Cube pattern folding questions

[Vennir]

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Hey everybody,

My DAT's coming up in about 3 weeks and I'm still having trouble doing cube pattern folding questions. I included 2 examples below. If anyone can explain how to solve these problems, that'd be great. Thanks.

Answer for above is D.

Answer for above is A.

 

[Vennir]

bump

 

[ekephant]

I too have some trouble with the cube pattern folding questions (I actually recognize these from CDP because they also gave me a hard time, haha). Anyway, I really don't know of any easy way around it, so if its something that I can't get right away, I usually mark it and save it for the end. Like all other pattern folding questions, you want to look for landmarks, or specific designs that you can recognize from the answer choices and connect them with the unfolded image, then fold it in your mind and see if the answer choice is even possible. I know this is tough because all the sides are the same size, but if you have enough time at the end, you could even draw out the possible outcomes. For example, for each answer choice start out by drawing the front face of the cube, then draw out the rest of the cube using the unfolded image. This is time consuming, but if you can just practice doing it in your head it will make the process go a lot faster. I usually pick the first answer that i think actually works, and don't double check it until after.

Good luck, and if you figure out a quicker solution please share it!

 

[carlfusco]

For these cube patters you know two of the faces must be adjacent on the unfolded pattern, so start by eliminating choices that have two sides next to each other on the flat paper, but not in the 3d cube. Once you have choices that all have two correctly adjacent sides, then check their orientation with one of the squares that protrude from the top or bottom of the flat pattern.

They always show you three sides in the 3d version, two of which are in the horizontal portion of the flat pattern, and the last being one of the two squares that are on the top or bottom of the flat pattern. It's a little hard to explain, let me know if that makes any sense.

 

[DrRoyal Pains]

I agree with ekephant. This is the technique I use and it seems to work great. If you start to get bored with studying this part of the pat, try experimenting with different techniques. Just keep practicing and you'll get it.

 

[Vennir]

Thanks everyone. I normally try what carlfusco mentioned but I tend to get stuck on questions like the 2nd cube question I posted. The lines on cubes throw me off, since the angle of orientation changes when you fold the cube. The same goes for similar non-dice cube folds.

Also, to ekephant and DrRoyal Pains, when you draw out the folded pattern for each possible answer for each cube wouldn't you loose a huge chunk of time?

 

[ekephant]

Yes it does take time, I should have clarified that you should only do it if you have time to spare at the end of the section as a last resort.

 

[r2thekesh]

Draw 3 sides at a time on your paper (that's what I put together in my head while doing them). And some of these combos will show you that certain answer choices can't exist.

 

[Vennir]

Thanks a lot guys. I've kept coming back to these cube questions over the past couple of days and I think I'm getting the hang of it. Now I just have to keep practicing til the DAT hits. So far I've finished all the practice tests in Crack Dat Pat and I'm just gonna go over them. I've also done 3 Achiever PAT practice tests. Do you guys think its worth it to spring for the full 7 Achiever tests?