GCAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 2 ā Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which hidden assumption is embedded in the argument: 'Students who study more get better grades, so we should require all students to study more hours'?
- Grades are an important measure of learning
- More studying always improves grades for all students equally (Correct answer)
- Students currently study too little
- Schools have the authority to set mandatory study hours
Correct answer: More studying always improves grades for all students equally
The argument takes for granted that increased study time benefits every student equally, ignoring individual differences in learning styles and diminishing returns.
Question 2: Four colleagues each prefer a different fruit: apple, banana, cherry, or date. Ana does not like banana. Ben likes cherry. Cara does not like apple or date. What fruit does Cara prefer?
- Apple
- Banana (Correct answer)
- Cherry
- Date
Correct answer: Banana
Ben has cherry; Cara cannot have apple or date; since cherry is already taken, Cara must prefer banana.
Question 3: An argument is considered 'sound' when which condition is met?
- It is valid and all its premises are actually true (Correct answer)
- It uses formal logical notation throughout
- The conclusion is widely accepted by recognized experts
- It contains no technical jargon or specialized terms
Correct answer: It is valid and all its premises are actually true
Soundness requires both validity (the conclusion follows from the premises) and truth (the premises themselves are factually accurate).
Question 4: A city's crime rate dropped after a famous artwork was installed in the town square. What additional information would MOST strengthen the claim that the artwork caused the crime reduction?
- The artwork is valued at over one million dollars
- Other cities with similar artworks also experienced crime reductions (Correct answer)
- The artist creating it is internationally recognized
- The artwork depicts scenes of peace and community harmony
Correct answer: Other cities with similar artworks also experienced crime reductions
A consistent pattern across multiple cities reduces the likelihood that the crime drop was due to other coincidental factors, strengthening the causal claim.
Question 5: Which reasoning pattern is used in: 'This new smartphone must be good because it is made by a well-known company'?
- Inductive reasoning based on observations
- Deductive reasoning from general rules
- Appeal to authority rather than direct evidence (Correct answer)
- Analogical reasoning from a similar case
Correct answer: Appeal to authority rather than direct evidence
Judging a product's quality based solely on the maker's reputation rather than any direct evidence about the product is an appeal to authority.
Question 6: If P implies Q, Q implies R, and P is true, what can be concluded?
- R implies P
- Both Q and R are true (Correct answer)
- P and Q are both false
- R implies Q
Correct answer: Both Q and R are true
By hypothetical syllogism, P being true makes Q true via PāQ, and Q being true makes R true via QāR.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of identifying a counterexample when evaluating a universal claim?
- To show that the argument is emotionally persuasive
- To demonstrate that a universal claim does not always hold (Correct answer)
- To confirm that the argument's premises are factually true
- To make the original argument more concise and clear
Correct answer: To demonstrate that a universal claim does not always hold
A single valid counterexample is sufficient to disprove a universal claim, revealing the limits or flaws in the argument's scope.
GCAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 2
Which hidden assumption is embedded in the argument: 'Students who study more get better grades, so we should require all students to study more hours'?