NPOST Logical Reasoning and Judgment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: All officers in the precinct must complete firearms training. Officer Lee has not completed firearms training. What can be logically concluded?
- Officer Lee is not in the precinct (Correct answer)
- Officer Lee failed the training
- Officer Lee is a new recruit
- Officer Lee was given an exemption
Correct answer: Officer Lee is not in the precinct
If all precinct officers must complete the training and Lee has not, then Lee cannot be a precinct officer.
Question 2: A suspect description says the person was 'tall, wearing a red jacket, and fled north.' You see three people: one short in red, one tall in blue, one tall in red walking south. Who best matches?
- The tall person in red walking south
- The short person in red
- The tall person in blue
- None match perfectly (Correct answer)
Correct answer: None match perfectly
No individual matches all three criteria, so none is a perfect match.
Question 3: If it is true that 'whenever the alarm sounds, a unit is dispatched,' and no unit was dispatched, what follows?
- The alarm did not sound (Correct answer)
- The alarm malfunctioned
- A crime still occurred
- The unit was unavailable
Correct answer: The alarm did not sound
By the contrapositive, if no unit was dispatched then the alarm did not sound.
Question 4: Three witnesses give times: 2:00, 2:15, and 2:30. The event lasted 10 minutes and ended before 2:20. Which start time is impossible?
- 2:30 (Correct answer)
- 2:00
- 2:05
- 2:09
Correct answer: 2:30
A 10-minute event ending before 2:20 cannot begin at 2:30.
Question 5: A logical argument is valid when:
- The conclusion follows necessarily from the premises (Correct answer)
- All the premises are popular
- The conclusion is emotionally persuasive
- The premises are short
Correct answer: The conclusion follows necessarily from the premises
Validity means the conclusion must be true if the premises are true.
Question 6: Officer must choose the most reasonable next step: a parked car blocks a fire hydrant during a non-emergency. Best action?
- Issue a citation and arrange towing if needed (Correct answer)
- Ignore it entirely
- Damage the vehicle as a warning
- Wait until an emergency occurs
Correct answer: Issue a citation and arrange towing if needed
Citing and towing addresses the violation proportionately and lawfully.
Question 7: If 'some patrol cars are hybrids' and 'all hybrids are fuel-efficient,' which must be true?
- Some patrol cars are fuel-efficient (Correct answer)
- All patrol cars are hybrids
- No patrol cars are fuel-efficient
- All fuel-efficient cars are patrol cars
Correct answer: Some patrol cars are fuel-efficient
If some patrol cars are hybrids and all hybrids are fuel-efficient, those patrol cars are fuel-efficient.
NPOST Logical Reasoning and Judgment 2
All officers in the precinct must complete firearms training.
Officer Lee has not completed firearms training.
What can be logically concluded?