NYS PCO NYS Civil Service PCO 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: All policy analysts in the bureau are required to file disclosure forms. Dana works in the bureau but has not filed a disclosure form. What can be validly concluded?
- If Dana is a policy analyst, Dana is out of compliance (Correct answer)
- Dana is definitely a policy analyst
- Dana does not work in the bureau
- Dana filed the form late
Correct answer: If Dana is a policy analyst, Dana is out of compliance
The rule applies only to policy analysts, so a violation can be concluded only if Dana holds that title.
Question 2: If every completed audit is signed, and this audit is unsigned, what necessarily follows?
- The audit is not completed (Correct answer)
- The audit is completed but mislabeled
- The auditor forgot to sign it
- The audit must be redone
Correct answer: The audit is not completed
By contrapositive reasoning, an unsigned audit cannot be a completed one.
Question 3: A supervisor notices output drops every time two specific tasks are assigned to the same employee on the same day. The most reasonable initial conclusion is:
- The combined workload of those two tasks may exceed one person's daily capacity (Correct answer)
- The employee is deliberately underperforming
- The tasks are unnecessary and should be eliminated
- Output records are being falsified
Correct answer: The combined workload of those two tasks may exceed one person's daily capacity
The recurring pattern suggests a workload issue, which is the most cautious evidence-based conclusion.
Question 4: You receive a phone call from an angry member of the public about a decision made by another unit. The most professional first response is to:
- Listen to the concern, then direct or transfer the caller to the correct unit with relevant information (Correct answer)
- Tell the caller nothing can be done and end the call
- Give your personal opinion that the other unit made a mistake
- Promise the decision will be reversed
Correct answer: Listen to the concern, then direct or transfer the caller to the correct unit with relevant information
Listening and routing the caller correctly addresses the concern without overstepping your authority.
Question 5: In the series 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, ... what number comes next?
- 127 (Correct answer)
- 95
- 126
- 125
Correct answer: 127
Each term is doubled and increased by one, so 63 × 2 + 1 = 127.
Question 6: Three coworkers give conflicting reports about a missed deadline. Before recommending action, the most sound approach is to:
- Gather objective records, such as emails and timestamps, to verify the sequence of events (Correct answer)
- Accept the account of the most senior coworker
- Split the blame equally among all three
- Recommend discipline for whoever reported last
Correct answer: Gather objective records, such as emails and timestamps, to verify the sequence of events
Objective documentation resolves conflicting testimony more reliably than seniority or guesswork.
Question 7: A new procedure reduces processing errors but increases average processing time by 10%. Which additional fact would best justify keeping the new procedure?
- Correcting an error costs far more time than the 10% increase adds (Correct answer)
- Employees prefer the old procedure
- The old procedure was written five years ago
- Other agencies use different procedures
Correct answer: Correcting an error costs far more time than the 10% increase adds
If error correction costs exceed the added processing time, the net effect of the new procedure is positive.
NYS PCO NYS Civil Service PCO 5
All policy analysts in the bureau are required to file disclosure forms.
Dana works in the bureau but has not filed a disclosure form.
What can be validly concluded?