New Jersey Civil Service Exam Logical and Deductive Reasoning 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: If the statement 'No supervisor submits incomplete forms' is true, which statement must also be true?
- All supervisors submit complete forms (Correct answer)
- Some supervisors submit incomplete forms
- Only supervisors submit complete forms
- Supervisors never submit forms
Correct answer: All supervisors submit complete forms
If no supervisor submits incomplete forms, then every supervisor must submit complete forms — the two are logically equivalent.
Question 2: Department A processes 40 cases per day and Department B processes 30. If both start a 200-case backlog on Monday, on which day does Department A finish first?
- Day 4
- Day 5 (Correct answer)
- Day 6
- Day 7
Correct answer: Day 5
200 ÷ 40 = 5 days, so Department A finishes at the end of Day 5.
Question 3: A regulation states: 'Requests denied at level 1 may be appealed to level 2.' Marcus's request was approved at level 1. Which is a valid conclusion?
- Marcus may appeal to level 2
- Marcus has no need to appeal, and the appeal provision does not apply to him (Correct answer)
- Marcus must go to level 2 anyway
- The regulation does not apply to Marcus
Correct answer: Marcus has no need to appeal, and the appeal provision does not apply to him
The appeal right is only triggered by a denial; since Marcus was approved, the appeal provision simply does not apply to his case.
Question 4: Which of the following weakens the argument: 'Since the new training program began, accidents decreased. Therefore, the training caused the accident decrease.'?
- More employees completed the training than expected
- New safety equipment was also installed when the training started
- The training lasted longer than planned
- Accidents also decreased in the same period last year before any training (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Accidents also decreased in the same period last year before any training
If accidents decreased in the same period last year without training, the decrease may be seasonal, not caused by the training.
Question 5: Three clerks — Ana, Ben, and Cara — each handle a different task: filing, data entry, and scheduling. Ana does not do filing. Ben does not do data entry. Cara does not do scheduling. Which assignment is correct?
- Ana=filing, Ben=scheduling, Cara=data entry
- Ana=data entry, Ben=filing, Cara=scheduling
- Ana=scheduling, Ben=filing, Cara=data entry (Correct answer)
- Ana=data entry, Ben=scheduling, Cara=filing
Correct answer: Ana=scheduling, Ben=filing, Cara=data entry
Ana≠filing and Cara≠scheduling leaves Ana=scheduling or data entry; Ben≠data entry means Ben=filing or scheduling; working through eliminations gives Ana=scheduling, Ben=filing, Cara=data entry.
Question 6: A policy states employees must take a break after every 4 consecutive hours of work. An employee starts at 8 AM with no prior hours worked. When must the first break occur?
- At 11 AM
- At 12 PM (noon) (Correct answer)
- At 1 PM
- At 2 PM
Correct answer: At 12 PM (noon)
4 hours after 8 AM is 12 PM, so the first break must be taken at noon.
Question 7: Statement 1: All certified applicants passed the background check. Statement 2: Kevin did not pass the background check. What is the valid conclusion?
- Kevin is certified
- Kevin may still be certified by appeal
- Kevin is not a certified applicant (Correct answer)
- Background checks are not required for Kevin
Correct answer: Kevin is not a certified applicant
Since all certified applicants passed the background check and Kevin did not pass, Kevin cannot be a certified applicant (contrapositive reasoning).
New Jersey Civil Service Exam Logical and Deductive Reasoning 5
If the statement 'No supervisor submits incomplete forms' is true, which statement must also be true?