From amongst the figures marked (1), (2), (3) and (4), select the figure which…

In a "dot situation" figure question, each dot in Figure (X) sits inside one particular combination of overlapping shapes, whether that is exactly two shapes overlapping, three shapes overlapping together, or a shape all on its own with no overlap. A candidate figure only qualifies if its own arrangement of the same shapes produces a region for every one of those exact combinations; losing even one required combination rules the figure out.

In Figure (X), the circle, square, triangle and rectangle overlap so that one dot falls in the area shared by only the circle and the triangle (no square, no rectangle); a second dot falls in the area shared by the circle, the square and the triangle together (but outside the rectangle); and the third dot falls inside the rectangle on its own, with no other shape covering that spot.

Since Figure (2) is the only one that supplies all three region types, the circle-triangle overlap, the circle-square-triangle overlap, and a stand-alone rectangle area, it reproduces the exact dot pattern of Figure (X). Every other figure is missing at least one of these regions, as shown above.