In which drainage pattern do rivers spread outward from a high centre?

Correct answer: Radial

The direct answer is B: in a radial drainage pattern, rivers flow outward from a high central area. Imagine a dome, volcanic cone, or mountain standing higher than the surrounding land. Rainwater moves downhill from the centre in many different directions, so the streams look like the spokes of a wheel. Option B is correct because ‘radial’ means spreading out from a centre. Option A, dendritic drainage, looks like the branches of a tree and usually develops on fairly uniform rock, not necessarily around one high centre. Option C, trellis drainage, has nearly parallel main streams joined by short tributaries at almost right angles, commonly where rock layers differ in hardness. Option D, rectangular drainage, follows joints and faults, producing many right-angle bends. The important reasoning is: high central point + streams flowing away in all directions = radial pattern. A useful memory clue is ‘radius goes outward from the centre’; therefore radial means outward-flowing rivers. Do not confuse radial with centripetal drainage, in which streams flow inward toward a basin or depression.