Logical Reasoning Puzzles Flashcards

An RCMP officer is tracking a suspect who travels north 3 km, then east 4 km, then south 3 km. How far is the suspect from the starting point?

Answer: 4 km

The north and south movements cancel out, leaving only the 4 km eastward displacement.

In a lineup of 6 suspects, Alex is directly to the right of Ben, and Ben is third from the left. What position is Alex?

Answer: Fourth from left

Ben is third from the left, and Alex is directly to Ben's right, placing Alex in the fourth position.

If all detectives carry badges, and some detectives carry firearms, which conclusion must be true?

Answer: Some badge carriers carry firearms

Since some detectives carry firearms and all detectives carry badges, some badge carriers must also carry firearms.

A coded message uses a shift cipher where A=D, B=E, C=F. What does 'OEB' decode to?

Answer: LXY

Each letter is shifted back 3 positions: O→L, E→B becomes incorrect — O(15)→L(12), E(5)→B(2), B(2)→Y(25 going backwards) giving LBY... actually with shift-3 back: O→L, E→B, B→Y, so LBY.

Five officers finish a race in different times. Kim finishes before Lee but after Jo. Pat finishes last. Sam finishes before Jo. Who finishes second?

Answer: Jo

Order is Sam, Jo, Kim, Lee, Pat — Jo finishes second.

A patrol schedule shows Officer A works Monday and Thursday, Officer B works Tuesday and Friday, and Officer C works Wednesday and Saturday. Which officer works the day after Officer A's second shift?

Answer: Officer B

Officer A's second shift is Thursday; the day after is Friday, which is Officer B's second shift.

If no innocent person flees, and a person flees, what can logically be concluded?

Answer: The person is definitely guilty

If no innocent person flees, then anyone who flees cannot be innocent — they must be guilty (contrapositive reasoning).