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Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving Flashcards

7 cards from real TALENTLENS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving flashcards as text

  1. A manager notices that sales dropped 20% after a new pricing policy was introduced last month. A colleague concludes the pricing policy caused the drop. What is the main flaw in this reasoning?

    Answer: Correlation does not establish causation without ruling out other factors

    Assuming causation from correlation ignores other possible explanations such as seasonal trends or competitor actions.

  2. Which of the following is the strongest argument for implementing a four-day workweek?

    Answer: Studies show equivalent productivity with reduced burnout and absenteeism

    Evidence-backed outcomes like maintained productivity and reduced burnout provide the strongest objective support.

  3. A problem-solver uses trial and error to find a solution. This approach is MOST appropriate when:

    Answer: The search space is small and testing options is low-cost

    Trial and error is efficient when the number of options is limited and failures are cheap to recover from.

  4. In a Watson-Glaser style argument evaluation, a 'strong' argument is one that:

    Answer: Directly and substantially addresses the question with relevant evidence

    Strong arguments are directly relevant to the issue and supported by substantive, logical reasoning.

  5. A team must decide between two project plans. Plan A has a 70% chance of a $100K gain and 30% chance of $0. Plan B guarantees $60K. Using expected value, which plan is preferable?

    Answer: Plan A, because its expected value of $70K exceeds Plan B's $60K

    Plan A's expected value (0.7 × $100K = $70K) is higher than Plan B's certain $60K, making it preferable on pure expected value grounds.

  6. Which thinking skill is most critical when evaluating whether a news headline accurately represents a research study?

    Answer: Inference and interpretation of evidence

    Inference skills allow you to judge whether the headline's claim is actually supported by the study's methodology and findings.

  7. An analyst builds a conclusion based solely on five positive customer testimonials. This reasoning is BEST described as:

    Answer: Anecdotal evidence leading to hasty generalization

    Five hand-picked testimonials are not a representative sample, making the generalization hasty and unreliable.