Logical Reasoning Patterns Flashcards

If all patrol officers carry radios, and Officer Gomez is a patrol officer, which conclusion is valid?

Answer: Officer Gomez carries a radio

This is a straightforward syllogism. Since all patrol officers carry radios and Gomez is a patrol officer, Gomez must carry a radio.

A detective notices that every burglary in a neighborhood occurred on a weeknight when streetlights were broken. What is the most logical conclusion?

Answer: There may be a correlation between broken streetlights and burglary timing

Correlation does not equal causation. The most logical conclusion acknowledges the pattern without assuming a direct causal relationship.

Consider the sequence: 3, 6, 12, 24, __. What number comes next?

Answer: 48

Each number is doubled to get the next: 3x2=6, 6x2=12, 12x2=24, 24x2=48.

Statement: 'No civilians were present during the incident.' Which of the following must be true?

Answer: Anyone present during the incident was not a civilian

If no civilians were present, then every person who was present was not a civilian. This is the logical contrapositive of the original statement.

Officer Park responds to three calls in order: a noise complaint at 8 PM, a traffic stop at 9 PM, and a domestic disturbance at 10 PM. If each call took exactly 45 minutes, when was Officer Park free after the last call?

Answer: 10:45 PM

The last call began at 10 PM and took 45 minutes, so Officer Park was free at 10:45 PM.

If the following statements are true: 'All suspects were photographed' and 'John was not photographed,' which conclusion follows?

Answer: John is not a suspect

Since all suspects were photographed and John was not photographed, John cannot be a suspect. This follows the logical contrapositive.