Count letters, not merely presence

To decide whether a word can be formed from another, count each letter's available frequency. A source containing one E cannot make a candidate with two Es. Write a short tally only for repeated letters; unique letters are checked by presence. The rule usually ignores order unless the stem says otherwise. Do not permit a letter that merely sounds similar or a plural suffix not in the source.

Claims and evidence

Critical-reasoning questions ask whether a conclusion follows, what assumption is required, or which fact strengthens or weakens a claim. First find the conclusion; then identify the evidence offered for it. An assumption is a missing bridge between evidence and conclusion. A strengthener supports that bridge; a weakener offers a reason the conclusion may fail even if the evidence is true. Neither side issue nor repeated claim is a good answer.

A worked argument

“After a town added streetlights, nighttime accidents fell. Therefore the lights caused the fall.” The evidence is the before-and-after change; the conclusion is a causal claim. A competing change, such as a new speed limit at the same time, weakens it. Comparable towns with unchanged roads but no fall in accidents would strengthen it. The argument assumes no other major factor explains the change. You are not deciding whether streetlights are good; you are testing the specific inference.

Efficient elimination

For letter questions, eliminate any option containing a missing letter, then check counts. For reasoning arguments, eliminate answers that are true but irrelevant to the causal or logical gap. Pay close attention to “must”, “may”, “all” and “some”; a stronger claim needs stronger evidence. In review, write the conclusion in one line and state why each rejected option does not affect it. This makes argument questions less dependent on intuition.

Practice — 50 questions

Attempt every item before reading the answers below. Figure questions require the printed or on-screen diagram.

1. Using only the letters of the word "DIAMOND" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CAN be formed: LATE, RATION, MAN, SMILE?

A. LATE B. RATION C. MAN D. SMILE

2. Using only the letters of the word "CAPTAIN" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CAN be formed: CAN, CRANE, DANCE, TIGER?

A. CAN B. CRANE C. DANCE D. TIGER

3. Using only the letters of the word "CHAPTER" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CAN be formed: SMILE, TIGER, GARDEN, RAT?

A. SMILE B. TIGER C. GARDEN D. RAT

4. Using only the letters of the word "HARVEST" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: RAT, TAR, CABLE, ART?

A. RAT B. TAR C. CABLE D. ART

5. Using only the letters of the word "DIAMOND" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CAN be formed: IDEA, TABLE, LEMON, MAN?

A. IDEA B. TABLE C. LEMON D. MAN

6. Using only the letters of the word "MACHINE" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CAN be formed: STATION, MAN, RATION, CAR?

A. STATION B. MAN C. RATION D. CAR

7. Using only the letters of the word "STRAIGHT" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: RAT, ART, DANCE, TAR?

A. RAT B. ART C. DANCE D. TAR

8. Using only the letters of the word "AIRPORT" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CAN be formed: RAT, GARDEN, TRAIN, RADIO?

A. RAT B. GARDEN C. TRAIN D. RADIO

9. Using only the letters of the word "IMPORTANT" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: NATION, MAN, TAR, TRAIN?

A. NATION B. MAN C. TAR D. TRAIN

10. Using only the letters of the word "IMPORTANT" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: TRAIN, MAT, NATION, RAN?

A. TRAIN B. MAT C. NATION D. RAN

11. Using only the letters of the word "EDUCATION" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: CAT, NATION, ATE, NOTE?

A. CAT B. NATION C. ATE D. NOTE

12. Using only the letters of the word "EDUCATION" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: NET, NATION, TEN, NOTE?

A. NET B. NATION C. TEN D. NOTE

13. Using only the letters of the word "EDUCATION" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: CAT, NATION, EAT, NET?

A. CAT B. NATION C. EAT D. NET

14. Using only the letters of the word "IMPORTANT" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: MAN, TAR, MAT, NATION?

