Critical Thinking Flashcards
7 cards from real Mettl practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Critical Thinking flashcards as text
A report states: 'Nine out of ten dentists recommend Brand X toothpaste.' Which question is most important to ask before accepting this claim?
Answer: How many dentists were surveyed and how were they selected?
Sample size and selection method determine whether the statistic is representative and reliable.
Inductive reasoning differs from deductive reasoning primarily because inductive conclusions are:
Answer: Probable rather than guaranteed, even with true premises
Inductive conclusions generalize from observations and carry probability, not certainty, even when premises are true.
Which of the following is the strongest evidence that a new training program improves employee productivity?
Answer: A randomized controlled study shows trained employees outperform an untrained control group.
A randomized controlled study with a comparison group provides the strongest causal evidence by controlling for confounding variables.
A politician argues: 'If we lower the voting age to 16, soon people will want to let 10-year-olds vote.' This is an example of:
Answer: Slippery slope
A slippery slope fallacy claims that one step will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without justifying that chain of events.
A market analyst reads: 'Sales of umbrellas rise whenever ice cream sales rise.' The most plausible explanation is:
Answer: Hot summer weather increases both ice cream consumption and, separately, umbrella purchases for sun protection.
A common cause—summer heat—can drive two correlated variables without either causing the other.
Which of the following represents an argument with a valid structure but a false conclusion?
Answer: All fish can fly; salmon are fish; therefore salmon can fly.
The argument form 'All A are B; X is A; therefore X is B' is valid, but its conclusion is false because the first premise is false.
When evaluating the credibility of a source, which factor is LEAST relevant?
Answer: Whether the website has an attractive design
Visual appeal of a website has no bearing on the accuracy or credibility of its content.