Non-verbal reasoning: Cubes and nets: an introduction

A net is a 2D figure which can be folded into a 3D object.

The net of a cube will, when cut out and assembled, make a cube!
Look at the nets below. Which of them is the net of a cube? Cut them
out and try to assemble them if you need to.

Only the blue net

will make a cube.

Now its time for some

colouring, cutting and sticking.
Using the net below, make a
selection of cubes. Before you
stick them together to make them
3D, draw different patterns or
shapes on some of the sides.

Pick one of your nets, and draw different

3D views of it. As you can see, youll only be
able to see some of the sides and elements
youve drawn at any one time. Heres an
example to show you:

In these non-verbal reasoning questions you will need to relate a

2D net to the cube that can be made out of it. As always, this takes
a fair amount of practice, but these tips will help:
above
blue
circle
Use the front of the cube
as an anchor and try to
fix what goes above and
to the sides, based on
the net.

front of
cube

underneath
the blue circle

Remember, alternate
squares on the net
cannot be adjacent (next
to each other) on
the cube.

right of
the blue
circle

Alternate
squares

Alternate
squares

CUBES AND NETS EXERCISES 1-8

Choose the cube on the right that can be formed from the net on the left.
1

Answers:
1

Were you fooled by the trick question? D cannot

be the correct answer, because the 3D view of the
cube would not show two adjacent black sides. In
answer C the hatched side is hidden, and we can
see two white sides and a black side.

There is only one black side on the net, so we

can use it as our anchor. In cubes B, C and D
the black side is adjacent to a side that doesnt
appear in that position on the net, and cube E
has hatching that doesnt appear on the net at
all. The answer must be A.

Use the triangle side of the cube as your anchor and

work your way from left to right discounting options.
If the triangle is pointing up, could the cube have
adjacent black and grey sides? Yes - so option A is
our answer.

Using the black side as an achor, work your way

through the options. We can discount D immediately
(two black sides, when the net only has one). In
options A, B and E the grey side is adjacent to the
black, but thats not possible with this net. The correct
answer is C.

We can discount any cubes with side patterns that

dont appear on the net (A, D) and discount option
E (the net doesnt have three white sides). Option B
would be possible, so that is the correct answer.

Working from left to right we can immediately discount

A (black, grey and white sides could not be adjacent
with this net). Using the black rectangle shape as our
anchor side we see that it does correspond to the net
(remember to line up the rectangle shape vertically
when youre visualising the 3D cube!).

Use the F side of the cube as your anchor (remember

to match the orientation, though!). The two most likely
options are A and E, as they both have an F side, so
check them first. A can be discounted because the
black side is on the left of the cube, not the right. All
the sides on the E cube are in the correct position, so
that is the right answer.

Use the white side of the cube as your anchor to

find the correct net, C.