A. MAN B. TAR C. MAT D. NATION

15. Using only the letters of the word "EDUCATION" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: TEA, NET, NATION, CAN?

A. TEA B. NET C. NATION D. CAN

16. Using only the letters of the word "EDUCATION" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: NATION, EAT, AUDIO, CAT?

A. NATION B. EAT C. AUDIO D. CAT

17. Using only the letters of the word "IMPORTANT" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: RATION, NATION, MAT, TRAIN?

A. RATION B. NATION C. MAT D. TRAIN

18. Using only the letters of the word "IMPORTANT" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: NATION, RAN, ART, RATION?

A. NATION B. RAN C. ART D. RATION

19. Using only the letters of the word "EDUCATION" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: EAT, TEN, NATION, ATE?

A. EAT B. TEN C. NATION D. ATE

20. Using only the letters of the word "EDUCATION" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: IDEA, NATION, CAN, NOTE?

A. IDEA B. NATION C. CAN D. NOTE

21. Using only the letters of the word "EDUCATION" (each letter no more times than it appears there), which of the following words CANNOT be formed: NATION, DANCE, NOTE, ATE?

A. NATION B. DANCE C. NOTE D. ATE

22. Using only the letters of the word "INSTRUMENT" (each letter no more times than it appears there), how many of the following words CAN be formed: TONE, SHINE, GRAIN, CABLE?

A. 0 B. 2 C. 4 D. 3

23. Using only the letters of the word "CERTIFICATE" (each letter no more times than it appears there), how many of the following words CAN be formed: RAT, IDEA, MAT, STONE?

A. 2 B. 0 C. 3 D. 1

24. Using only the letters of the word "ENVIRONMENT" (each letter no more times than it appears there), how many of the following words CAN be formed: TEN, SHINE, HONEY, SUGAR?

A. 1 B. 3 C. 0 D. 2

25. Using only the letters of the word "ATMOSPHERE" (each letter no more times than it appears there), how many of the following words CAN be formed: CAN, MENTAL, LATE, TRAIN?

A. 0 B. 2 C. 1 D. 4

26. Ranchi's transport authority plans to increase bus frequency on a busy route by 19%, expecting this alone to raise ridership significantly enough to make the additional buses financially worthwhile. The plan assumes something about current demand on that route.
Which of the following is a necessary assumption for the argument above to hold?

A. A significant number of potential riders on that route are currently avoiding the bus specifically because of long waiting times, not for other reasons like cost or route coverage. B. The transport authority operates buses on over fifty routes citywide. C. The route passes through several major markets in the city. D. Bus fares on this route have not changed in the last two years.

27. A researcher studying Coimbatore noted that in months when ice cream sales rose by 33% or more, drowning incidents at the city's lake also rose sharply, and concluded that eating more ice cream somehow makes people more likely to drown.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The lake has lifeguards stationed at two points along its shore. B. The city's lake was built as a reservoir several decades ago. C. Ice cream is sold at several stalls near the lake. D. Both ice cream sales and lake visits rise sharply during the hot summer months, when more people also swim and are at risk of drowning.

28. A museum in Guwahati cut its entry fee, and visitor numbers rose by 19% over the following three months. The museum director concluded that the fee cut alone was responsible for the rise in visitors.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The museum is open six days a week. B. The same three months included the winter school holidays, when museum visits by families and school groups typically rise across the city regardless of pricing. C. The fee cut was announced through local newspaper advertisements. D. The museum features exhibits on the region's history and culture.

29. A public park in Guwahati was redesigned with better lighting, benches, and walking paths, and the number of daily visitors rose by 15% over the following six months compared with the same period the previous year. Officials concluded that the redesign caused the rise in visitors.
Which of the following, if true, would most STRENGTHEN the argument above?

A. The park redesign took about four months to complete. B. The park has a small pond in its centre. C. No other nearby park or public space saw a similar rise in visitors during the same period, and the surrounding neighbourhood's population did not change significantly. D. The redesign was funded partly through a corporate social responsibility grant.

