Logical Reasoning Tests

What are logical reasoning tests?

Logical reasoning tests use patterns, sequences and shapes to test a person’s logical ability. They can be broken down into 3 areas:

• • Deductive reasoning
• • Inductive reasoning
• • Abstract reasoning

What is deductive reasoning?

Deductive reasoning, often referred to as top-down logic, proceeds from general premises to a specific conclusion. These conclusions are always mathematically certain. Below is a famous example of deductive reasoning, by the Greek philosopher Aristotle:

All men are mortal

**Socrates is a man **

Therefore, Socrates is mortal

In this example, the premises of the argument – that all men are mortal and that Socrates is a man – are evidently true. Because the premises establish that Socrates is an individual in a group whose members are all mortal, the inescapable conclusion is that Socrates must likewise be mortal.

What is inductive reasoning?

Inductive reasoning, often referred to as bottom-up logic, proceeds from specific premises to a general conclusion. It is often used in applications that involve prediction, forecasting or behaviour. Below is example of inductive reasoning:

Every tornado I have ever seen in the United States rotated clockwise, and I have seen dozens of them

We see a tornado in the distance, and we are in the United States

I conclude, that the tornado we see right now must be rotating clockwise

In this instance, a meteorologist will tell you that in the United States (which lies in the northern hemisphere), most tornadoes rotate counter clockwise, but not all of them do. Therefore, the conclusion is probably true, but not necessarily so. With inductive reasoning, imperfection can exist. Inaccurate conclusions can occur and this is what can make them challenging.

What is abductive reasoning?

Abductive reasoning starts with an observation, or set of observations then seeks to find the simplest and most likely explanation for this. This process will help you to find a plausible conclusion, but does not positively verify it. These conclusions are, therefore, qualified as having an element of doubt or uncertainty. For example:

When it rains, the grass gets wet

Right now, the grass is wet

Therefore, it might have rained

This type of reasoning is often used in the scientific field, to develop a hypothesis that may or may not be accurate. It is the most difficult of the three, due to its ambiguous nature. In the above example, given the conditions and the rules, it is most likely that the grass is wet due to the rain. However, it may also be due to a random factor that the condition hasn’t been accounted for.