Pattern and matrix items: finding the rule
Matrix items present a sequence or grid with one cell missing. Every one of them hides a rule you can state in a sentence.
The rules that keep appearing
Rotation by a fixed angle, reflection, addition or subtraction of elements, alternation between two states, and progression along rows that continues into the next row.
A method that works
Read across the row first and name the change out loud. If nothing appears, read down the column. Only then look at the options, so you are checking a hypothesis rather than pattern-matching.
The common trap
Options are designed so that a near-miss looks right if you only checked one dimension. Confirm the rule holds for every step in the sequence, not just the last one.
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Questions people ask
Are these culture-fair?
More so than verbal items, which is why they are heavily used, though format familiarity still helps.
How much time should one take?
About 45 seconds. If the rule has not surfaced by then, eliminate and move on.