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Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence
D265 Questions and Correct Answers/
Latest Update / Already Graded
Which sentence is a non-proposition?
- If the burglar did not go out the front door, they must have gone out a
window.
- The earth is the third planet from the sun.
- Where are the keys to my car?
- Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.
Ans: Where are the keys to my car?
Did the company really close that deal? It has had a great year. Where
is the president right now? Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.
In the above paragraph, which sentence expresses a proposition?
- Where is the president right now?
- Did the company really close that deal?
- Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
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- It has had a great year.
Ans: It has had a great year.
Propositions
Ans: Statements that can be true or false.
Non-propositions
Ans: Sentences that are not statements about matters of fact
(or fiction). They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
Which sentence expresses a complex proposition?
- Birthday parties can be really fun.
- The cat ate the food, but did not like it.
- Too many employees are used to high-stress work environments in
the United States.
- Why did the monkey escape, and who is responsible?
Ans: The cat ate the food, but did not like it.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
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If the computer is not fixed, then the company either needs to buy a
new one or will not be able to keep up productivity.
Which of the following breaks down the complex proposition above
into the simple propositions?
- If the computer is not fixed, then the company needs to buy a new
one. The company will not be able to keep up productivity.
- The computer is not fixed. The company needs to buy a new
computer. The company will not be able to keep up productivity.
- The computer is not fixed. The company either needs to buy a new
one or will not be able to keep up productivity.
- The company does not have enough computers.
Ans: The computer is not fixed. The company needs to buy a
new computer. The company will not be able to keep up
productivity.
Simple propositions
Ans: Simple propositions have no internal logical structure,
meaning whether they are true or false does not depend on
whether part of them is true or false. They are simply true or
false on their own.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
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Complex propositions
Ans: Complex propositions have internal logical structure,
meaning they are composed of simple propositions. Whether
they are true or false depends on whether their parts are true or
false.
If the new employee wants to succeed, then they need to show up on
time. How many times have we heard the manager complain about
tardiness? Nobody likes a 7 a.m. start time, but it was in the job
description. We should remind the new employee how important this
is.
Which is a simple proposition that is expressed in the above
paragraph?
- The new employee wants to succeed.
- How many times have we heard the manager complain about
tardiness?
- The employees look out for each other.
- If the new employee wants to succeed, then they need to show up on
time.
Ans: The new employee wants to succeed.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence
D265 Questions and Correct Answers/
Latest Update / Already Graded
Which sentence is a non-proposition?
- If the burglar did not go out the front door, they must have gone out a
window.
- The earth is the third planet from the sun.
- Where are the keys to my car?
- Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.
Ans: Where are the keys to my car?
Did the company really close that deal? It has had a great year. Where
is the president right now? Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.
In the above paragraph, which sentence expresses a proposition?
- Where is the president right now?
- Did the company really close that deal?
- Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |2
- It has had a great year.
Ans: It has had a great year.
Propositions
Ans: Statements that can be true or false.
Non-propositions
Ans: Sentences that are not statements about matters of fact
(or fiction). They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
Which sentence expresses a complex proposition?
- Birthday parties can be really fun.
- The cat ate the food, but did not like it.
- Too many employees are used to high-stress work environments in
the United States.
- Why did the monkey escape, and who is responsible?
Ans: The cat ate the food, but did not like it.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |3
If the computer is not fixed, then the company either needs to buy a
new one or will not be able to keep up productivity.
Which of the following breaks down the complex proposition above
into the simple propositions?
- If the computer is not fixed, then the company needs to buy a new
one. The company will not be able to keep up productivity.
- The computer is not fixed. The company needs to buy a new
computer. The company will not be able to keep up productivity.
- The computer is not fixed. The company either needs to buy a new
one or will not be able to keep up productivity.
- The company does not have enough computers.
Ans: The computer is not fixed. The company needs to buy a
new computer. The company will not be able to keep up
productivity.
Simple propositions
Ans: Simple propositions have no internal logical structure,
meaning whether they are true or false does not depend on
whether part of them is true or false. They are simply true or
false on their own.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |4
Complex propositions
Ans: Complex propositions have internal logical structure,
meaning they are composed of simple propositions. Whether
they are true or false depends on whether their parts are true or
false.
If the new employee wants to succeed, then they need to show up on
time. How many times have we heard the manager complain about
tardiness? Nobody likes a 7 a.m. start time, but it was in the job
description. We should remind the new employee how important this
is.
Which is a simple proposition that is expressed in the above
paragraph?
- The new employee wants to succeed.
- How many times have we heard the manager complain about
tardiness?
- The employees look out for each other.
- If the new employee wants to succeed, then they need to show up on
time.
Ans: The new employee wants to succeed.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