30. An office in Ranchi switched its cafeteria to a healthier menu, and over the next quarter, employee productivity scores rose by 19%. The management concluded that the healthier menu improved employee productivity.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. Several employees said they enjoyed the taste of the new menu. B. The new menu was slightly more expensive to prepare than the old one. C. The same quarter also saw the company roll out new project-management software that was independently linked to higher output across other offices too. D. The cafeteria is located on the ground floor of the office building.

31. A company in Lucknow plans to let 28% of its staff work permanently from home and downsize its office space accordingly, expecting this to cut its annual rent significantly without harming operations. The plan assumes something about how the remaining office space will be used.
Which of the following is a necessary assumption for the argument above to hold?

A. Employees generally prefer offices with more natural light. B. Rent in the area has risen steadily over the past few years. C. The company's current office building was constructed within the last ten years. D. The remaining smaller office space will still be enough to accommodate the staff who need to come in on any given day without serious crowding.

32. A company in Pune plans to let 40% of its staff work permanently from home and downsize its office space accordingly, expecting this to cut its annual rent significantly without harming operations. The plan assumes something about how the remaining office space will be used.
Which of the following is a necessary assumption for the argument above to hold?

A. Employees generally prefer offices with more natural light. B. Rent in the area has risen steadily over the past few years. C. The remaining smaller office space will still be enough to accommodate the staff who need to come in on any given day without serious crowding. D. The company's current office building was constructed within the last ten years.

33. A researcher studying Lucknow noted that in months when ice cream sales rose by 28% or more, drowning incidents at the city's lake also rose sharply, and concluded that eating more ice cream somehow makes people more likely to drown.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The city's lake was built as a reservoir several decades ago. B. Ice cream is sold at several stalls near the lake. C. Both ice cream sales and lake visits rise sharply during the hot summer months, when more people also swim and are at risk of drowning. D. The lake has lifeguards stationed at two points along its shore.

34. Health officials in Pune ran an intensive vaccination drive against a seasonal disease, and cases fell by 33% over the following year. Officials credited the vaccination drive entirely for the decline.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The disease has been present in the region for many years. B. The same year saw an unusually dry season that also reduced the mosquito population responsible for spreading the disease. C. The vaccination drive was conducted at government health centres free of cost. D. Officials plan to run a similar drive again next year.

35. A coaching centre in Lucknow advertises that 19% of its enrolled students clear a competitive exam, and claims this proves its teaching method is highly effective. However, the centre only admits students who have already scored in the top percentile on its own entrance test.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The centre's fees are higher than those of some other local coaching centres. B. The exam in question is held once a year across the country. C. Since the centre only admits already high-scoring students, a similarly high pass rate might have occurred even without its specific teaching method. D. The coaching centre has branches in several other cities as well.

36. A company put up a large billboard advertisement for its new snack product on a highway near Coimbatore, and sales of the product in the region rose by 33% over the next two months. The company concluded the billboard caused the rise in sales.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The billboard used bright colours that were visible from a distance. B. The company has advertised on billboards in other cities before. C. The highway carries a large volume of daily traffic. D. During the same two months, the product was also given prominent shelf placement in most stores in the region as part of an unrelated distributor deal.

37. A company in Indore raised pay for its night-shift staff by 33%, and resignations among that group fell sharply over the next six months. Management concluded the pay hike alone caused the drop in resignations.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The company has offered night shifts for over ten years. B. The pay hike was announced in a company-wide email. C. The same six months also saw the company introduce a free late-night shuttle service for night-shift staff, addressing a commuting concern many had raised. D. Night-shift staff make up about a quarter of the company's total workforce.

38. A factory near Lucknow automated part of its assembly line, and workplace injury reports fell by 15% over the next year. Management concluded that automation made the factory safer.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The same year, the factory also introduced a new safety-training programme and stricter protective-gear enforcement across all sections, not just the automated one. B. The factory produces goods for both domestic and export markets. C. The automated equipment was imported from a manufacturer in another state. D. Workers received a small bonus for completing safety training.

