Question 1

What is the conclusion of the following argument? A manned mission to Mars should be a high priority for NASA because Mars contains many untapped resources.

Accepted Answer

A) Mars contains many resources 
B) Mars contains many untapped resources 
C) a manned mission to Mars should be a high priority for NASA 
D) a manned mission to Mars 
E) There is no conclusion since this is not an argument at all. 
A) Mars contains many resources 
B) Mars contains many untapped resources 
C) a manned mission to Mars should be a high priority for NASA 
D) a manned mission to Mars 
E) There is no conclusion since this is not an argument at all.

Question 2

What is the premise of the following argument? Our current spending habits cannot continue, inasmuch as we are spending much more than we are earning.

Accepted Answer

A) we are spending a lot 
B) our current spending habits cannot continue 
C) our current spending has become a habit 
D) we are spending much more than we are earning 
E) There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all. 
A) we are spending a lot 
B) our current spending habits cannot continue 
C) our current spending has become a habit 
D) we are spending much more than we are earning 
E) There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all.

Question 3

An inductive argument is one in which:

Accepted Answer

A) there is no conclusion 
B) there is only one premise 
C) the truth of the premises is enough to guarantee the truth of the conclusion 
D) the truth of the premises is not enough to guarantee the truth of the conclusion 
E) something is proven false rather than proven true 
A) there is no conclusion 
B) there is only one premise 
C) the truth of the premises is enough to guarantee the truth of the conclusion 
D) the truth of the premises is not enough to guarantee the truth of the conclusion 
E) something is proven false rather than proven true

Question 4

An argument with more than one step:

Accepted Answer

A) can be no stronger than its weakest step 
B) is usually stronger than its weakest step 
C) is as strong as its strongest step 
D) as a whole, is stronger than its strongest step 
E) is always stronger than an argument with only one step 
A) can be no stronger than its weakest step 
B) is usually stronger than its weakest step 
C) is as strong as its strongest step 
D) as a whole, is stronger than its strongest step 
E) is always stronger than an argument with only one step

Question 5

Can induction and deduction be used together?

Accepted Answer

A) No, they can never be mixed under any circumstances. 
B) Yes, because arguments by analogy are both deductive and inductive. 
C) Yes, because inductive arguments supply the general knowledge used in deductive arguments. 
D) Yes, because deductive arguments supply the general knowledge used in inductive arguments. 
E) Yes, because generalization is both deductive and inductive. 
A) No, they can never be mixed under any circumstances. 
B) Yes, because arguments by analogy are both deductive and inductive. 
C) Yes, because inductive arguments supply the general knowledge used in deductive arguments. 
D) Yes, because deductive arguments supply the general knowledge used in inductive arguments. 
E) Yes, because generalization is both deductive and inductive.

Question 6

What is the conclusion of the following argument? The wall that we need to build will have an area of 150 square feet, so at least 10 sheets of drywall will be required on each side.

Accepted Answer

A) we need to build a wall 
B) at least 10 sheets of drywall will be required on each side 
C) the wall will have an area of 150 square feet 
D) the wall will have two sides 
E) There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all. 
A) we need to build a wall 
B) at least 10 sheets of drywall will be required on each side 
C) the wall will have an area of 150 square feet 
D) the wall will have two sides 
E) There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all.

Question 7

Which of the following is a deductive argument?

Accepted Answer

A) A king is like everyone else, so he must put on his pants one leg at a time. 
B) A marching band is like a symphony, and a symphony has a brass section.So a marching band must also have a brass section. 
C) No day next week is a good day to schedule a meeting, and June 8 is next week, so June 8 is not a good day to schedule a meeting. 
D) No one has ever successfully free-climbed this wall, so it cannot be done. 
E) Three new recruits have disobeyed the sergeant's instructions and not been penalized.So the sergeant must never penalize anyone for anything. 
A) A king is like everyone else, so he must put on his pants one leg at a time. 
B) A marching band is like a symphony, and a symphony has a brass section.So a marching band must also have a brass section. 
C) No day next week is a good day to schedule a meeting, and June 8 is next week, so June 8 is not a good day to schedule a meeting. 
D) No one has ever successfully free-climbed this wall, so it cannot be done. 
E) Three new recruits have disobeyed the sergeant's instructions and not been penalized.So the sergeant must never penalize anyone for anything.

