A transparent square sheet shown above is folded along the dotted line. The folded sheet will look like ___________. A. [Tall rectangle with leaf/bird shape visible on right portion] B. [Tall rectangle with leaf/bird shape visible on left portion, slightly tilted] C. [Tall rectangle with leaf/bird shape visible on right, larger] D. [Tall rectangle with leaf/bird shape on right, different orientation]

GATE 2021 · General Aptitude · Paper Folding · medium

Answer: After folding the transparent square along the dotted line (right half onto left), the folded sheet looks like option B — a tall rectangle with the leaf/bird-shaped figure visible on the left portion in mirror-reflected orientation.

  1. Identify fold axis and direction: From the figure above the question, the dotted fold line runs roughly vertically (slightly diagonal), and the fold direction arrow indicates the right portion folds over onto the left portion. The square sheet thus becomes a tall rectangle after folding.
  2. Track the printed figure through the fold: The original figure (leaf/bird-like curves) is on the right half of the square. After the right half folds over the left half, this figure ends up on the left side of the resulting rectangle but as a mirror image. Since the sheet is transparent, the figure from the back layer shows through, appearing on the left portion of the folded rectangle.
  3. Determine outline of folded sheet: Folding the right half over the left produces a tall rectangle (height equals original square side, width equals half the original). The boundary is a clean rectangle with dotted outline indicating the folded edge. This matches the tall rectangular outline seen in all answer options.
  4. Match figure position and orientation to options: Option B shows the leaf/bird figure on the left-centre of the tall rectangle, slightly tilted — this matches the fold direction (right-over-left) and the transparency showing the folded right-side figure. Options A, C, D show the figure on the right side or in an incorrect orientation relative to the fold.