GCAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A clock shows 3:15. What is the angle between the hour and minute hands?
- 0°
- 7.5° (Correct answer)
- 15°
- 22.5°
Correct answer: 7.5°
At 3:15 the minute hand is at 90° and the hour hand has moved 7.5° past the 90° mark (15 min × 0.5°/min), giving a difference of 7.5°.
Question 2: An argument states: 'This painkiller must be safe — millions of people use it.' Which fallacy does this represent?
- Straw man
- Ad hominem
- Appeal to popularity (Correct answer)
- Slippery slope
Correct answer: Appeal to popularity
Appeal to popularity (ad populum) falsely assumes that widespread use or belief makes something true or safe.
Question 3: If you must choose between two projects: Project A has a 70% chance of earning $1,000 and Project B has a 40% chance of earning $2,000, which has the higher expected value?
- Project A ($700)
- Project B ($800) (Correct answer)
- They are equal
- Cannot be determined
Correct answer: Project B ($800)
Expected value of A = 0.7 × $1,000 = $700; expected value of B = 0.4 × $2,000 = $800, so Project B is higher.
Question 4: Which problem-solving strategy involves working backward from the desired end result to determine the required steps?
- Trial and error
- Means-end analysis
- Backward chaining (Correct answer)
- Analogical reasoning
Correct answer: Backward chaining
Backward chaining starts with the goal and traces necessary preceding conditions back to the starting state.
Question 5: A store marks up items 50% above cost, then offers a 25% discount on the marked-up price. What is the net effect on the original cost?
- No change — breaks even
- 12.5% profit (Correct answer)
- 12.5% loss
- 25% profit
Correct answer: 12.5% profit
A $100 item becomes $150 after 50% markup; a 25% discount gives $112.50, which is 12.5% above the original cost.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of deductive reasoning?
- Every swan I've seen is white, so all swans are probably white.
- The last three projects were late, so this one will be late too.
- All birds have feathers; penguins are birds; therefore, penguins have feathers. (Correct answer)
- Sales rose after the new ad launched, so the ad caused the increase.
Correct answer: All birds have feathers; penguins are birds; therefore, penguins have feathers.
Deductive reasoning draws a specific conclusion that must be true if the general premises are true, as in the classic syllogism.
Question 7: A manager notices errors spike every Friday afternoon. Before concluding workers are distracted, what should the manager do first?
- Implement mandatory overtime on Fridays
- Collect more data to rule out alternative explanations (Correct answer)
- Announce a zero-tolerance policy for Friday errors
- Hire additional staff for Friday shifts immediately
Correct answer: Collect more data to rule out alternative explanations
Sound critical thinking requires ruling out alternative causes (e.g., Friday task types, different supervisors) before accepting one explanation.
GCAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 5
A clock shows 3:15.
What is the angle between the hour and minute hands?