Reasoning
Syllogism
In the question below are given two statements followed by two conclusions. Take the statements to be true even if they seem at variance with commonly known facts, and decide which of the conclusions logically follows.
Statements:
All claims are files.
No file is a receipt.
Conclusions:
I. No claim is a receipt.
II. Some files are claims.
- A Only conclusion I follows
- B Only conclusion II follows
- C Both conclusions I and II follow
- D Either conclusion I or II follows
- E Neither conclusion I nor II follows
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Correct answer: C. Both conclusions I and II follow
Claims lie entirely inside files, and files are entirely separate from receipts. Anything inside files must therefore be outside receipts — conclusion I follows.
Conclusion II is the partial converse of the first statement: if every claim is a file, then those files which are claims exist, so some files are claims.
Both conclusions follow.