Epic Skills Assessment Analytical Thinking & Problem Decomposition

Question 1

You are given a complex workflow with 12 interdependent steps. Which approach best helps you identify the root cause of a failure in step 9?

Accepted Answer

Trace backward from step 9 to identify which upstream step produced faulty output

Answer

Restart the entire workflow from step 1

Answer

Skip step 9 and continue with step 10

Answer

Add more resources to step 9 only

Question 2

A team receives a requirement that says 'the system should be fast.' What is the most effective next step?

Accepted Answer

Ask stakeholders to define specific, measurable performance thresholds

Answer

Assume 'fast' means under 1 second and proceed with development

Answer

Reject the requirement as too vague

Answer

Implement caching everywhere as a precaution

Question 3

When decomposing a large problem into subproblems, which principle ensures the subproblems collectively solve the original?

Accepted Answer

MECE — Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive

Answer

FIFO — First In First Out processing order

Answer

DRY — Don't Repeat Yourself coding standard

Answer

YAGNI — You Aren't Gonna Need It design rule

Question 4

You have two solutions to a problem: Solution A solves it in 2 hours with medium risk, Solution B solves it in 30 minutes with high risk. What factor should most influence your choice?

Accepted Answer

The consequences if the high-risk solution fails

Answer

Always choose the faster solution regardless of risk

Answer

Always choose the lower-risk solution regardless of time

Answer

The solution your manager prefers

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of inductive reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Observing that the last 10 patients who had symptom X also had condition Y, and concluding X may indicate Y

Answer

Applying the rule 'all patients with Y have X' to conclude a specific patient has X

Answer

Determining a budget figure by subtracting expenses from revenue

Answer

Following a protocol step-by-step without modification

Question 6

A project has 5 tasks: A(3d), B(2d, needs A), C(1d), D(4d, needs C), E(2d, needs B and D). What is the critical path?

Accepted Answer

A → B → E and C → D → E; the critical path is C→D→E→(via B) so total is longest chain: A-B plus C-D both feed E; longest = A(3)+B(2)+E(2)=7 vs C(1)+D(4)+E(2)=7; both are critical

Answer

A → B → E only

Answer

C → D → E only

Answer

All tasks are on the critical path