Hello Students,
For those preparing for any MBA exams Syllogism is a part of the reasoning syllabus.
Syllogism Study Notes
In this post, we are providing you all with the relevant information and study notes of the new pattern of Syllogism. You are advised to go through the notes very carefully and prepare yourself for all the upcoming exams.
Let us first look at the TYPES OF STATEMENTS that we have:-
1) Positive Statement- These are those statements which give us as positive sense. They do not include words like no, not, never, etc with them.
2) Negative Statment- These are those statements which give us as negative sense. These statements have negative words such as no, not, never, etc with them.
Have a look at the examples of both the types of statements.
Students are in search of the apt method of solving Syllogism. The answer is "Venn Diagram"
Venn Diagrams
Solving syllogism with the help of the Venn diagrams is the best approach. Below we are discussing all the above 6 statements through Venn diagrams.
The number in front of the statement within brackets shows the number of possible Venn Diagrams that can be drawn from each statement.
Types of conclusions:
- Definitely True (DT): These are the conclusions that are always correct. eg: 2+3=5
- Definitely False (DF): These are the conclusions that are always wrong. eg: 2+3=5
- Cannot say (CS): Nothing sure can be said about these conclusions. Here no direct relation is given between the entities.
Commonly used terms:
Here we are discussing some of the commonly used terms that you must be familiar with in order to solve all questions of syllogism. If you are not aware of these words, it will become difficult for you to understand the sense of the question. Go through these terms carefully.
| All A are B |
Some A are B | No A is B |
Any | Few | 0 % A is B |
Every | A few | |
Each | Very few | |
100% | Many | |
Each and every | Mostly | |
Most | ||
Almost All | ||
| Maximum | |
| At least some | |
| At least few | |
| At least a few | |
| Minimum | |
Generally |
Note 1: ALL A are B is true only if some A are not B is true
Note 2:
Example: Only whole numbers are natural numbers = Alone whole numbers are Natural numbers = Whole numbers alone are natural numbers
All the above statements mean: All natural numbers are Whole numbers
Here we are discussing the most confusing statements i.e. Only A are B and Only a few A are B with the help of there Venn diagram representation.
Now we will discuss all the important statements, all possible Venn diagrams and all types of conclusions. Abbreviations used are
1) DT: Definitely True - The conclusions that are true in all the possible Venn diagrams.
2) DF: Definitely False - The conclusions that are false in all the possible Venn diagrams.
3) CS: Cannot Say - The conclusions that are true according to one or more diagram(s) and false according to another diagram(s)
Statement – 1: All A are B
Conclusion: - | |||
1. All A are B | DT | 7. All B are A | CS |
2. Some A are B | DT | 8. Some B are A | DT |
3. Only some A are B | DF | 9. Only some B are A | CS |
4. No A is B | DF | 10. No B is A | DF |
5. Some A are not B | DF | 11. Some B are not A | CS |
6. Only some A are not B | DF | 12. Only some B are not A | CS |
Statement – 2: Some A are B
Conclusion: - | |||
1. All A are B | CS | 7. All B are A | CS |
2. Some A are B | DT | 8. Some B are A | DT |
3. Only some A are B | CS | 9. Only some B are A | CS |
4. No A is B | DF | 10. No B is A | DF |
5. Some A are not B | CS | 11. Some B are not A | CS |
6. Only some A are not B | CS | 12. Only some B are not A | CS |
Statement – 3: Only some A are B
Conclusions: - | |||
1. All A are B | DF | 7. All B are A | CS |
2. Some A are B | DT | 8. Some B are A | DT |
3. Only some A are B | DT | 9. Only some B are A | CS |
4. No A is B | DF | 10. No B is A | DF |
5. Some A are not B | DT | 11. Some B are not A | CS |
6. Only some A are not B | DT | 12. Only some B are not A | CS |
Statement – 4: No A is B
Conclusions:- | |||
1. All A are B | DF | 7. All B are A | DF |
2. Some A are B | DF | 8. Some B are A | DF |
3. Only some A are B | DF | 9. Only some B are A | DF |
4. No A is B | DT | 10. No B is A | DT |
5. Some A are not B | DT | 11. Some B are not A | DT |
6. Only some A are not B | DF | 12. Only some B arte not A | DF |
Statement – 5: Some A are not B
Conclusions:- | |||
1. All A are B | DF | 7. All B are A | CS |
2. Some A are B | CS | 8. Some B are A | CS |
3. Only some A are B | CS | 9. Only some B are A | CS |
4. No A is B | CS | 10. No B is A | CS |
5. Some A are not B | DT | 11. Some B are not A | CS |
6. Only some A are not B | CS | 12. Only some B are not A | CS |
St. Some A are not B (5)
Statement – 6: Only some A are not B
Conclusions:- | |||
1. All A are B | DF | 7. All B are A | CS |
2. Some A are B | DT | 8. Some B are A | DT |
3. Only some A are B | DT | 9. Only some B are A | CS |
4. No A is B | DF | 10. No B is A | DF |
5. Some A are not B | DT | 11. Some B are not A | CS |
6. Only some A are not B | DT | 12. Only some B are not A | CS |
These were some of the most frequently asked sentences along with their possible and confirmed cases.
