11+ Non-verbal reasoning · Topic explained
Cube views
You can only see three sides of a cube. What's on the others?
The big idea
You see three faces at most. Faces that never appear together must be opposite.
Picture it
A dice on the table: the faces you can see tell you what's underneath.
Key words
- view
- how the cube looks from one corner
- neighbours
- faces you can see together always touch
- opposite
- faces that are never seen together
Worked examples
- 1Warm-up
This cube shows a white square, a black circle and a ringed dot. What can't be on the hidden faces?
- Each face has its opposite hidden behind it.
- The three faces you see can't be hidden: each is already showing.
- 211+ standard
Three views of the same cube. Which face is opposite the black circle?
- The black circle appears with the square, cross, ringed dot and black square…
- …but never with the four dots: they're opposite.
- 311+ standard
Can a view show the black circle and the four dots together?
- They're opposite faces.
- Opposite faces can never be seen together: no.
- 411+ standard
Which cube can this net make?
- Find the opposite pairs on the net first.
- A correct cube never shows two opposite faces.
The common mistake
The mistake
Faces you can see together might be opposite.
Instead
Faces seen together are always neighbours; opposite faces are never seen together.
Why: From any corner you see three faces that all share edges.
Where it comes up in the 11+
GL cube questions show a net or several views of one cube. CEM-style tests use similar 3D puzzles.
The video
Video coming soon
We're making a short video that explains cube views step by step. Until then, everything it covers is on this page.
Free printable
Cube views worksheet
Practice questions on this topic to print and try on paper, at home or on the way to school.
Download the worksheet (PDF)Free account needed: it takes a minute.
Quick quiz
Have a go first, then tap to see the answer.
1. What's the most faces of a cube you can see at once?
- 3
- 2
- 4
- 6
Show the answerHide the answer
3
From one corner you see three faces.
2. Two faces appear together in a view. Can they be opposite?
- No
- Yes
- Only if they're the same colour
- Only on a dice
Show the answerHide the answer
No
Faces seen together always share an edge.
3. On a normal dice, which face is opposite the 1?
- 6
- 2
- 5
- 3
Show the answerHide the answer
6
Opposite faces of a dice add up to 7.