Reasoning: How to Solve Statement and Assumption - Identifying Implicit Assumptions

Introduction "Mastering Statement and Assumption questions can fetch you 10-15 marks in competitive exams, making it a must-know topic to crack the exam quickly and confidently."

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FIRST To solve Statement and Assumption questions, you need to know the following basic concepts:

1. Understanding the question type: Statement and Assumption questions test your ability to identify the underlying assumption in a given statement.
2. Identifying the assumption: An assumption is a statement that is not explicitly mentioned but is implied in the given statement.
3. Analyzing the statement: Break down the statement into its components and identify the underlying assumption.

CRYSTAL‑CLEAR METHOD (Step‑by‑Step) To solve Statement and Assumption questions, follow these steps:

1. Read the statement carefully: Read the statement slowly and carefully to understand what it says.
2. Identify the main idea: Identify the main idea or the central theme of the statement.
3. Look for the assumption: Look for the underlying assumption in the statement. Ask yourself, "What is the statement implying?"
4. Check for the assumption: Check if the assumption is implicit in the statement. If it is, then the assumption is correct.
5. Evaluate the assumption: Evaluate the assumption to see if it is reasonable or not.

WORKED EXAMPLES

Example 1 – Easy Statement: "The new policy will increase the production of goods." Assumption: "The new policy will lead to an increase in demand for goods."

Step-by-step reasoning:

1. Read the statement carefully: The statement says that the new policy will increase the production of goods.
2. Identify the main idea: The main idea of the statement is that the new policy will increase production.
3. Look for the assumption: The statement implies that the new policy will lead to an increase in demand for goods.
4. Check for the assumption: The assumption is implicit in the statement.
5. Evaluate the assumption: The assumption is reasonable because if the new policy increases production, it is likely to lead to an increase in demand for goods.

What we learned: To solve easy Statement and Assumption questions, look for the main idea of the statement and identify the underlying assumption.

Example 2 – Medium Statement: "The company will invest in new technology to increase its market share." Assumption: "The new technology will lead to an increase in sales."

Step-by-step reasoning:

1. Read the statement carefully: The statement says that the company will invest in new technology to increase its market share.
2. Identify the main idea: The main idea of the statement is that the company will invest in new technology.
3. Look for the assumption: The statement implies that the new technology will lead to an increase in sales.
4. Check for the assumption: The assumption is implicit in the statement.
5. Evaluate the assumption: The assumption is reasonable because if the new technology leads to an increase in sales, it is likely to lead to an increase in market share.

What we learned: To solve medium Statement and Assumption questions, look for the main idea of the statement and identify the underlying assumption, and then evaluate the assumption to see if it is reasonable.

Example 3 – Exam‑Style Statement: "The government will increase the tax on luxury goods to reduce the budget deficit." Assumption: "The increase in tax will lead to a reduction in the consumption of luxury goods."

Step-by-step reasoning:

1. Read the statement carefully: The statement says that the government will increase the tax on luxury goods to reduce the budget deficit.
2. Identify the main idea: The main idea of the statement is that the government will increase the tax on luxury goods.
3. Look for the assumption: The statement implies that the increase in tax will lead to a reduction in the consumption of luxury goods.
4. Check for the assumption: The assumption is implicit in the statement.
5. Evaluate the assumption: The assumption is reasonable because if the increase in tax leads to a reduction in consumption, it is likely to lead to a reduction in the budget deficit.

What we learned: To solve exam-style Statement and Assumption questions, read the statement carefully, identify the main idea, look for the assumption, check for the assumption, and evaluate the assumption to see if it is reasonable.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE → WHY IT HAPPENS → CORRECT APPROACH

1. MISTAKE: Assuming the statement is true: WHY IT HAPPENS: You may assume the statement is true without evaluating the assumption. CORRECT APPROACH: Evaluate the assumption to see if it is reasonable.
2. MISTAKE: Not identifying the assumption: WHY IT HAPPENS: You may not identify the assumption in the statement. CORRECT APPROACH: Look for the underlying assumption in the statement.
3. MISTAKE: Assuming the assumption is correct: WHY IT HAPPENS: You may assume the assumption is correct without evaluating it. CORRECT APPROACH: Evaluate the assumption to see if it is reasonable.
4. MISTAKE: Not evaluating the assumption: WHY IT HAPPENS: You may not evaluate the assumption to see if it is reasonable. CORRECT APPROACH: Evaluate the assumption to see if it is reasonable.
5. MISTAKE: Not considering alternative assumptions: WHY IT HAPPENS: You may not consider alternative assumptions. CORRECT APPROACH: Consider alternative assumptions and evaluate them to see if they are reasonable.

EXAM TRAPS

Trap → How to Spot it → How to Avoid it

1. Trap: The statement is ambiguous: How to Spot it: The statement is unclear or ambiguous. How to Avoid it: Read the statement carefully and identify the main idea.
2. Trap: The assumption is not implicit: How to Spot it: The assumption is not implicit in the statement. How to Avoid it: Look for the underlying assumption in the statement.
3. Trap: The assumption is not reasonable: How to Spot it: The assumption is not reasonable. How to Avoid it: Evaluate the assumption to see if it is reasonable.

TIME‑SAVING SHORTCUTS

1. Elimination trick: Eliminate options that do not have an assumption.
2. Diagram hack: Draw a diagram to visualize the statement and identify the assumption.
3. Assumption mapping: Map the assumption to the statement to identify the underlying assumption.
4. Reasoning shortcut: Use a shortcut to evaluate the assumption, such as "If A, then B" or "A implies B".

1‑MINUTE RECAP "Alright, let's recap. To solve Statement and Assumption questions, read the statement carefully, identify the main idea, look for the assumption, check for the assumption, and evaluate the assumption to see if it is reasonable. Don't assume the statement is true, don't assume the assumption is correct, and don't consider alternative assumptions. Watch out for exam traps like ambiguous statements, non-implicit assumptions, and unreasonable assumptions. Use time-saving shortcuts like elimination tricks, diagram hacks, assumption mapping, and reasoning shortcuts. Remember, practice makes perfect, so practice solving Statement and Assumption questions to master this topic. Good luck on your exam!