GCAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 3

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of inductive reasoning?

Accepted Answer

The sun has risen every day for billions of years, so it will likely rise tomorrow

Answer

All mammals breathe air; whales are mammals; therefore whales breathe air

Answer

Either the light is on or off; the light is not on; therefore the light is off

Answer

If A equals B and B equals C, then A must equal C

Question 2

What is the primary weakness of an argument that relies solely on anecdotal evidence?

Accepted Answer

A single personal experience may not represent the broader pattern

Answer

Anecdotes are always false and fabricated

Answer

Anecdotes can never be independently verified

Answer

Anecdotes are too emotional to be analyzed objectively

Question 3

Three friends run a race. Xavier finishes before Zoe. Yara finishes after Xavier but before Zoe. Who finishes last?

Accepted Answer

Zoe

Answer

Xavier

Answer

Yara

Answer

Cannot be determined from the given information

Question 4

If 'Some politicians are honest' is true, which of the following must also be true?

Accepted Answer

Some honest people are politicians

Answer

All politicians are honest

Answer

No politicians are dishonest

Answer

Most politicians are honest

Question 5

A student argues: 'My teacher gives hard tests and I failed; therefore the test was unfair.' What flaw does this argument contain?

Accepted Answer

It assumes that difficulty is equivalent to unfairness

Answer

It correctly identifies the teacher as the cause of failure

Answer

It uses circular reasoning by restating the premise

Answer

It relies on a false dichotomy between hard and easy

Question 6

Which problem-solving strategy involves starting at the desired goal and identifying the required steps in reverse order back to the starting point?

Accepted Answer

Backward chaining

Answer

Trial and error

Answer

Means-ends analysis

Answer

Analogical reasoning

Question 7

A factory finds that 3 out of every 100 widgets are defective. If the factory produces 2,500 widgets, how many are expected to be defective?

Accepted Answer

75

Answer

25

Answer

100

Answer

250