Texas Civil Service Logical and Deductive Reasoning Questions and Answers

Question 1

Consider the following statements:
1. All city departments that handle sensitive citizen data are required to use two-factor authentication for all system logins.
2. The City Treasury Department handles sensitive citizen data.

Based on these statements, which of the following conclusions is logically certain?

Accepted Answer

Employees of the City Treasury Department are required to use two-factor authentication for system logins.

Answer

This is an example of deductive reasoning. The first statement provides a general rule (All departments with sensitive data must use 2FA). The second statement identifies the Treasury Department as a member of that group. Therefore, the rule must apply to the Treasury Department, making the conclusion that its employees must use 2FA a logical certainty.

Question 2

A city ordinance states: 'A permit is required for any public gathering of 50 or more people in a city park. The applicant for the permit must be a resident of the city.'

Based on this rule, which of the following situations describes a violation of the ordinance?

Accepted Answer

A group of 60 tourists gathers in a city park without a permit, organized by a tour company based in another state.

Answer

The correct answer identifies violations of both conditions. The gathering has more than 50 people, which triggers the permit requirement. The organizer is a company from another state, not a city resident, which violates the applicant requirement. While choice C is a violation, choice D is a more comprehensive violation of the stated rules, as both the permit is missing AND the organizer is ineligible to apply.

Question 3

An internal audit of a city's purchasing records revealed the following: 'In the last fiscal year, every purchase order over $5,000 was approved by the department director. The purchase order for the new fleet vehicles was for $150,000.' What can be logically inferred from this information?

Accepted Answer

The department director personally signed the purchase order for the new fleet vehicles.

Answer

The first statement establishes a rule that applies to all purchase orders over $5,000. The second statement presents a specific instance—a $150,000 purchase order—that falls into the category defined by the rule. Therefore, it can be logically inferred that the department director approved this specific purchase order.

Question 4

Read the following argument: 'The city's recycling program has seen a 10% increase in participation each of the last two years. Therefore, the program's participation will increase by 10% again this year.' Which of the following statements best describes the flaw in this reasoning?

Accepted Answer

The argument assumes that a past trend will necessarily continue into the future.

Answer

This is an example of flawed inductive reasoning, specifically a hasty generalization or extrapolation. While the past trend is noted, there is no guarantee that it will continue. External factors could change, or the growth could level off. The argument's flaw is assuming the future will be exactly like the past.

Question 5

To be eligible for the City Employee Wellness Program discount, an employee must: (1) be full-time, (2) complete an annual health screening, and (3) attend at least one wellness seminar per quarter.

- Employee A is part-time, completed the health screening, and attended two seminars.
- Employee B is full-time, did not complete the health screening, and attended four seminars.
- Employee C is full-time, completed the health screening, and attended one seminar.

Based on these rules, which conclusion is correct?

Accepted Answer

Only Employee C is eligible.

Answer

This question requires applying a set of rules with 'AND' conditions, meaning all criteria must be met. Employee A is disqualified for being part-time. Employee B is disqualified for not completing the health screening. Employee C is full-time, completed the screening, and attended one seminar, thus meeting all three requirements.

Texas Civil Service Exam Practice Test

Texas Civil Service Exam Practice Test

Texas Civil Service Logical and Deductive Reasoning Questions and Answers