Deductive and Inductive Reasoning

All students go to school. You are a student. Therefore you go to school.

What type of reasoning was used?

• Inductive

• Deductive

The Giants have lost their last seven games. Thus, they will probably lose their next game.

What type of reasoning was used?

• Inductive

• Deductive

You see the numbers 2, 4, .... and decide the next number must be a 6

What type of reasoning was used?

• Inductive

• Deductive

You have two apples and two oranges. You then have a total of four fruits.

What type of reasoning is used?

• Inductive

• Deductive

Which of the following is an example of deductive reasoning?

• All birds can fly. A penguin is a bird. Therefore, a penguin can fly.

• All mammals have lungs. A whale is a mammal. Therefore, a whale has lungs.

• Some dogs are brown. My dog is brown. Therefore, all dogs are brown.

• I saw a swan and it was white. Therefore, all swans are white.

Answer explanation

The correct choice demonstrates deductive reasoning by applying a general rule (all mammals have lungs) to a specific case (a whale is a mammal), leading to a valid conclusion (a whale has lungs).

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

What is deductive reasoning?

• Reasoning from specific cases to general principles

• Reasoning from general principles to specific cases

• Reasoning based on assumptions

• Reasoning based on emotions

Answer explanation

Deductive reasoning involves starting with general principles and applying them to specific cases. This contrasts with inductive reasoning, which moves from specific instances to broader generalizations.

Tags

DOK Level 1: Recall

What type of reasoning was used?

• Inductive

• Deductive

A child examines ten tulips from a crop, all of them are red, and concludes that all tulips must be red.

What type of reasoning was used?

• Inductive

• Deductive

Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, Clarke has a platypus. Clarke went to clean up her platypus' nest this morning and saw a pair of eggs, so she concluded that a platypus is an oviparous animal. What type of reasoning was used?

• Deductive

• Inductive

Ms. Juana's birthday is on December 24th which means she was born in during a holiday.

What type of reasoning was used?

• Inductive

• Deductive