Question 8

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? Considering that
(1) the union has threatened a strike, I think that
(2) we will soon receive higher salaries and
(3) our number of vacation days will be increased.

Accepted Answer

A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)    
A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)

Question 9

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) Some Arthurian legends must be fictional, considering that
(2) Arthurian legends involve sorcery and
(3) sorcery is fictional.

Accepted Answer

A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)    
A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)

Question 10

Distilling an argument means:

Accepted Answer

A) identifying its flaws 
B) arguing against it 
C) identifying the argument's premises, conclusion, and structure 
D) expanding on it 
E) determining how it might be useful 
A) identifying its flaws 
B) arguing against it 
C) identifying the argument's premises, conclusion, and structure 
D) expanding on it 
E) determining how it might be useful

Question 11

Which of the following could you yourself know by direct observation?

Accepted Answer

A) whether it is raining 
B) what year you were born 
C) the first president of the United States 
D) the origin of our planet 
E) the inner life of atoms 
A) whether it is raining 
B) what year you were born 
C) the first president of the United States 
D) the origin of our planet 
E) the inner life of atoms

Question 12

Which pair below consists of two types of induction?

Accepted Answer

A) generalization and analogy 
B) analogy and harmony 
C) harmony and prescription 
D) prescription and generalization 
E) generalization and harmony 
A) generalization and analogy 
B) analogy and harmony 
C) harmony and prescription 
D) prescription and generalization 
E) generalization and harmony

Question 13

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Some cactuses produce edible fruit.Therefore some cactuses are appropriate for food gardens.

Accepted Answer

A) Some plants are not appropriate for food gardens. 
B) A cactus is a plant. 
C) All plants that produce edible fruit are appropriate for food gardens. 
D) Food gardens are more restrictive than other types of gardens. 
E) Cactuses will grow in our climate. 
A) Some plants are not appropriate for food gardens. 
B) A cactus is a plant. 
C) All plants that produce edible fruit are appropriate for food gardens. 
D) Food gardens are more restrictive than other types of gardens. 
E) Cactuses will grow in our climate.

Question 14

Which of the following is a deductive argument?

Accepted Answer

A) Rhonda got perfect scores on the first three tests, so Rhonda will always get perfect scores on her tests. 
B) If the alarm goes off, I will wake up.And it is going off, so I will wake up. 
C) Monkeys are the gymnasts of the jungle, so they would be talented on the parallel bars. 
D) The first 10 pennies I took from the jar were all from the 1960s, so all pennies in this jar are from the 1960s. 
E) Telescopes are like binoculars, and binoculars allow us to see depth, so a telescope also allows us to see depth. 
A) Rhonda got perfect scores on the first three tests, so Rhonda will always get perfect scores on her tests. 
B) If the alarm goes off, I will wake up.And it is going off, so I will wake up. 
C) Monkeys are the gymnasts of the jungle, so they would be talented on the parallel bars. 
D) The first 10 pennies I took from the jar were all from the 1960s, so all pennies in this jar are from the 1960s. 
E) Telescopes are like binoculars, and binoculars allow us to see depth, so a telescope also allows us to see depth.

Question 15

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) Atlantis will probably be discovered soon because
(2) Edgar Cayce predicted it and
(3) Edgar Cayce is never wrong.

Accepted Answer

A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)    
A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)

Question 16

Which of the following is the most complete list of the symbols used in diagramming arguments?

Accepted Answer

A) arrows and numerals 
B) arrows, circles, and numerals 
C) plus signs, minus signs, and arrows 
D) circles, plus signs, and numerals 
E) arrows, plus signs, and numerals 
A) arrows and numerals 
B) arrows, circles, and numerals 
C) plus signs, minus signs, and arrows 
D) circles, plus signs, and numerals 
E) arrows, plus signs, and numerals

Question 17

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Since it is raining outside, the wedding will be held inside the country club.

Accepted Answer

A) There is a wedding today. 
B) The wedding will be inside the country club if it is raining outside. 
C) The wedding was supposed to be outside. 
D) There cannot be a wedding in the rain. 
E) There is a backup plan for the wedding, in case of rain. 
A) There is a wedding today. 
B) The wedding will be inside the country club if it is raining outside. 
C) The wedding was supposed to be outside. 
D) There cannot be a wedding in the rain. 
E) There is a backup plan for the wedding, in case of rain.

