Mensa Mensa IQ Deductive Reasoning Puzzles 5

Question 1

Five runners finish a race. Eve beat Dan. Dan beat Cal. Bea beat Eve. Al beat Bea. Who finished first?

Accepted Answer

Al

Answer

The order is Al, Bea, Eve, Dan, Cal, so Al finished first.

Question 2

All birds lay eggs. A platypus lays eggs. Can we conclude a platypus is a bird?

Accepted Answer

No, the conclusion is invalid

Answer

Laying eggs does not mean being a bird; affirming the predicate does not affirm the category.

Question 3

If some teachers are writers and all writers are creative, which must be true?

Accepted Answer

Some teachers are creative

Answer

The teacher-writers must be creative, so some teachers are creative.

Question 4

A clock shows 3:15. What is the angle between the hour and minute hands?

Accepted Answer

7.5 degrees

Answer

At 3:15 the minute hand is at 90 degrees and the hour hand has moved to 97.5 degrees, a 7.5-degree gap.

Question 5

No liars are trustworthy. Some politicians are liars. Therefore:

Accepted Answer

Some politicians are not trustworthy

Answer

The politician-liars cannot be trustworthy, so some politicians are not trustworthy.

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