Correct the Dots

[Star Walls]

Anyone know the answer to this? It might just be made-up to bait people but I was thinking

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number 2

 

[Ghideon]

  On 4/24/2020 at 10:47 AM, Star Walls said:

Anyone know the answer to this?

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No, but I'll try some logic:

 

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1: First row contains 1,2,3 dots second row 2,3,4 dots. So bottom row having 3,4,5 dots seems logical. That means that answer 5 and 6 are ruled out

 

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2: Each row and column have one set of black dots. That rules out 1 and 2. We are left with option 3 or 4.

 

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3: The top row rotates the set of dots 1 and 2 steps CCW when going from left to right. Middle row rotates 2 and 3 steps CCW. Last row should logically rotate 3 and 4 steps CCW. That rules out 4

 

My answer is

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3

 

Edited April 24, 2020 by Ghideon

[Star Walls]

A well reasoned post, Ghideon. But

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what about the fact that in each square, in the columns, the dots increase in a certain way: in the first column, 1 in the middle then 2 on the left then 3 on the right. In the second, 2 on the left then 3 on the right then 4 in the middle. In the third, 3 on the right then 4 in the middle then 5, I guessed, on the left.

 

[Ghideon]

  On 4/24/2020 at 3:48 PM, Star Walls said:

But

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I tried to account for that in step 1, I think we mean the same thing, maybe I need to clarify:

 

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Red numbers counts the number of dots, giving the pattern that the last square must have 5 dots (green no) and which alternatives that are not compatible. 

Note that the counting pattern matches bot rows and columns. Or if diagonals are preferred, diagonals from top right to bottom left are numbered 1,2,3,4,5 

From there apply my colouring and rotation steps to get to answer no 3, five white balls in bottom section

Cool discussion by the way! 

 

Edited April 24, 2020 by Ghideon

[John Cuthber]

OK, I had a look
 

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The numbers of dots are 

 1,2,3
2,3,4
3,4,?

That strongly suggests that there are 5 dots in the last box. That rules out answers 5 or 6

Each box has 4 quadrants- we can call them N,S,E,W
Solid dots are only allowed in the North and South quarters, but not in the East or West ones
That rules out answer 2

Unfilled circles are only allowed in the east or west quarters, but not the North or South ones.
That rules out answer 3

So we now have two options, 1 and 4


In any column, no quadrant is occupied more than once.
That rules out 4
(and you can do the same with rows)
So the only answer left is 1

 

 

[michel123456]

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In each square, Up &  down dots are black, left & right are white. Existing serie 1,2,3,4, so 5 is the expected answer. The only solution that fits both conditions is solution 1.

 

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There is a diagonal translation , but that did not help me much for finding the solution, the B&W square is more helpful. I think.

 

 

 

[Star Walls]

  On 4/25/2020 at 4:04 PM, John Cuthber said:

OK, I had a look
 

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The numbers of dots are 

 1,2,3
2,3,4
3,4,?

That strongly suggests that there are 5 dots in the last box. That rules out answers 5 or 6

Each box has 4 quadrants- we can call them N,S,E,W
Solid dots are only allowed in the North and South quarters, but not in the East or West ones
That rules out answer 2

Unfilled circles are only allowed in the east or west quarters, but not the North or South ones.
That rules out answer 3

So we now have two options, 1 and 4


In any column, no quadrant is occupied more than once.
That rules out 4
(and you can do the same with rows)
So the only answer left is 1

 

 

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Interestingly, you get the same answer using a variation of Ghideon's rotational approach. He said:  

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The top row rotates the set of dots 1 and 2 steps CCW when going from left to right. Middle row rotates 2 and 3 steps CCW. Last row should logically rotate 3 and 4 steps CCW

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But instead of going from 3 CCW steps to 4, you go from 3 steps to 2. This fits the pattern we see of 123, 234, 345

 

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  On 4/25/2020 at 4:20 PM, michel123456 said:

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In each square, Up &  down dots are black, left & right are white. Existing serie 1,2,3,4, so 5 is the expected answer. The only solution that fits both conditions is solution 1.

 

 

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Could you please explain how, based on what you say here, you can rule out number 4 as an answer. Are you thinking, as John Cuthber suggests, that the same quadrant of a square, in a column, can not be occupied twice?

