Parallel ReasoningDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: There are two requirements for a goal; a person has met one but hasn't reached the goal, so they must be missing the second requirement.
Conclusion: Roger has not yet finished his master's thesis.
Reasoning: Receiving a master's degree requires both 24 credits and a thesis; Roger has the credits but is not yet eligible for the degree.
Analysis: This is a valid deductive argument using a conjunctive requirement. The structure is: 'If A and B, then C.' We are told that 'A' is true, but 'C' is false. Logically, if the result (C) hasn't happened despite one condition (A) being met, the other necessary condition (B) must be the missing piece. When looking for a parallel, ensure the answer choice has two necessary conditions that together guarantee a result, and then uses the absence of the result to prove one of those conditions is missing.
Conclusion: Roger has not yet finished his master's thesis.
Reasoning: Receiving a master's degree requires both 24 credits and a thesis; Roger has the credits but is not yet eligible for the degree.
Analysis: This is a valid deductive argument using a conjunctive requirement. The structure is: 'If A and B, then C.' We are told that 'A' is true, but 'C' is false. Logically, if the result (C) hasn't happened despite one condition (A) being met, the other necessary condition (B) must be the missing piece. When looking for a parallel, ensure the answer choice has two necessary conditions that together guarantee a result, and then uses the absence of the result to prove one of those conditions is missing.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage25.The reasoning in the argument above is most similar to the reasoning in which one of the following?
Correct Answer
A
Choice A has the same structure: If (mayor AND council approve) -> gardens open. Council approved (one part true), and the gardens cannot open (consequent false). Therefore, the mayor did not approve (the other part false). This exactly parallels: P ∧ Q -> R; Q and ¬R; therefore ¬P.
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