Each of the following questions consists of five figures marked A, B, C, D and…

Concept: In an “elements shift” figure series, every figure contains the same set of individual elements arranged in a single vertical column; from one figure to the next, the whole column shifts by a fixed number of positions in a cycle (elements that shift past the last position wrap around to the top). To continue the series, first find the fixed shift, then apply it one more time to the last given figure.

Application: Trace the shift step by step:

1. List the five elements found in every figure, in the order they appear in Problem Figure A (top to bottom): two-way arrow, arc, bone-shaped bar, up-arrow, square-ended bar.

2. Figure B's column is Figure A's column shifted by 2 positions (the top two elements move to the bottom): bone-shaped bar, up-arrow, square-ended bar, two-way arrow, arc.

3. Figure C repeats the same shift of 2 from Figure B: square-ended bar, two-way arrow, arc, bone-shaped bar, up-arrow.

4. Figure D again shifts by 2 from Figure C: arc, bone-shaped bar, up-arrow, square-ended bar, two-way arrow.

5. Figure E again shifts by 2 from Figure D: up-arrow, square-ended bar, two-way arrow, arc, bone-shaped bar.

6. Applying the same fixed shift of 2 once more to Figure E gives the next figure's column: two-way arrow, arc, bone-shaped bar, up-arrow, square-ended bar — the same order as Figure A.

7. Among the Answer Figures, Answer Figure 3 is the only one whose column matches this order exactly, so it is the figure that continues the series.

Cross-check: Since the shift is 2 and there are 5 elements, and 2 and 5 share no common factor, the column returns to its original (Figure A) arrangement only after exactly 5 shifts — that is, exactly at the sixth figure in the series. This independently confirms that the missing figure must reproduce Figure A's arrangement, matching Answer Figure 3.

The figure below shows the same cyclic shift of the five elements.