CLAT UG Logical Reasoning Syllabus

What is the standard test to decide if a statement is a valid assumption?

Use the negation test: negate the assumption; if negating it makes the argument fall apart (the conclusion no longer holds), it is a valid (necessary) assumption.

In 'Statement and Conclusion' questions, when does a conclusion validly follow?

A conclusion follows only if it can be logically derived directly from the information in the statement, without adding outside knowledge or assumptions.

What is the difference between an 'implicit' assumption and explicit information?

Explicit information is directly stated in the passage; an implicit assumption is the unstated belief the author must hold for the argument to make sense.

Define an 'argument' in critical/logical reasoning.

An argument is a set of statements where one or more premises are offered as reasons to support a conclusion (claim).

What distinguishes a 'strong' argument from a 'weak' argument?

A strong argument is directly related to the question, addresses the real issue, and is logically persuasive; a weak argument is irrelevant, trivial, ambiguous, or based on individual perception.

In argument evaluation, what does it mean to 'weaken' an argument?

To weaken an argument is to introduce information that attacks its assumption, breaks the premise-conclusion link, or provides an alternative explanation, reducing the conclusion's support.

In argument evaluation, what does it mean to 'strengthen' an argument?

To strengthen an argument is to add information that confirms its assumption or reinforces the link between premise and conclusion, making the conclusion more likely.

What is the difference between a 'premise' and a 'conclusion' in an argument?

A premise is a reason or evidence offered as support; the conclusion is the main claim that the premises are meant to justify.

Name two common logical fallacies tested in argument questions.

Common fallacies include ad hominem (attacking the person not the argument), circular reasoning (begging the question), false cause (correlation mistaken for causation), and hasty generalization.

Define 'inference' in logical reasoning.

An inference is a conclusion drawn from given facts that is not explicitly stated but is almost certainly true based on the available information.

How does an inference differ from a stated conclusion?

A stated conclusion is the author's explicit claim; an inference is the reader's logical extension of the facts that the author did not state but which the facts strongly imply.

In 'Statement and Inference' questions, what makes an inference 'definitely true'?

An inference is definitely true when it must hold given the facts in the statement, with no possibility of being false under those facts.

What is the difference between an inference and an assumption?

An inference is derived AFTER the statement (what follows from it); an assumption comes BEFORE the conclusion (what is taken for granted to reach it).

In seating arrangement problems, what is a 'linear arrangement'?

A linear arrangement places people/objects in a single straight row or line, facing one direction (or specified directions), with positions defined as left/right.

In a 'circular arrangement' where everyone faces the centre, how are left and right oriented?

When all face the centre, a person's left is the clockwise direction and their right is the anticlockwise direction (mirror of normal).

In a circular arrangement where everyone faces outward, how are left and right oriented?

When all face outward, a person's left is anticlockwise and right is clockwise.

In seating problems, what does 'between' (immediate) vs 'somewhere between' mean?

'Immediately between' means directly adjacent on both sides with no one in between; 'somewhere between' allows one or more people in between.

How many arrangements are possible for n distinct people around a circular table (rotations identical)?

(n - 1)! arrangements, because rotations of the same order are counted as one.

In blood relations, who is your 'paternal' vs 'maternal' relative?

Paternal relatives are on your father's side (e.g., father's brother = paternal uncle); maternal relatives are on your mother's side (e.g., mother's brother = maternal uncle).

In blood relations, what is your father's sister and your mother's brother called?

Father's sister = paternal aunt; mother's brother = maternal uncle.

In blood relations, define 'first cousin' and 'sibling.'

A first cousin is the child of your uncle or aunt; a sibling is your own brother or sister (sharing the same parents).

In coded blood relation puzzles, what do '+' (or 'A + B means A is father of B') style notations require you to track?

They require tracking both the relationship type and the gender/direction (who is whose parent/child/spouse) defined by each symbol to build the family tree.

What relation is 'the only daughter of my mother's father' to me?

My mother's father is my maternal grandfather; his only daughter is my mother.

What relation is 'my father's son' (other than yourself) to you?

Your father's son, if not you, is your brother.

In direction sense, what are the four cardinal and four ordinal directions?

Cardinal: North, South, East, West. Ordinal (inter-cardinal): North-East, North-West, South-East, South-West.

In direction problems, if you face North and turn 90 degrees clockwise (right), which direction do you face?

You face East.

In direction sense, what does turning 'anticlockwise' (left) by 90 degrees from facing East give?

Facing East and turning left (anticlockwise) 90 degrees makes you face North.

Which formula gives the shortest (straight-line) distance between start and end points in a direction puzzle?

The Pythagorean theorem: shortest distance = √(horizontal displacement² + vertical displacement²).

In direction sense, how do you find net displacement when someone walks in opposite directions (e.g., 5 km East then 3 km West)?

Subtract distances along the same axis: net = 5 − 3 = 2 km East.

At sunrise, if your shadow falls to your right, which direction are you facing?

At sunrise the sun is in the East, so shadows fall West. If the shadow is to your right, your right is West, meaning you face South.