Look at the sequence of symbols and find the correct pattern.
2017
Look at the sequence of symbols and find the correct pattern.

Attempted by 87 students.
Show answer & explanation
To determine the correct pattern, let's analyze the sequence of symbols in pairs.
Step-by-Step Pattern Analysis
Observe the Pairings: The sequence is structured as pairs of similar shapes:
Pair 1: A square inside a square, followed by a circle inside a square.
Pair 2: A shape with a rounded top inside a square, followed by a square inside a square with rounded edges.
Pair 3: A circle inside an octagon, followed by an octagon inside a circle.
Pair 4 (The Incomplete Pair): A bottle-like shape inside a square, followed by a ?.
Identify the Underlying Logic: In each pair, the symbols demonstrate a swap in the arrangement or a change in the internal/external shape relationship. Specifically, the pattern alternates between shape orientations or container-content relationships. Looking at the fourth pair, the first symbol is a bottle-like shape inside a box. To complete the pattern established in the previous pairs (specifically the inversion seen in Pair 3), the second symbol should feature the box shape inside the bottle-like shape.