Syllogisms and Deductive Reasoning Flashcards
7 cards from real Wonderlic Personnel Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Syllogisms and Deductive Reasoning flashcards as text
All chefs are good cooks. Maria is a good cook. What can be concluded?
Answer: Nothing can be concluded about whether Maria is a chef.
The first statement says that being a chef guarantees you are a good cook, but it does not say that all good cooks are chefs. Maria is a good cook, but she may or may not be a chef. Therefore, no conclusion can be drawn about her profession.
No birds are mammals. All bats are mammals. Therefore...
Answer: No bats are birds.
This is a valid deductive argument. If no birds belong to the group 'mammals', and all bats do belong to the group 'mammals', then the two groups (birds and bats) must be mutually exclusive. Therefore, no bats can be birds.
All squares are rectangles. All rectangles have four sides. Therefore...
Answer: All squares have four sides.
This is a transitive relationship. If group A (squares) is a subset of group B (rectangles), and group B is a subset of group C (things with four sides), then group A must also be a subset of group C. Thus, all squares have four sides.
If it is raining, the ground is wet. The ground is not wet. Therefore...
Answer: It is not raining.
This is a logical form known as 'modus tollens'. The first premise establishes a condition (If P, then Q). The second premise denies the consequence (not Q). The valid conclusion is to deny the antecedent (not P). If the ground isn't wet, it cannot be raining.
All employees received a bonus. John is an employee. What can be concluded?
Answer: John received a bonus.
This is a direct application of the first premise. Since all employees received a bonus and John is an employee, it logically follows that John must have received a bonus. This is a form of reasoning called 'modus ponens'.
Some A are B. All B are C. Therefore...
Answer: Some A are C.
If at least one 'A' is also a 'B', and every single 'B' is also a 'C', then it must be true that the 'A' that is a 'B' is also a 'C'. This means that at least some 'A' must also be 'C'.
Some cars are red. Some red things are fast. Therefore...
Answer: No conclusion can be logically drawn.
We know there is an overlap between 'cars' and 'red things', and a separate overlap between 'red things' and 'fast things'. However, we don't know if the red cars are the same red things that are fast. The two groups could be completely separate.