GAT GAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which reasoning strategy involves drawing a specific conclusion from a general principle?
- Deductive reasoning (Correct answer)
- Inductive reasoning
- Abductive reasoning
- Analogical reasoning
Correct answer: Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning starts with a general premise and draws a specific, logically certain conclusion from it.
Question 2: On the GAT, when a question asks you to identify a logical flaw in an argument, you are being tested on your ability to:
- Recall memorized facts
- Detect invalid inferences (Correct answer)
- Summarize the passage
- Calculate a numerical answer
Correct answer: Detect invalid inferences
Identifying logical flaws requires recognizing where an argument's conclusion does not follow validly from its premises.
Question 3: A student reads: 'All registered nurses passed the licensing exam; Maria is a registered nurse; therefore Maria passed the licensing exam.' This is an example of:
- A logical fallacy
- A valid syllogism (Correct answer)
- Circular reasoning
- A false analogy
Correct answer: A valid syllogism
The argument follows the valid syllogistic form where the conclusion necessarily follows from two true premises.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'confirmation bias' as it relates to critical thinking on the GAT?
- Seeking only evidence that supports a pre-existing belief (Correct answer)
- Weighing all available evidence equally
- Rejecting all evidence without proof
- Relying solely on authoritative sources
Correct answer: Seeking only evidence that supports a pre-existing belief
Confirmation bias is the tendency to favor information that confirms one's preconceptions while ignoring contradictory evidence.
Question 5: When solving a multi-step problem on the GAT, which step should come first?
- Calculate the answer immediately
- Identify and understand what is being asked (Correct answer)
- Choose the most complex formula
- Eliminate all answer choices at once
Correct answer: Identify and understand what is being asked
Understanding the problem clearly before attempting a solution prevents misdirected effort and computational errors.
Question 6: Which term describes the error of assuming that because two events are correlated, one must cause the other?
- Ad hominem
- False dichotomy
- Post hoc ergo propter hoc (Correct answer)
- Straw man
Correct answer: Post hoc ergo propter hoc
Post hoc ergo propter hoc ('after this, therefore because of this') incorrectly treats sequence or correlation as causation.
GAT GAT Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 1
Which reasoning strategy involves drawing a specific conclusion from a general principle?