Question 1

A retail store experiences high employee turnover, with 30% of staff leaving annually. Exit interviews reveal that low wages and poor working conditions are the primary reasons. The store manager is concerned about rising recruitment and training costs. Which course of action is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Tests ability to select an action that addresses stated causes rather than managing consequences.

Question 2

A hospital is facing a critical shortage of blood units in its blood bank. The inventory has dropped to dangerous levels, and emergency surgeries are being postponed. The hospital management must act immediately to prevent patient harm.

Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action?

I. Launch an emergency blood donation drive in the community immediately.
II. Postpone all non-emergency surgeries until blood stock is replenished.
III. Contact nearby hospitals to arrange emergency blood transfer.

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the most logical and immediate course of action in a critical situation. The correct answer should address both the immediate crisis and sustainable solutions.

Question 3

A machine processes input numbers through a fixed rule. Study the pattern:
Input: 5 → Output: 12
Input: 8 → Output: 18
Input: 3 → Output: 8
Input: 10 → Output: 22

What will be the output for Input: 6?

Accepted Answer

The rule is: Output = (Input × 2) + 2. For Input 6: (6 × 2) + 2 = 14.

Question 4

A word-processing system rearranges letters according to a rule:
Input: HEART → Output: EAHRT
Input: PLANT → Output: APLNT
Input: SMILE → Output: MSLIE

If the input is BRAVE, what will be the output?

Accepted Answer

The rule is: Move the 2nd letter to the 1st position, shift others right. For BRAVE: Move R to front → RBAVE, then rearrange to RBAVE. Actually, the pattern is: positions become 2-1-3-4-5. BRAVE → RABVE.

Question 5

Given: A > B, B ≥ C, C > D, D = E, E < F. Which of the following conclusions is definitely TRUE?

Accepted Answer

From the given inequalities: A > B ≥ C > D = E < F. We need to determine what must be true. A > B is given. B ≥ C is given. C > D is given. D = E is given. Therefore, A > B ≥ C > D = E. This means A > C is definitely true. However, we cannot determine the relationship between A and F (F could be less than, equal to, or greater than A). We also cannot determine if B > D (though it's likely, the chain A > B ≥ C > D confirms B > D). The only definitive conclusion is A > C.

Question 6

A student studied for 8 hours before the exam and scored 95%. Which of the following is a valid inference based on cause and effect?

Accepted Answer

This question tests understanding of valid cause-effect inferences and the distinction between correlation and causation in reasoning.

Question 7

Given: P ≤ Q, Q < R, R ≥ S, S > T, T ≤ U. Which of the following is INDETERMINATE?

Accepted Answer

From the inequalities: P ≤ Q < R ≥ S > T ≤ U. We can establish: P ≤ Q < R, R ≥ S, S > T, T ≤ U. Now check each option: (a) P < R: Since P ≤ Q and Q < R, we have P < R (definite). (b) S ≤ U: We know S > T and T ≤ U, but this doesn't tell us if S ≤ U or S > U (indeterminate). (c) Q ≥ T: We know Q < R and R ≥ S and S > T, so Q < R and R ≥ S > T, which means Q could be greater than, equal to, or less than T (indeterminate, but let's verify). Actually, we cannot determine Q vs T. (d) P ≤ S: We have P ≤ Q < R ≥ S, so P ≤ Q < R and R ≥ S, but this doesn't guarantee P ≤ S.

Question 8

A sequence follows a rule where each output depends on the input number:
Input: 2 → Output: 5
Input: 4 → Output: 11
Input: 6 → Output: 17
Input: 7 → Output: 20

What is the output for Input: 9?

Accepted Answer

The rule is: Output = (Input × 3) − 1. For Input 9: (9 × 3) − 1 = 27 − 1 = 26.

Question 9

A coding system assigns values to letters:
A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5, ..., Z=26

A word's output is the sum of all letter values. What is the output for the word LOGIC?

Accepted Answer

L=12, O=15, G=7, I=9, C=3. Sum = 12+15+7+9+3 = 46.

Question 10

The government announced a ban on single-use plastics. As a result, many shops stopped using plastic bags and switched to paper alternatives. What is the relationship between these two events?

Accepted Answer

This question tests understanding of direct cause-and-effect relationships where one event directly triggers a change in behaviour or policy.

Question 11

A student's exam performance declined sharply after he started spending 6 hours daily on social media instead of studying. Which of the following is the MOST DIRECT cause of the performance decline?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the direct cause-and-effect relationship. The student's exam performance declined BECAUSE he reduced study time and increased social media usage. The direct cause is the reduction in study hours (or increase in non-productive activity), not the social media platform itself or other indirect factors.

Question 12

Heavy rainfall in the coastal region caused flooding in low-lying areas. As a result, several families were displaced and had to move to relief camps. Which of the following is the EFFECT in this scenario?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to identify the effect (consequence) in a cause-and-effect relationship. Heavy rainfall is the cause, and displacement of families is the effect.

Question 13

A factory installed modern pollution control equipment. Consequently, the air quality in the surrounding area improved significantly. What is the CAUSE in this cause-and-effect relationship?

Accepted Answer

This question tests identification of the cause (the action or event that produces a result) in a cause-and-effect statement.

Question 14

Because the company reduced its product prices, sales volume increased by 40% in the first quarter. Which statement correctly identifies both the cause and effect?

Accepted Answer

This question requires students to correctly identify and pair both the cause and the effect from a single cause-effect statement.

Question 15

A company's customer service department receives 500 complaints daily, but only 60% are resolved within 24 hours. Management observes that unresolved complaints lead to negative reviews and customer churn. Which course of action should be taken?

Accepted Answer

The question tests ability to identify the most logical and direct course of action to address a stated problem.

Question 16

A school observes that 40% of students are absent on Mondays, affecting classroom learning. Teachers report that absenteeism correlates with poor academic performance. What course of action should the school take?

Accepted Answer

Tests ability to select an action that addresses the root cause of a stated problem.

Question 17

A bank's ATM machines frequently run out of cash during weekends, causing customer frustration and complaints. The bank manager notes that cash withdrawals peak on Saturdays and Sundays. Which course of action is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Tests ability to select a preventive action based on identified patterns and constraints.

Question 18

A manufacturing plant reports that 15% of products are defective due to outdated machinery. Quality inspectors note that defective products damage the company's reputation and increase warranty costs. What course of action should management take?

Accepted Answer

Tests identification of a solution that addresses the stated cause of a problem.

Question 19

A city implemented stricter traffic regulations and increased the number of traffic police on major roads. Within three months, the number of traffic violations decreased by 35%. However, the city's overall accident rate remained unchanged. Which of the following best explains this apparent contradiction?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to recognize that a reduction in one measurable outcome (violations) does not necessarily cause a reduction in a related but distinct outcome (accidents), and to identify alternative causal explanations.

Question 20

A pharmaceutical company noticed that patients who took a new medication experienced a 40% reduction in symptoms within two weeks. The company claims the medication is highly effective. However, a control group that received a placebo also experienced a 30% reduction in symptoms. Which of the following is the most accurate conclusion?

Accepted Answer

This question tests the ability to evaluate causal claims by comparing treatment effects against baseline/control conditions and recognizing the role of confounding factors like placebo effect.

SBI PO Critical Reasoning Questions

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