Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: None of these
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This verbal reasoning problem checks your command of categorical logic with “some” statements. When premises use qualifiers like some, you must be careful not to over infer intersections that are not guaranteed. The task is to decide which, if any, of the proposed conclusions must be true based only on the given statements.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
In set logic, “some A are B” only asserts a nonempty overlap between A and B. Two separate some statements that share a middle term (for example tapes–discs and discs–cassettes) do not force an overlap between the outer classes (tapes and cassettes). Chains of some statements cannot be freely transitive without extra data. A conclusion follows only if it holds in every model consistent with the premises.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
Draw Venn diagrams or pick concrete elements: let D1 overlap T (tapes) but not C (cassettes), let D2 overlap C but not T, and let S overlap a subset of C disjoint from D2. All premises remain true while I–IV can all be false. This proves none of the conclusions is forced.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Assuming transitivity for some; believing that three some links guarantee end-to-end overlap; treating absence of information as evidence of exclusion.
Final Answer:
None of these
Discussion & Comments