Identifying Assumptions and Conclusions

John knows how to play the piano, so he might have taken a piano class.

Which of the following is an appropriate assumption of the statement above?

• All piano virtuoso took a piano class

• Everyone who knows how to play the piano took a piano class.

• Most people who know how to play the piano took a piano class.

• All students of a piano class know how to play a piano.

Answer explanation

The statement implies that if a person knows how to play the piano, then there’s a possibility that this person might have taken a piano class. However, the statement does not imply that all people who know how to play the piano have attended piano class.

Belinda passed the exam, so she might have reviewed very well last night.

Which of the following is an appropriate assumption of the statement above?

• All people who reviewed last night passed the exam.

• Everyone who passed the exam reviewed very well last night.

• Most of the students who passed the exam reviewed very well last night.

• Even those students who failed the exam reviewed very well last night.

Answer explanation

The statement implies that if a student passed an exam, then there’s a possibility that this student might have reviewed very well last night. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that all students who passed the exam have reviewed very well last night.

The sales of a company relies on the effectiveness of their newly employed marketing strategies. This month, the company has higher sales.

Which of the following can be concluded from the statement above?

• The Company’s marketing strategies are cheaper

• The Company’s marketing strategies are effective

• The Company’s marketing strategies are competitive

• Both B and C.

Answer explanation

It is assumed that the sales of the company relies on the effectiveness of their newly employed marketing strategies. It implies that if the sales of the company becomes higher, then the newly employed marketing strategy is effective (and vice versa). Thus, if the company has higher sales then the newly employed marketing strategy is effective.

Computers should be used to compute complicated statistical data.

Assumptions:

I. Computer chips are made up of silicon.

II. Computers can handle complex computations

Which of the following is TRUE:

• Only assumption I is the likely assumption of the statement.

• Assumptions I and II are likely assumptions of the statement

• Neither assumptions I nor II is a likely assumption of the statement.

• Only assumption II is the likely assumption.

Answer explanation

The given statement only implies that a computer has the capacity to perform complicated calculations. Information regarding the material in which the computer was made cannot be derived from the given statement. Thus, only the second assumption is the likely assumption of the statement.

Matthew said that he always reads news on a reputable website to keep him updated with the current events.

Assumptions:

I. Mark does not read newspapers.

II. Websites are the only source of accurate news.

Which of the following is TRUE:

• Only assumption I is the likely assumption of the statement

• Assumptions I and II are likely assumptions of the statement

• Neither assumption I nor II is a likely assumption of the statement.

• Only assumption II is the likely assumption of the statement.

Answer explanation

Assumption I is an unlikely assumption because even if Matthew said that he always reads news on a reputable website, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Matthew does not read newspapers. Meanwhile, Assumption II is also an unlikely assumption because the statement does not imply that the websites are the only source of accurate news. Matthew just reads news on this website.

The government must allocate more funds to research and development to boost economic growth.

Assumptions:

I. Political unrest and decline in consumer spending hinders economic growth

II. Research is the sole factor of economic growth

• Only assumption I is the likely assumption of the statement

• Assumptions I and II are likely assumptions of the statement.

• Neither assumption I nor II is a likely assumption of the statement

• Only assumption II is the likely assumption of the statement

Answer explanation

If we used Assumption I, we cannot arrive at the statement as the conclusion

since the statements (assumption I and the given statement) are not related. Meanwhile, stating that the government must allocate more funds to research and development to boost economic growth does not imply that research is the only factor for economic growth.

Last year, a well-known fast food chain planned to expand its operations by constructing a new branch in another country. It was decided that if their sales would continuously increase by at least 40% last year, they would continue the expansion. This year, there is a new branch of the fast-food chain in other countries.

Which of the following can be concluded from the statement above?

• The sales of the fast-food chain did not decline at the rate of 40% last year.

• The sales of the fast-food chain increased last year.

• The sales of the fast food chain reached 40% last year.

• None of the above.

Answer explanation

The given statement is an assumption that if the company’s sales would continuously increase by at least 40% last year, they would continue the expansion. Thus, the appropriate conclusion for the given statement is that the company’s sales continuously increased by at least 40% last year. However, none of the given options explicitly express the conclusion.

Alice is a lawyer because she has a good understanding of the revised penal code.

Which of the following is an appropriate assumption of the statement above?

• Everyone who understands the revised penal code is a lawyer

• Every lawyer understands the revised penal code

• The revised penal code is easy to understand

• Everyone can understand the revised penal code.

Answer explanation

The statement implies that if a person is a lawyer, then he/she has a good understanding of the revised penal code. This also means that all lawyers understand the revised penal code.

Musical prodigies exhibit exemplary compositional skills, mastery of a musical instrument, and great intuition on musical concepts before adolescence. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a well-known Austrian classical composer, is known to be a musical prodigy.

Which of the following is a correct conclusion from the statement above?

• Mozart exhibits great eagerness to perform piano concertos at a very young age.

• Mozart composed excellent music during his early age.

• Mozart was widely known in Austria as a child composer

• Mozart is a primary icon of classical music.

Answer explanation

The given statement is an assumption that a musical prodigy has exemplary

compositional skills, mastery of a musical instrument, and great intuition on musical concepts before adolescence. If Mozart is a musical prodigy, then at least one of those qualifications of a musical prodigy is possessed by Mozart. From the given options, B. Mozart composed excellent music during his early age is the only appropriate conclusion of the assumption.

Some scientific breakthroughs are due to serendipity.

Assumptions:

I. All scientific breakthroughs are due to an intensive research

II. Scientific breakthroughs are caused by carelessness

III. Not all scientific breakthroughs are results of careful experiments

IV. Scientific breakthroughs are limitless

• I and II only

• I and III only

• II only

• III only

Answer explanation

Assumption III is an appropriate assumption since if not all of the scientific

breakthroughs are results of careful experiments, then some of these scientific breakthroughs are due to serendipity.