CCAT Logical Reasoning: Assertions
Logical Reasoning: Assertions
In this question type, three assertions (statements) will be provided. Of these, the first two statements are true. From this, you will need to infer whether the third statement is True, False or Uncertain (cannot be determined).
The trick in these questions is to make the correct inferences, and avoid making wrong inferences.
For example, consider the statement:
Victor is heavier than Sal.
From this, we can draw the correct inference:
Sal is lighter than Victor.
Now, consider:
Everyone who plays baseball has a glove.
Here, we should not infer that everyone who has a glove plays baseball. A person having a glove may or may not play baseball.
And these two statements:
Andy arrived before Bill.
Bill arrived after Claudia.
From which, we can correctly infer only that both Andy and Claudia arrived before Bill.
However, we cannot infer anything about the relative order in which Andy and Claudia arrived.
Q: Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final statement: 1)True, 2) False, or 3) Uncertain based on the information provided?
Linda is poorer than Lynette.
Lana is wealthier than Lynette.
Linda is poorer than Lana.
A. True,
B. False
C. Uncertain
Answer: With these questions, it is sometimes helpful to create equations to summarise the data. Here, let us use the > (“greater than” sign) to indicate “poorer than”.
From the first statement, Linda is poorer than Lynette, we get:
Linda > Lynette
From the second statement, we get:
Lynette > Lana
By combining the two, we get:
Linda > Lynette > Lana
Or, Linda is poorer than Lynette who is poorer than Lana.
Hence, the third statement, Linda is poorer than Lana, is True.
Q: Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final statement: 1)True, 2) False, or 3) Uncertain based on the information provided?
All pigeons have white feathers.
Cuddles has white feathers.
Cuddles is a pigeon.
Answer:
Here we must be careful to not make an incorrect inference.
From the first statement, all pigeons have white feathers. However, we should not infer the “reverse” from this, that everything which has white feathers is a pigeon.
In this case, Cuddles has white feathers. However, we cannot draw a definite conclusion from this: Cuddles may or may not be a pigeon.
So, “Uncertain” would be the correct answer.
Now, try these:
Q-1: Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final statement: 1)True, 2) False, or 3) Uncertain based on the information provided?
All sales managers have over five years of sales experience.
Harlan is a sales manager.
Harlan has over five years of sales experience.
Q-2: Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final statement: 1)True, 2) False, or 3) Uncertain based on the information provided?
Every employee at Company X is bilingual.
Courtney is bilingual.
Courtney works at Company X.
Q-3: Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final statement: 1)True, 2) False, or 3) Uncertain based on the information provided?
Wes lives west of Libby
Ivan lives west of Wes
Libby lives west of Ivan
Solutions:
Q-1: Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final statement: 1)True, 2) False, or 3) Uncertain based on the information provided?
All sales managers have over five years of sales experience.
Harlan is a sales manager.
Harlan has over five years of sales experience.
Answer-1:
This is a straightforward question.
From the first statement, it is clear that all sales managers have
over five years of sales experience.
From the second statement, Harlan is a sales manager. Hence, it follows that Harlan must have over five years of sales experience.
Therefore, the third statement is True.
Q-2: Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final statement: 1)True, 2) False, or 3) Uncertain based on the information provided?
Every employee at Company X is bilingual.
Courtney is bilingual.
Courtney works at Company X.
Answer-2:
Here we must be careful to not draw an incorrect inference from the first statement.
Every employee at Company X is bilingual. However, it does not follow that every bilingual person is an employee of Company X. Further, a given bilingual person (in this case, Courtney), may or may not be an employee of Company X. There is insufficient information to agree or disagree with the third statement. Hence, the correct answer here would be Uncertain.
Q-3: Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final statement: 1)True, 2) False, or 3) Uncertain based on the information provided?
Wes lives west of Libby
Ivan lives west of Wes
Libby lives west of Ivan
Answer-3:
Let’s capture the given information pictorially, using the standard convention of west being on the left and east on the right.
From statement 1: Wes lives west of Libby:
Wes — — — — — — — — — Libby
From statement 2: Ivan lives west of Wes:
Ivan — — — — — — Wes — — — — — — — Libby
It is now clear that Libby lives east of Ivan. Therefore statement 3, that Libby lives west of Ivan, is False.
Coming up next: CCAT Logical Reasoning — Number Series
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