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Question:

Directions: Each question has a set of four statements. Each statement has three segments. Choose the alternative where the third segment in the statement can be logically deduced using both the preceding two, but not just from one of them.

A. MD is an actor. Some actors are pretty. MD is pretty.
B. Some men are cops. All cops are brave. Some brave people are cops.
C. All cops are brave. Some men are cops. Some men are brave.
D. All actors are pretty ; MD is not an actor ; MD is not pretty.

Explanation:

(b) C is the only correct answer choice.
Statement A is invalid.
MD need not necessarily be among the some actors who are pretty.
Statement B is invalid, as the third segment is not a conclusion logically deduced using both the first and second segments. In fact, the conclusion can directly be deduced from the second segment alone. Another way to check for this error is to see whether the middle term ‘Cops’, that appears in the premises also appears in the conclusion. Here, ‘Cops’ appears in all three segments and option (b) is therefore, not a valid syllogism.
Statement C is valid. Those ‘Some men’, who are cops are also brave people (shaded portion).

BP = Brave people
C = Cops
M = Men
C is a subset of BP
Some M is C.
Therefore, those M that are C, are also BP.
Statement D is invalid, MS may still be pretty without being an actor.

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