Which list contains the four main fingerprint patterns?

• A. Arch, Loop, Whorl, Tented Arch
• B. Arch, Loop, Whorl, Delta
• C. Arch, Loop, Delta, Tented Arch
• D. Loop, Whorl, Delta, Arch

Answer: (A)

Fingerprints are grouped into four main pattern types: arches, loops, whorls, and tented arches. Arch patterns flow ridge lines from one side to the other with no delta, loop patterns bend back toward the same side and have a delta, and whorls form circular or spiral shapes with one or two deltas. Tented arch is a sharper-angled variation of an arch, counted among the main patterns because it shares the arch’s overall ridge flow but has a distinct peak.

The list that includes Arch, Loop, Whorl, and Tented Arch is the correct one because it covers all the primary pattern types, with tented arch included as a true arch variation. Other options misplace a key category by listing Delta as a separate pattern or omit one of the main patterns, which isn’t how fingerprint patterns are organized.