Inductive and Deductive Reasoning Quiz

Determine if the following deductive argument is valid or invalid:

1. 1. Each and every human being is immortal.

2. 2. Tony Blair is a human being.

3. __________________________

4. 3. Thus, Tony Blair is immortal

• Valid

• Invalid

Determine if the following deductive argument is valid or invalid:

1. 1. Baseball is a pastime.

2. 2. All pastimes are enjoyable.

3. _______________________

4. 3. Therefore, baseball is enjoyable

• Valid

• Invalid

Determine if the following deductive argument is valid or invalid:

1. 1. All ripe fruit are edible.

2. 2. All bananas are edible.

3. __________________

4. 3. Therefore all bananas are ripe fruit.

• Valid

• Invalid

Determine if the following deductive argument is valid or invalid:

1. 1. My sister has seven siblings.

2. _____________________________

3. 2. Therefore, at least two of my siblings were born on the same day of the week.

• Valid

• Invalid

Determine whether the following deductive argument is sound or unsound:

1. 1. Each and every human being is mortal.

2. 2. Barak Obama is a human being.

3. _________________________

4. 3. Thus, Barak Obama is mortal.

• Sound

• Unsound

Determine whether the following deductive argument is sound or unsound:

1. 1. All apples are red fruit.

2. 2. All strawberries are red fruit.

3. _________________________

4. 3. Therefore, all apples are strawberries.

• Sound

• Unsound

Determine whether the following deductive argument is sound or unsound:

1. 1. The Empire State Building is taller than the Eiffel Tower.

2. 2. The Taj Mahal is shorter than the Empire State Building.

3. _______________________________________

4. 3. Therefore, the Taj Mahal is shorter than the Eiffel Tower.

• Sound

• Unsound

Answer explanation

This question is interesting. In reality the Taj Mahal IS shorter than the Eiffel Tower, so you may think that this is a sound argument. However the structure of the argument is invalid. A sound argument must be true and valid -therefore this argument is unsound.

Determine whether the following deductive argument is sound or unsound:

1. 1. London is in England.

2. 2. England is in Europe.

3. _____________________

4. 3. Therefore, London is in Europe.

• Sound

• Unsound

Determine whether the following inductive argument is strong or weak:

1. 1. Apples are usually sweeter than carrots.

2. 2. A banana is not a carrot.

3. ______________________________

4. 3. Thus apples are probably not sweeter than bananas.

• Strong

• Weak

Determine whether the following inductive argument is strong or weak:

1. Every June for over 200 years, it has not rained in London.

___________________________________________

2. 2. Therefore, chances are it will not rain in London next June.

• Strong

• Weak