Verbal Reasoning: Logic Flashcards

Statement: Whenever funding is cut, staffing is reduced. Staffing has not been reduced. What is the logical conclusion?

Answer: Funding was not cut

Using contrapositive logic: if staffing was not reduced, funding was not cut.

Some agreements are binding. All binding documents require signatures. Which must be true?

Answer: Some agreements require signatures

The subset of agreements that are binding must require signatures, so some agreements require signatures.

Only accredited observers may attend the session. Keiko attended the session. Therefore:

Answer: Keiko is an accredited observer

'Only' creates a necessary condition: attending requires being an accredited observer, so Keiko must be one.

All coordinating officers file monthly reports. Some staff who file monthly reports also file weekly updates. Which is possible but not certain?

Answer: Some coordinating officers file weekly updates

Since some report-filers also file weekly updates and coordinating officers are a subset of report-filers, some coordinating officers may file weekly updates, but it's not guaranteed.

If the proposal is unanimous, it passes without a vote. The proposal did not pass without a vote. What follows?

Answer: The proposal was not unanimous

By contrapositive, not passing without a vote means the proposal was not unanimous.

No emergency protocol is optional. Protocol Delta is optional. Therefore:

Answer: Protocol Delta is not an emergency protocol

Since emergency protocols are never optional and Protocol Delta is optional, it cannot be an emergency protocol.

Either the envoy arrives by Tuesday or the talks collapse. The talks did not collapse. Conclusion:

Answer: The envoy arrived by Tuesday

In a disjunction where the second option (talks collapse) is false, the first (envoy arrives) must be true.