ASVAB · Connecting Points

A triangle labeled with points A (top vertex), B (bottom-left), and C (bottom-right) needs to be connected to a rectangle with points W (top-left), X (top-right), Y (bottom-right), and Z (bottom-left). The instruction is to connect A to Y and B to X. In the assembled shape, which edges are joined?

Correct answer

The right side of the triangle (edge A-C side) joins with the top of the rectangle (edge W-X side), aligning point A with the specific labeled position on the rectangle and point B to its labeled position — the exact edges are determined by the labeled connection instructions

  1. A The triangle's hypotenuse connects to the rectangle's long side
  2. B The right side of the triangle (edge A-C side) joins with the top of the rectangle (edge W-X side), aligning point A with the specific labeled position on the rectangle and point B to its labeled position — the exact edges are determined by the labeled connection instructions
  3. C The shapes cannot be connected since they have different numbers of sides
  4. D All vertices automatically connect when two shapes are placed adjacent

Why this is the answer

CONNECTION ASSEMBLY questions require following the given connection instructions precisely to determine how shapes join. KEY PROCESS: (1) READ the connection instruction carefully — A to Y means point A on the triangle connects to point Y on the rectangle; B to X means point B connects to X; (2) LOCATE the labeled points on each shape; (3) The EDGE between two connecting points on the same shape must ALIGN WITH the corresponding edge on the other shape; since A connects to Y and B connects to X, the edge from A to B on the triangle must match the edge from X to Y on the rectangle; (4) The direction of the edge matters — the A end touches the Y end, and the B end touches the X end; (5) ROTATE and FLIP the triangle mentally until its A-to-B edge can align with the Y-to-X edge of the rectangle in the correct orientation. COMMON MISTAKE: Correct identifying which edges connect but placing them in the wrong direction (A at Y's position and B at X's position vs. A at X's position and B at Y's position). The specific labeled connection points must match exactly — swapping them would be an incorrectly assembled configuration even if the overall silhouette looks the same.
Source: ASVAB Assembling Objects, Following Connection Instructions