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I'm not quite ready to concede defeat on answer 2 yet. The method I used simply involves treating each individual square as a scaled down version of the whole puzzle with a left, a right and a center column. So let's track the progress of the dots in each of the full size columns. In the first column, we start out in the center then go to the left so the only place to go now is the right. In the second column, we start out on the left then go to the right so the only place left is the center. In the third column, we start out on the right then go to the center so the only place to go is the left.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2020 by Star Walls

[John Cuthber]

Essentially, the problem is not adequately specified or has no unique solution.

[michel123456]

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In this step you went from down to up.

 

I wonder if the spoilers still mean something, I have opened all of them.

[bluedot]

Shouldn't be pretty obvious there are not supposed to be any black dots in the solution?

That eliminates everything except choice between 3 and 4.

Now, consider relation between change of the number of dots and rotation steps changes.

Note that number of dots in the box corresponds to the number of ccw rotational steps determining occupied quadrant of each next box (in a row or column). 

@Ghideon got it,  answer 3 is the best fit according to that logic.

[StringJunky]

Each row/column follows a numerical sequence, so it must be a 5, then you'll notice two  whites and a black in each row and column. Whites are in the l/r quadrants and blacks in the t/d quadrants, so it has to be 

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4

 

[John Cuthber]

  On 5/1/2020 at 9:48 AM, bluedot said:

Shouldn't be pretty obvious there are not supposed to be any black dots in the solution?

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What?

 

[Ghideon]

  On 4/26/2020 at 8:31 AM, John Cuthber said:

Essentially, the problem is not adequately specified or has no unique solution.

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I agree. Without knowing where the problem comes from maybe it is constructed just to trigger discussion? Which may not be a bad thing!
After reading all the hidden content I find that some explanations requires fewer steps than the solution I suggested, maybe that's more "elegant" than mine and therefore more probable? 
 

Edited May 1, 2020 by Ghideon

[bluedot]

  On 5/1/2020 at 5:36 PM, John Cuthber said:

What?

 

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First row: 2 boxes with white dots, 1 box with a black dot

Second row: 2 boxes with white dots, 1 with black dots.

Same thing with columns.

Sort of inductive reasoning per see. You either see it or not.

One may complain the sample is rather small, but that's almost always the case with such puzzles   

Edited May 1, 2020 by bluedot

[John Cuthber]

  On 5/1/2020 at 7:08 PM, bluedot said:

Sort of inductive reasoning per see. You either see it or not.

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Did you see all the other reasoning that disagrees with you?

[bluedot]

  On 5/2/2020 at 11:45 AM, John Cuthber said:

Did you see all the other reasoning that disagrees with you?

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Yes. Before opening any of the spoilers I concluded that choice 3 should be the best fit. And guess what, my reasoning was basically the same as Gideon's one. Interesting, isn't it? Well, I can't be absolutely sure we are right. Knowing the source of the puzzle would be of help. @Star Walls ?

Judging by it's form, looks like IQ test question. Quick google search of the image returned this

[John Cuthber]

  On 5/1/2020 at 9:48 AM, bluedot said:

pretty obvious there are not supposed to be any black dots in the solution

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And yet there are solutions, every bit as valid, that do have black dots.

I may be wrong, but I doubt it's from a real IQ test.

They are usually careful to ensure that there aren't too many "right" answers.

 

[bluedot]

  On 5/2/2020 at 1:20 PM, John Cuthber said:

 

I may be wrong, but I doubt it's from a real IQ test.

 

 

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Maybe you're right. It's just the form that reminds of questions typically found in iQ tests. 

[Sirjon]

 

It is shifting counterclockwise. Initially, a black dot located in up location..
Let's call the four locations - left, right, up, down.
With the rule:.. horizontally, (let and right), should be in white dots
While vertically, should be in black dots.
The shifting follows the 1, 2, 3, 4 pattern
But with exception that if it rest in an occupied location (4 black dots in down location) and will add a supposed to be a black dot
that we derived from the up location... a supposed to be a black 5 dots the possible answer, which is not present in the selection.
So, my guess...
The rule would then be, if two dots have the same color, they change to its opposite color...
My answer then is #3 - 5 white dots located in down location. 
If my guess is correct, for the next shift, 5 shift counter clockwise, it would rest in the right location  with six black dots, id we consider the 3 dots, white which we derived from right location. Is there a sense?