PERT Critical Thinking & Logical Reasoning 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: All licensed nurses must pass a board exam. Maria is a licensed nurse. What can be validly concluded?
- Maria passed a board exam (Correct answer)
- Maria is the best nurse
- Maria works in a hospital
- Maria will renew her license
Correct answer: Maria passed a board exam
If all licensed nurses passed the exam and Maria is one, she must have passed it.
Question 2: Which statement is an assumption rather than a stated fact?
- The store closes at 9 p.m.
- Sales rose because customers prefer the new layout (Correct answer)
- The report was published Monday
- Three managers attended the meeting
Correct answer: Sales rose because customers prefer the new layout
Attributing the cause to customer preference assumes a reason not directly proven.
Question 3: A flawed argument says: 'Everyone I know likes the movie, so it must be the best film of the year.' What error is this?
- Circular reasoning
- Hasty generalization (Correct answer)
- False dilemma
- Appeal to authority
Correct answer: Hasty generalization
Drawing a broad conclusion from a small, biased sample is a hasty generalization.
Question 4: If no reptiles are warm-blooded, and all snakes are reptiles, then snakes are:
- Warm-blooded
- Not warm-blooded (Correct answer)
- Sometimes warm-blooded
- Cannot be determined
Correct answer: Not warm-blooded
Snakes belong to reptiles, which are entirely not warm-blooded.
Question 5: Which conclusion is best supported: 'The bridge is closed for repairs and the detour adds 20 minutes'?
- The bridge will never reopen
- Travel time will increase during repairs (Correct answer)
- The detour is dangerous
- Repairs cost too much
Correct answer: Travel time will increase during repairs
A 20-minute detour directly means longer travel during the closure.
Question 6: An advertiser claims a vitamin works because 'millions of people take it.' This reasoning relies on:
- Statistical evidence
- Popularity rather than proof (Correct answer)
- Scientific testing
- Expert consensus
Correct answer: Popularity rather than proof
Popularity does not establish that something actually works.
Question 7: Which is a necessary condition for a triangle, based on definition?
- Having equal sides
- Having three sides (Correct answer)
- Having a right angle
- Being colored
Correct answer: Having three sides
By definition every triangle has exactly three sides.
PERT Critical Thinking & Logical Reasoning 2
All licensed nurses must pass a board exam.
Maria is a licensed nurse.
What can be validly concluded?