddown-right
Need a hint?
A horizontal mirror swaps up and down but preserves left and right.
Show worked answer
Answer B: up-right
Down becomes up while right remains right.
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.
Question 3 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningcore
A dot is three squares above a horizontal mirror line. Where is its image?
- Athree squares above
- Bone square below
- Cthree squares below
- Don the line
Need a hint?
Preserve the distance on the opposite side.
Show worked answer
Answer C: three squares below
It appears three squares below the line.
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.
Question 4 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningexam-style
An arrow points upwards with a dot on its left side. The whole figure is reflected in a vertical mirror line. Where will the dot be?
- ALeft of an upward arrow
- BRight of an upward arrow
- CLeft of a downward arrow
- DRight of a downward arrow
Need a hint?
A vertical mirror swaps left and right while preserving top and bottom.
Show worked answer
Answer B: Right of an upward arrow
The arrow still points up, while the dot moves from its left side to the same distance on its right.
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.
Question 5 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningexam-style
A mark stays in exactly the same position after reflection. Where must it lie?
- Aon the mirror line
- Bin a corner
- Ctwo squares away
- Dat the top
Need a hint?
Only points with zero distance from the mirror do not move.
Show worked answer
Answer A: on the mirror line
Any point on the mirror line maps onto itself.
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.
Question 6 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningcore
The arrow in the diagram is reflected in the vertical mirror line. Which direction will it point?
- Asouth-east
- Bnorth-west
- Csouth-west
- Dnorth-east
Need a hint?
A vertical mirror reverses left and right but not up and down.
Show worked answer
Answer B: north-west
North-east reflects to north-west across a vertical line.
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.
Question 7 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningcore
A dot is in the top-right corner of a square. The square is reflected in a horizontal mirror line. Where does the dot move?
- Atop-left
- Bbottom-left
- Cbottom-right
- Dtop-right
Need a hint?
A horizontal mirror reverses top and bottom but not left and right.
Show worked answer
Answer C: bottom-right
Top-right reflects to bottom-right.
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.
Question 8 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningcore
A block L has its vertical stroke on the left and its base extending right. It is reflected vertically. What will the image look like?
- Avertical stroke left, base right
- Bvertical stroke left, base left
- Cvertical stroke right, base right
- Dvertical stroke right, base extending left
Need a hint?
Reverse every left-right feature.
Show worked answer
Answer D: vertical stroke right, base extending left
The vertical stroke moves to the right and the base extends left from it.
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.
Question 9 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningexam
A point is at coordinate (2, 1). It is reflected in the vertical line x = 4. What is its image?
- A(6, 1)
- B(2, 7)
- C(4, 3)
- D(6, −1)
Need a hint?
The point is two units left of the mirror, so its image is two units right.
Show worked answer
Answer A: (6, 1)
Two units to the right of x = 4 is x = 6; the y-coordinate stays 1, giving (6, 1).
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.
Question 10 of 10
Non-Verbal Reasoningstretch
An arrow points north-west. It is reflected first in a vertical line and then in a horizontal line. Which direction does it finally point?
- Anorth-east
- Bsouth-east
- Csouth-west
- Dnorth-west
Need a hint?
Track one reflection at a time.
Show worked answer
Answer B: south-east
North-west reflects vertically to north-east, then horizontally to south-east. Two perpendicular reflections equal a half-turn.
Quick method: Measure distance from the mirror line.

Understand the rule first

A dot is two squares left of a vertical mirror line. Where is its reflection?

A common misconception

A mark is at the top-left of a square. Reflect it across a vertical line through the centre.

An arrow points down-right. Reflect it across a horizontal line.

A dot is three squares above a horizontal mirror line. Where is its image?

An arrow points upwards with a dot on its left side. The whole figure is reflected in a vertical mirror line. Where will the dot be?

A mark stays in exactly the same position after reflection. Where must it lie?

The arrow in the diagram is reflected in the vertical mirror line. Which direction will it point?

A dot is in the top-right corner of a square. The square is reflected in a horizontal mirror line. Where does the dot move?

A block L has its vertical stroke on the left and its base extending right. It is reflected vertically. What will the image look like?

A point is at coordinate (2, 1). It is reflected in the vertical line x = 4. What is its image?

An arrow points north-west. It is reflected first in a vertical line and then in a horizontal line. Which direction does it finally point?

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