Important Formulas: Statements and Assumptions | SSC CGL Tier 2 - Study Material, Online Tests, Previous Year PDF Download

Definition

Problems involving Statements and Assumptions are designed to assess an individual's capacity to make logical inferences from given statements or arguments. They also evaluate the strengths and weaknesses inherent in these statements. Prior to delving into these problems, it is crucial to recognize that they may present challenges that diverge from students' expectations in real-world scenarios.

Statement and Assumption: Concept

The concept of "Statement and Assumption" falls under the category of logical reasoning problems, involving the assessment of implicit assumptions within a given statement.

• An assumption refers to an unexpressed belief or condition that must be accepted as true for the statement to be deemed valid or logical.
• This concept is frequently applied in aptitude tests, competitive exams, and interviews as a means to gauge an individual's critical thinking skills and their capability to identify underlying assumptions.

What is the difference between a sentence and a statement

In the context of logic and communication, “Sentence” and “Statement” are related terms, but they have distinct meanings:

• Sentence: A sentence is a grammatical construction that consists of words and phrases conveying a complete thought. It's the basic unit of written or spoken language.
• Statement: A statement is a type of sentence that presents a claim or assertion that can be true or false. It conveys information or a viewpoint.

Formula for Statement and Assumptions Example

Eating lot of pizza makes Raju healthy.
Raju has healthy life.
Raju eats pizza a lot.
This argument goes against the knowledge that eating lot of pizza leads to unhealthy habits, but within the limits of logical reasoning, this is a valid argument. In logical reasoning problems question may be asked related to Statements, Premises, Assumptions and Conclusion.

1. Statement: A true or false opinion states a statement. In other words statement is a meaningful opinion that is either true or false.

2. Assumption: An assumption is an unsaid creation which gives backbone to the conclusion. Both creation and assumption are indisputable facts but creation is not clearly mentioned and hence assumption needs to be read carefully. Rather assumption is usually taken for granted in the setting of a statement.
In other words any unseen part of the statement is known as an assumption. This is basically the hidden part of the statement which is assumed and taken for granted or Things which are not clearly stated in the statement, but is a part of it. Under these problems if something is said by author, that doesn’t mean it is written clearly. Lot of unsaid things are there which are not mentioned in the statement. The things which are not mentioned are taken for granted, and can be defined as an assumption.
For Example: ‘All M.B.A students are happy when they get latest gadgets. Rishi will be excited when he will receive the latest tablet.’ In this, the assumption is that Rishi is a M.B.A student. Without assuming this, no sense will be there in the argument.

3. Statement- Assumption Formulas: Within the realm of logical reasoning problems, inquiries often revolve around statements and assumptions. A typical format involves presenting a statement accompanied by a set of assumptions. These assumptions, though implicit and not explicitly articulated, require scrutiny as they are subtly embedded in the context.

For Example: Statement– A large wholesale store was attacked by mobile hawkers in Mumbai.
Assumptions–
i. The store has affected the income of local mobile vendors.
ii. The store is constructed in populous parts.
Consider the statement and decide which of the given assumption is implicit?
The correct answer will be the first assumption, because the store is surely affecting the living of local mobile vendors, which is the reason of attack. Assumption second is irrelevant because no discussion is made about the location of the store.

Examples

Example 1: Statement: Sales of ice cream increase in summer.
Assumptions:
I. People like to eat more ice cream in summer.
II. Increasing Temperature affects ice cream sales.
(a) Assumption I is implicit
(b) Assumption II is implicit
(c) Both assumptions are implicit
(d) None of them are Implicit.
Ans: (c)
The statement suggests that ice cream sales increase in summer, which implies that people tend to eat more ice cream in summer, as suggested in assumption (I). Additionally, the statement indicates that temperature affects ice cream sales, which supports assumption (II).

Example 2: Statement: Smoking causes lung cancer.
Assumptions:
I. Smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer.
II. Lung cancer is caused by factors other than smoking.
(a) Assumption I is implicit
(b) Assumption II is implicit
(c) Both assumptions are implicit
(d) None of them are Implicit.
Ans: (a)
Assumption (A) is implicit, as the statement suggests that smoking is a major cause of lung cancer, which is true fact.
However, assumption (B) is not implicit, as the statement does not suggest that other factors cannot cause lung cancer.

Example 3: Statement: “All politicians are corrupt.”
Assumption I: Corruption is a common trait among politicians.
Assumption II: No politician is free from corruption.
(a) Assumption I is correct
(b) Assumption II is correct
(c) Both Assumptions are Considered.
(d) Both Assumptions can’t be considered
Ans: (d)
The statement is a sweeping generalization that assumes all politicians are corrupt. However, this is not true as there are many politicians who are honest and work for the welfare of their constituents.

Example 4: Statement: “The government should provide free healthcare for all citizens.”
Assumption I: Healthcare is a basic right that should be accessible to all citizens.
Assumption II: The government has the means to provide free healthcare to all citizens.
(a) Assumption I is valid
(b) Assumption II is valid
(c) Assumption I & II are Acceptable.
(d) None of them are Acceptible.
Ans: (d)
The statement is based on the assumption that the government should provide free healthcare for all citizens. However, whether or not the government has the means to do so, or whether it is the government’s responsibility to provide such a service, is a matter of political debate. But providing free medical facilities to all the citizen may get costly and non – feasible for the government.

Example 5: Statement: All dogs are loyal.
Assumptions:
I. Dogs are capable of loyalty.
II. All dogs possess the trait of loyalty.
(a) Option I is correct.
(b) Option II is correct
(c) Either I or II is correct
(d) Both are correct
Ans: (d)
The statement claims that all dogs are loyal, which implies that the trait of loyalty is inherent in dogs. Thus, assumption (A) is implicit. Moreover, the statement’s claim that all dogs are loyal also implies that every dog must have the trait of loyalty. Thus, assumption (B) is implicit as well.