39. A school in Indore gave a randomly selected half of its tenth-grade students access to an app-based maths tutor, while the other, similarly-performing half continued with the usual routine. After one term, the app-using group's average maths score was 40% higher than the control group's. The school concluded the app improved maths performance.
Which of the following, if true, would most STRENGTHEN the argument above?

A. The app was developed by a well-known education technology company. B. Both groups had similar average maths scores before the trial began, and no other change was made to either group's routine during the term. C. The school has been using various apps for different subjects for years. D. Some students found the app's interface colourful and engaging.

40. An office in Ranchi switched its cafeteria to a healthier menu, and over the next quarter, employee productivity scores rose by 33%. The management concluded that the healthier menu improved employee productivity.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The same quarter also saw the company roll out new project-management software that was independently linked to higher output across other offices too. B. Several employees said they enjoyed the taste of the new menu. C. The new menu was slightly more expensive to prepare than the old one. D. The cafeteria is located on the ground floor of the office building.

41. A restaurant in Indore started actively encouraging customers to leave online reviews, and over the next three months its average rating rose along with a 24% increase in weekend bookings. The owner concluded that the higher ratings directly drove the increase in bookings.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. Online reviews typically include a written comment along with a star rating. B. The same three months coincided with a large local festival that significantly increased footfall at all restaurants in the area, regardless of rating. C. The restaurant has been operating in the same location for five years. D. The restaurant added two new items to its menu during this period.

42. Guwahati's transport authority plans to increase bus frequency on a busy route by 40%, expecting this alone to raise ridership significantly enough to make the additional buses financially worthwhile. The plan assumes something about current demand on that route.
Which of the following is a necessary assumption for the argument above to hold?

A. A significant number of potential riders on that route are currently avoiding the bus specifically because of long waiting times, not for other reasons like cost or route coverage. B. The transport authority operates buses on over fifty routes citywide. C. Bus fares on this route have not changed in the last two years. D. The route passes through several major markets in the city.

43. Indore introduced a strict new traffic law last year, and road accidents in the city fell by 28% over the following twelve months. Therefore, the new traffic law caused the drop in accidents.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The traffic law was passed after a public consultation process. B. Road accidents tend to be under-reported in most cities. C. Several nearby cities that did not introduce any new traffic law saw a similar drop in accidents over the same period. D. The city's police department received new vehicles last year.

44. Authorities in Coimbatore plan to raise the toll on a congested bridge by 19%, arguing this will reduce daily traffic volume on the bridge to manageable levels. The plan assumes something about how drivers will respond to the higher toll.
Which of the following is a necessary assumption for the argument above to hold?

A. The bridge was originally built several decades ago. B. The bridge has four lanes in each direction. C. Toll revenue is used to fund the maintenance of other roads in the city. D. A meaningful number of current bridge users will choose an alternative route or mode of transport rather than pay the higher toll.

45. A company in Pune plans to let 24% of its staff work permanently from home and downsize its office space accordingly, expecting this to cut its annual rent significantly without harming operations. The plan assumes something about how the remaining office space will be used.
Which of the following is a necessary assumption for the argument above to hold?

A. Rent in the area has risen steadily over the past few years. B. Employees generally prefer offices with more natural light. C. The company's current office building was constructed within the last ten years. D. The remaining smaller office space will still be enough to accommodate the staff who need to come in on any given day without serious crowding.

46. A company in Ranchi raised pay for its night-shift staff by 33%, and resignations among that group fell sharply over the next six months. Management concluded the pay hike alone caused the drop in resignations.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The company has offered night shifts for over ten years. B. The same six months also saw the company introduce a free late-night shuttle service for night-shift staff, addressing a commuting concern many had raised. C. Night-shift staff make up about a quarter of the company's total workforce. D. The pay hike was announced in a company-wide email.

