Introduction / Context:
This item tests whether two pairwise comparisons force a third comparison. We compare travel modes by relative speed (quicker means higher speed/less time). We must check whether “train vs. car” is determined from the two given premises.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Train quicker than bus.
- Bus slower than car (equivalently, car quicker than bus).
- No explicit comparison between train and car is given.
- Conditions (traffic, routes) are assumed constant within each premise but not across modes unless stated.
Concept / Approach:
- From A > B and C > B, nothing follows about A vs. C. Either A > C, A = C, or C > A could hold.
- Therefore, the claim cannot be deduced.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Let speeds be numeric: bus = 10 units.Choose train = 12 (train quicker than bus) and car = 14 (car quicker than bus). Then train quicker than car is false.Alternatively, if car = 11 and train = 15, then the claim is true. Both scenarios satisfy the premises, so the claim is indeterminate.
Verification / Alternative check:
Graphically: both train and car lie to the right of bus on a speed line, but their mutual order is unspecified.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
true / false: Each can be consistent with the premises; neither is forced.both true and false: A single world cannot have contradictory comparisons; uncertainty reflects multiple possible worlds.
Common Pitfalls:
Assuming transitivity incorrectly from “better than bus” for both modes. Transitivity needs a chain A > B > C to infer A > C, which we do not have here.
Final Answer:
uncertain
Discussion & Comments