CAT 1999 — DILR Question 1
Directions: Each question consists of five statements followed by options consisting of three statements put together in a specific order. Choose the option which indicates a valid argument, that is, where the third statement is a conclusion drawn from the preceding two statements.
Example:
A. All cigarettes are hazardous to health.
B. Brand X is a cigarette.
C. Brand X is hazardous to health.
Here, ABC is a valid option, where statement C can be concluded from statements A and B.
A. All software companies employ knowledge workers.
B. Tara Tech employs knowledge workers.
C. Tara Tech is a software company.
D. Some software companies employ knowledge workers.
E. Tara Tech employs only knowledge workers.
Answer & solution
- A
ABC
ACB
- C
CDB
- D
ACE
ACB is the correct answer choice. as it forms a valid syllogism.
CEKW = Companies that employ knowledge workers SC = Software companies
TT = Tara Tech
The premises state that all software companies employ knowledge workers and Tara Tech is a
software company. Therefore, Tara Tech employs knowledge workers.
(a) ABC is invalid, because if Tara Tech employs knowledge workers, it cannot definitely be concluded that it is a software company.
(c) CDB is invalid, because if only some software companies employ knowledge workers, Tara Tech may not be among them.
(d) ACE introduces a fourth term. ‘Companies that employ only knowledge workers’ and, therefore, violates the very definition of a syllogism, which must have 3 and only 3 terms.