47. After Guwahati installed brighter LED streetlights along a stretch of road known for evening muggings, reported muggings there fell by 19% over the next six months. Officials argue the improved lighting deterred the crime.
Which of the following, if true, would most STRENGTHEN the argument above?

A. The municipal corporation spent a fixed annual budget on street lighting. B. Muggings on similar, still poorly lit roads nearby stayed roughly the same or rose slightly over the same period. C. The stretch of road is a popular route for evening walkers. D. LED streetlights use less electricity than older sodium-vapour lights.

48. Bhopal introduced a strict new traffic law last year, and road accidents in the city fell by 40% over the following twelve months. Therefore, the new traffic law caused the drop in accidents.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. Road accidents tend to be under-reported in most cities. B. Several nearby cities that did not introduce any new traffic law saw a similar drop in accidents over the same period. C. The traffic law was passed after a public consultation process. D. The city's police department received new vehicles last year.

49. Pune introduced a strict new traffic law last year, and road accidents in the city fell by 19% over the following twelve months. Therefore, the new traffic law caused the drop in accidents.
Which of the following, if true, would most WEAKEN the argument above?

A. The traffic law was passed after a public consultation process. B. The city's police department received new vehicles last year. C. Road accidents tend to be under-reported in most cities. D. Several nearby cities that did not introduce any new traffic law saw a similar drop in accidents over the same period.

50. Guwahati's municipal body began offering a small cash-back reward for households that recycled correctly, and the volume of recyclable waste correctly sorted rose by 28% over the following year. Officials concluded the reward scheme caused the improvement.
Which of the following, if true, would most STRENGTHEN the argument above?

A. The municipal body also runs an annual cleanliness ranking for wards. B. A comparable ward that did not receive the reward scheme, but was otherwise similar, showed no meaningful change in recycling volumes over the same period. C. The cash-back reward was credited directly to residents' electricity bills. D. Recyclable waste includes paper, plastic, and metal in this scheme.

Answers and explanations

After checking the key, explain the rule or diagram transformation to yourself before moving on.

1. C. Every letter in "MAN" appears in "DIAMOND" at least as many times as "MAN" needs it, so "MAN" CAN be formed.

APRS26-11-01 | Word can be formed | Easy

2. A. Every letter in "CAN" appears in "CAPTAIN" at least as many times as "CAN" needs it, so "CAN" CAN be formed.

APRS26-11-02 | Word can be formed | Easy

3. D. Every letter in "RAT" appears in "CHAPTER" at least as many times as "RAT" needs it, so "RAT" CAN be formed.

APRS26-11-03 | Word can be formed | Easy

4. C. The letter 'C' does not appear in "HARVEST" at all, so "CABLE" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-04 | Word cannot be formed | Easy

5. D. Every letter in "MAN" appears in "DIAMOND" at least as many times as "MAN" needs it, so "MAN" CAN be formed.

APRS26-11-05 | Word can be formed | Easy

6. B. Every letter in "MAN" appears in "MACHINE" at least as many times as "MAN" needs it, so "MAN" CAN be formed.

APRS26-11-06 | Word can be formed | Easy

7. C. The letter 'D' does not appear in "STRAIGHT" at all, so "DANCE" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-07 | Word cannot be formed | Easy

8. A. Every letter in "RAT" appears in "AIRPORT" at least as many times as "RAT" needs it, so "RAT" CAN be formed.

APRS26-11-08 | Word can be formed | Easy

9. A. "IMPORTANT" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-09 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

10. C. "IMPORTANT" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-10 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

11. B. "EDUCATION" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-11 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

12. B. "EDUCATION" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-12 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

13. B. "EDUCATION" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-13 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

14. D. "IMPORTANT" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-14 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

15. C. "EDUCATION" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-15 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

