Reasoning

Statement and Assumption: Practice Questions with Answers

11 practice questions on Statement and Assumption, with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.

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1. Q.1

   Statement: "The school has decided to introduce a new online portal for submitting homework." Assumptions: I. Students have access to the internet and a device to use the portal. II. The current method of submitting homework has some drawback.

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   Answer: Both assumptions are valid

   Solution:

   1. I: An online portal is unusable without internet access and a device — the decision necessarily assumes students can get online. This is assumed.
   2. II: Deciding to introduce a new system in place of an existing one assumes there’s some reason for the change — otherwise the decision wouldn’t make sense. This is also assumed.

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2. Q.2

   Statement: "Keep off the grass." — a sign in a park. Assumptions: I. Some people might walk on the grass if not told not to. II. All visitors will obey the sign.

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   Answer: Only assumption I is valid

   Solution:

   1. I: A sign like this is put up precisely because there’s a real possibility people would otherwise walk on the grass. This is assumed.
   2. II: Putting up a sign doesn’t require assuming 100% compliance — signs exist because not everyone obeys by default, with or without one.

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3. Q.3

   Statement: "Admissions open for the new batch. Apply now!" — a coaching institute’s advertisement. Assumptions: I. Some people would be interested in applying. II. The new batch has already started.

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   Answer: Only assumption I is valid

   Solution:

   1. I: Advertisements only make sense if there’s a potential audience interested in what’s offered — without that, advertising would be pointless. This is assumed.
   2. II: "Admissions open" suggests the batch has NOT started yet, if anything — this isn’t assumed, and even contradicts the statement.

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4. Q.4

   Statement: "The company has decided to increase the price of its product from next month." Assumptions: I. Customers will stop buying the product due to the price increase. II. The company needs more profit to survive.

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   Answer: Neither assumption is valid

   Solution:

   1. I: Deciding to raise the price doesn’t assume customers will STOP buying — if anything, the opposite (that enough customers will keep buying) is what would make the decision sensible.
   2. II: The statement doesn’t require this specific reason — there could be many other reasons (rising costs, higher demand) for a price increase, so this isn’t a necessary assumption.

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5. Q.5

   Statement: "What time does the next train to Delhi leave?" — asked by a passenger at a railway inquiry counter. Assumptions: I. The person asked is likely to know the train timings. II. There is a next train to Delhi.

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   Answer: Both assumptions are valid

   Solution:

   1. I: Asking a specific question at an inquiry counter assumes that counter can plausibly answer it — that’s the whole reason to ask there.
   2. II: Asking "what time does the NEXT train leave" presupposes there is one — otherwise the question wouldn’t make sense in that form.

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6. Q.6

   Statement: "Buy our new smartphone, now available with a 2-year warranty." — an advertisement. Assumptions: I. Some customers value a longer warranty period. II. All customers will buy the smartphone because of the warranty.

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   Answer: Only assumption I is valid

   Solution:

   1. I: Highlighting the warranty as a selling point only makes sense if at least some buyers care about it. This is assumed.
   2. II: An advertisement doesn’t assume every single customer will buy — that’s a far stronger claim than the statement needs.

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7. Q.7

   Statement: "Mumbai is the financial capital of India." Assumptions: I. Some cities in India are not financial capitals. II. The speaker has visited Mumbai.

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   Answer: Only assumption I is valid

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8. Q.8

   Statement: "Please do not disturb. Meeting in progress." — a sign on a conference room door. Assumptions: I. Someone might otherwise enter and disturb the meeting. II. The meeting will continue for the rest of the day.

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   Answer: Only assumption I is valid

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9. Q.9

   Statement: "Please maintain silence in the library." — a notice. Assumptions: I. Some people might talk if not asked not to. II. The library is always completely silent.

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   Answer: Only assumption I is valid

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10. Q.10

    Statement: "All employees must submit their annual reports by Friday." Assumptions: I. Some employees have not yet submitted their reports. II. All employees are capable of completing their reports by Friday.

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    Answer: Only assumption II is valid

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11. Q.11

    Statement: "The company will give a 10% bonus to employees who complete the project before the deadline." Assumptions: I. Some employees are capable of completing the project before the deadline. II. All employees will try to finish early because of the bonus.

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    Answer: Only assumption I is valid

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