Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Flashcards
7 cards from real GCAT 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 and Problem Solving flashcards as text
Which hidden assumption is embedded in the argument: 'Students who study more get better grades, so we should require all students to study more hours'?
Answer: More studying always improves grades for all students equally
The argument takes for granted that increased study time benefits every student equally, ignoring individual differences in learning styles and diminishing returns.
Four colleagues each prefer a different fruit: apple, banana, cherry, or date. Ana does not like banana. Ben likes cherry. Cara does not like apple or date. What fruit does Cara prefer?
Answer: Banana
Ben has cherry; Cara cannot have apple or date; since cherry is already taken, Cara must prefer banana.
An argument is considered 'sound' when which condition is met?
Answer: It is valid and all its premises are actually true
Soundness requires both validity (the conclusion follows from the premises) and truth (the premises themselves are factually accurate).
A city's crime rate dropped after a famous artwork was installed in the town square. What additional information would MOST strengthen the claim that the artwork caused the crime reduction?
Answer: Other cities with similar artworks also experienced crime reductions
A consistent pattern across multiple cities reduces the likelihood that the crime drop was due to other coincidental factors, strengthening the causal claim.
Which reasoning pattern is used in: 'This new smartphone must be good because it is made by a well-known company'?
Answer: Appeal to authority rather than direct evidence
Judging a product's quality based solely on the maker's reputation rather than any direct evidence about the product is an appeal to authority.
If P implies Q, Q implies R, and P is true, what can be concluded?
Answer: Both Q and R are true
By hypothetical syllogism, P being true makes Q true via P→Q, and Q being true makes R true via Q→R.
Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of identifying a counterexample when evaluating a universal claim?
Answer: To demonstrate that a universal claim does not always hold
A single valid counterexample is sufficient to disprove a universal claim, revealing the limits or flaws in the argument's scope.