GAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Flashcards
6 cards from real GAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 GAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving flashcards as text
Which reasoning strategy involves drawing a specific conclusion from a general principle?
Answer: Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning starts with a general premise and draws a specific, logically certain conclusion from it.
On the GAT, when a question asks you to identify a logical flaw in an argument, you are being tested on your ability to:
Answer: Detect invalid inferences
Identifying logical flaws requires recognizing where an argument's conclusion does not follow validly from its premises.
A student reads: 'All registered nurses passed the licensing exam; Maria is a registered nurse; therefore Maria passed the licensing exam.' This is an example of:
Answer: A valid syllogism
The argument follows the valid syllogistic form where the conclusion necessarily follows from two true premises.
Which of the following best describes 'confirmation bias' as it relates to critical thinking on the GAT?
Answer: Seeking only evidence that supports a pre-existing belief
Confirmation bias is the tendency to favor information that confirms one's preconceptions while ignoring contradictory evidence.
When solving a multi-step problem on the GAT, which step should come first?
Answer: Identify and understand what is being asked
Understanding the problem clearly before attempting a solution prevents misdirected effort and computational errors.
Which term describes the error of assuming that because two events are correlated, one must cause the other?
Answer: Post hoc ergo propter hoc
Post hoc ergo propter hoc ('after this, therefore because of this') incorrectly treats sequence or correlation as causation.