Question 18

A deductive argument is one in which:

Accepted Answer

A) there is no conclusion 
B) there is only one premise 
C) the truth of the premises is enough to guarantee the truth of the conclusion 
D) the truth of the premises is not enough to guarantee the truth of the conclusion 
E) something is proven false rather than proven true 
A) there is no conclusion 
B) there is only one premise 
C) the truth of the premises is enough to guarantee the truth of the conclusion 
D) the truth of the premises is not enough to guarantee the truth of the conclusion 
E) something is proven false rather than proven true

Question 19

The value of an argument is measured according to:

Accepted Answer

A) whether the person making the argument is credible 
B) the extent to which it provides evidence for the truth of its conclusion 
C) how many premises it has 
D) how many conclusions it has 
E) whether or not the evaluator believes the conclusion 
A) whether the person making the argument is credible 
B) the extent to which it provides evidence for the truth of its conclusion 
C) how many premises it has 
D) how many conclusions it has 
E) whether or not the evaluator believes the conclusion

Question 20

Which of the following could be known by direct observation?

Accepted Answer

A) the mass of the sun 
B) how the sun produces heat and light 
C) the sun's chemical make-up 
D) the color of the sun 
E) the age of the sun 
A) the mass of the sun 
B) how the sun produces heat and light 
C) the sun's chemical make-up 
D) the color of the sun 
E) the age of the sun

What is the conclusion of the following argument? A manned mission to Mars should be a high priority for NASA because Mars contains many untapped resources.

What is the premise of the following argument? Our current spending habits cannot continue, inasmuch as we are spending much more than we are earning.

An inductive argument is one in which:

An argument with more than one step:

Can induction and deduction be used together?

What is the conclusion of the following argument? The wall that we need to build will have an area of 150 square feet, so at least 10 sheets of drywall will be required on each side.

Which of the following is a deductive argument?

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? Considering that (1) the union has threatened a strike, I think that (2) we will soon receive higher salaries and (3) our number of vacation days will be increased.

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) Some Arthurian legends must be fictional, considering that (2) Arthurian legends involve sorcery and (3) sorcery is fictional.

Distilling an argument means:

Which of the following could you yourself know by direct observation?

Which pair below consists of two types of induction?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Some cactuses produce edible fruit.Therefore some cactuses are appropriate for food gardens.

Which of the following is a deductive argument?

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) Atlantis will probably be discovered soon because (2) Edgar Cayce predicted it and (3) Edgar Cayce is never wrong.

Which of the following is the most complete list of the symbols used in diagramming arguments?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Since it is raining outside, the wedding will be held inside the country club.

A deductive argument is one in which:

The value of an argument is measured according to:

Which of the following could be known by direct observation?

Classification

Definitions

Propositions

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Reasoning With Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Explanation

Probability

Filters

Exam 4: Argument Analysis

What is the conclusion of the following argument? A manned mission to Mars should be a high priority for NASA because Mars contains many untapped resources.

What is the premise of the following argument? Our current spending habits cannot continue, inasmuch as we are spending much more than we are earning.

An inductive argument is one in which:

An argument with more than one step:

Can induction and deduction be used together?

What is the conclusion of the following argument? The wall that we need to build will have an area of 150 square feet, so at least 10 sheets of drywall will be required on each side.

Which of the following is a deductive argument?

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? Considering that (1) the union has threatened a strike, I think that (2) we will soon receive higher salaries and (3) our number of vacation days will be increased.

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) Some Arthurian legends must be fictional, considering that (2) Arthurian legends involve sorcery and (3) sorcery is fictional.

Distilling an argument means:

Which of the following could you yourself know by direct observation?

Which pair below consists of two types of induction?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Some cactuses produce edible fruit.Therefore some cactuses are appropriate for food gardens.

Which of the following is a deductive argument?

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) Atlantis will probably be discovered soon because (2) Edgar Cayce predicted it and (3) Edgar Cayce is never wrong.

Which of the following is the most complete list of the symbols used in diagramming arguments?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Since it is raining outside, the wedding will be held inside the country club.

A deductive argument is one in which:

The value of an argument is measured according to:

Which of the following could be known by direct observation?

Classification

Definitions

Propositions

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Reasoning With Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Explanation

Probability

Filters