GCAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Question 1

Which of the following best describes a valid argument?

Accepted Answer

An argument where if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true

Answer

A valid argument is one where the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises, regardless of whether the premises are actually true.

Question 2

If 'all roses are flowers' and 'some flowers fade quickly,' which conclusion is necessarily true?

Accepted Answer

Some roses are flowers

Answer

Since all roses are flowers, the set of roses is a subset of flowers, so it is necessarily true that some roses are flowers.

Question 3

A manager notices sales increased after changing the office decor and concludes the decor caused the increase. What logical error is being made?

Accepted Answer

Post hoc ergo propter hoc — confusing correlation with causation

Answer

Assuming that because one event followed another the first caused the second is the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of deductive reasoning?

Accepted Answer

All mammals are warm-blooded; dogs are mammals; therefore dogs are warm-blooded

Answer

Deductive reasoning moves from general premises to a specific conclusion that must be true if the premises are true.

Question 5

Which research design best controls for bias when testing whether a new drug is effective?

Accepted Answer

Randomly assign participants to drug or placebo groups with neither group knowing which they received

Answer

A double-blind randomized controlled trial eliminates selection bias and placebo effects, providing the most reliable causal evidence.

GCAT - General Cognitive Ability Test Practice Test