However, in examination the questions are generally asked in the following 2 forms :
Now that you have gone through all the important study notes of this topic, let's now discuss 5 questions based on the above new pattern syllogism questions. The solutions are also provided along with the questions so as to help you understand the question thoroughly. You all are advised to solve the questions without looking at the solutions, to analyze your understanding of the topic.
Examples of Syllogism
1. Direction: In each of the questions below are given few statements followed by two conclusions. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance from commonly known facts. Read all the conclusions and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follow from the given statements disregarding commonly known facts.
Statements:
Only a few cats are bats.
All bats are balls.
Only a few balls are dogs.
Conclusions:
1) Only cats are balls
2) A few bats are dogs
B. If conclusion 2 follows
C. Either conclusion 1 or conclusion 2 follows
D. Neither conclusion 1 nor conclusion 2 follows
E. Both the conclusions follow
Ans. D.
The least possible Venn diagram for the given statements is as follows:
Conclusions:
1. Only cats are balls → It means all balls are cats, hence false.
2. A few bats are dogs → It means, some bats are dogs, which is not sure, hence false.
So, neither 1 nor 2 follows.
2. Direction: In each of the questions below are given few statements followed by two conclusions. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance from commonly known facts. Read all the conclusions and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follow from the given statements disregarding commonly known facts.
1. Statements:
Only a few males are doctors.
Only a few males are kind.
Conclusions:
1) Some kinds are doctors is a possibility.
2) Only kinds are males.
B. If conclusion 2 follows
C. Either conclusion 1 or conclusion 2 follows
D. Neither conclusion 1 nor conclusion 2 follows
E. Both the conclusions follow
Ans. A.
The least possible Venn diagram for the given statements is as follows:
Conclusions:
1. Some kind are doctors is a possibility → It’s possible, hence true.
2. Only kind are males → It means all males are kind which is not sure, hence false.
So, only 1 follows.
3. Direction: In each of the questions below are given few statements followed by two conclusions. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance from commonly known facts. Read all the conclusions and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follow from the given statements disregarding commonly known facts.
1. Statements:
All violets are neon.
All neon is yellow.
Only a few yellow is dark.
Conclusions:
1) Only yellow is violet.
2) Few dark being neon is a possibility.
B. If conclusion 2 follows
C. Either conclusion 1 or conclusion 2 follows
D. Neither conclusion 1 nor conclusion 2 follows
E. Both the conclusions follow
Ans. E.
The least possible Venn diagram for the given statements is as follows:
Conclusions:
1. Only yellow is violet → It means all violet is yellow, hence true.
2. Few dark being neon is a possibility → It means some dark being neon is a possibility, which is possible, hence true.
So, only 1 and 2 follow.
4. Direction: In each of the questions below are given few statements followed by two conclusions. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance from commonly known facts. Read all the conclusions and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follow from the given statements disregarding commonly known facts.
1. Statements:
All toys are dolls.
No fan is light.
All lights are toys.
Only a few lights are bright.
Conclusions:
1) Only dolls are light.
2) Only light is doll.
B. If conclusion 2 follows
C. Either conclusion 1 or conclusion 2 follows
D. Neither conclusion 1 nor conclusion 2 follows
E. Both the conclusions follow
Ans. A.
The least possible Venn diagram for the given statements is as follows:
Conclusions:
1. Only dolls are light → It means all light are dolls, which is true.
2. Only light is doll → It means all dolls are light, which is false.
So, only 1 follows.
5.Direction: In each of the questions below are given few statements followed by two conclusions. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance from commonly known facts. Read all the conclusions and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follow from the given statements disregarding commonly known facts.
1. Statements:
Only bananas are apples.
Only a few mangoes are apples.
All guavas are mangoes.
Conclusions:
1) Some guava being banana is a possibility.
2) All mango being banana is a possibility.
B. If conclusion 2 follows
C. Either conclusion 1 or conclusion 2 follows
D. Neither conclusion 1 nor conclusion 2 follows
E. Both the conclusions follow
Ans. E.
The least possible Venn diagram for the given statements is as follows:
Conclusions:
1. Some guava being banana is a possibility → It’s possible, hence true.
2. All mango being banana is a possibility → It’s possible, hence true.
So, both 1 and 2 follow.
This was all about the in-depth details of the new type based syllogism based questions along with 5 related questions.
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