Mettl Critical Thinking 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A report states: 'Nine out of ten dentists recommend Brand X toothpaste.' Which question is most important to ask before accepting this claim?
- What flavor is Brand X toothpaste?
- How many dentists were surveyed and how were they selected? (Correct answer)
- Does Brand X cost more than other brands?
- When was Brand X first introduced?
Correct answer: How many dentists were surveyed and how were they selected?
Sample size and selection method determine whether the statistic is representative and reliable.
Question 2: Inductive reasoning differs from deductive reasoning primarily because inductive conclusions are:
- Always logically certain given true premises
- Probable rather than guaranteed, even with true premises (Correct answer)
- Based entirely on expert authority
- Derived from a single premise only
Correct answer: Probable rather than guaranteed, even with true premises
Inductive conclusions generalize from observations and carry probability, not certainty, even when premises are true.
Question 3: Which of the following is the strongest evidence that a new training program improves employee productivity?
- Employees report feeling more confident after training.
- A randomized controlled study shows trained employees outperform an untrained control group. (Correct answer)
- The program won an industry award last year.
- Senior managers believe productivity has improved.
Correct 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.
Question 4: 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:
- Ad hominem
- Slippery slope (Correct answer)
- Hasty generalization
- Appeal to tradition
Correct answer: Slippery slope
A slippery slope fallacy claims that one step will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without justifying that chain of events.
Question 5: A market analyst reads: 'Sales of umbrellas rise whenever ice cream sales rise.' The most plausible explanation is:
- Ice cream melts faster when it rains, so people buy more.
- Hot summer weather increases both ice cream consumption and, separately, umbrella purchases for sun protection. (Correct answer)
- Umbrella vendors market near ice cream shops.
- Ice cream companies own umbrella brands.
Correct 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.
Question 6: Which of the following represents an argument with a valid structure but a false conclusion?
- All fish can fly; salmon are fish; therefore salmon can fly. (Correct answer)
- All birds have wings; eagles are birds; therefore eagles have wings.
- Some cats are black; my pet is black; therefore my pet is a cat.
- No dogs are reptiles; Rex is a dog; therefore Rex is not a reptile.
Correct 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.
Question 7: When evaluating the credibility of a source, which factor is LEAST relevant?
- Whether the author has relevant expertise
- Whether the publication has a peer review process
- Whether the website has an attractive design (Correct answer)
- Whether the information can be independently verified
Correct answer: Whether the website has an attractive design
Visual appeal of a website has no bearing on the accuracy or credibility of its content.
Mettl Critical Thinking 3
A report states: 'Nine out of ten dentists recommend Brand X toothpaste.' Which question is most important to ask before accepting this claim?