16. A. "EDUCATION" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-16 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

17. B. "IMPORTANT" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-17 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

18. A. "IMPORTANT" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-18 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

19. C. "EDUCATION" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-19 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

20. B. "EDUCATION" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-20 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

21. A. "EDUCATION" has only 1 'N'(s), but "NATION" needs 2, so "NATION" CANNOT be formed.

APRS26-11-21 | Word cannot be formed (repeated-letter trick) | Medium

22. A. "TONE": The letter 'O' does not appear in "INSTRUMENT" at all, so "TONE" CANNOT be formed. "SHINE": The letter 'H' does not appear in "INSTRUMENT" at all, so "SHINE" CANNOT be formed. "GRAIN": The letter 'G' does not appear in "INSTRUMENT" at all, so "GRAIN" CANNOT be formed. "CABLE": The letter 'C' does not appear in "INSTRUMENT" at all, so "CABLE" CANNOT be formed. So 0 of the 4 words can be formed.

APRS26-11-22 | How many words can be formed | Difficult

23. D. "RAT": Every letter in "RAT" appears in "CERTIFICATE" at least as many times as "RAT" needs it, so "RAT" CAN be formed. "IDEA": The letter 'D' does not appear in "CERTIFICATE" at all, so "IDEA" CANNOT be formed. "MAT": The letter 'M' does not appear in "CERTIFICATE" at all, so "MAT" CANNOT be formed. "STONE": The letter 'S' does not appear in "CERTIFICATE" at all, so "STONE" CANNOT be formed. So 1 of the 4 words can be formed.

APRS26-11-23 | How many words can be formed | Difficult

24. A. "TEN": Every letter in "TEN" appears in "ENVIRONMENT" at least as many times as "TEN" needs it, so "TEN" CAN be formed. "SHINE": The letter 'S' does not appear in "ENVIRONMENT" at all, so "SHINE" CANNOT be formed. "HONEY": The letter 'H' does not appear in "ENVIRONMENT" at all, so "HONEY" CANNOT be formed. "SUGAR": The letter 'S' does not appear in "ENVIRONMENT" at all, so "SUGAR" CANNOT be formed. So 1 of the 4 words can be formed.

APRS26-11-24 | How many words can be formed | Difficult

25. A. "CAN": The letter 'C' does not appear in "ATMOSPHERE" at all, so "CAN" CANNOT be formed. "MENTAL": The letter 'N' does not appear in "ATMOSPHERE" at all, so "MENTAL" CANNOT be formed. "LATE": The letter 'L' does not appear in "ATMOSPHERE" at all, so "LATE" CANNOT be formed. "TRAIN": The letter 'I' does not appear in "ATMOSPHERE" at all, so "TRAIN" CANNOT be formed. So 0 of the 4 words can be formed.

APRS26-11-25 | How many words can be formed | Difficult

26. A. "A significant number of potential riders on that route are currently avoiding the bus specifically because of long waiting times, not for other reasons like cost or route coverage." is something the argument's conclusion silently depends on — if it were false, the conclusion would collapse, so it is a necessary assumption. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-26 | Bus frequency increase and ridership | Easy

27. D. "Both ice cream sales and lake visits rise sharply during the hot summer months, when more people also swim and are at risk of drowning." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-27 | Ice cream sales and drowning incidents | Easy

28. B. "The same three months included the winter school holidays, when museum visits by families and school groups typically rise across the city regardless of pricing." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-28 | Museum entry fee cut and visitor numbers | Easy

29. C. "No other nearby park or public space saw a similar rise in visitors during the same period, and the surrounding neighbourhood's population did not change significantly." directly rules out the most obvious alternative explanation for the result, so it strengthens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-29 | Public park redesign and visitor numbers | Easy

30. C. "The same quarter also saw the company roll out new project-management software that was independently linked to higher output across other offices too." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-30 | New cafeteria menu and productivity | Easy

31. D. "The remaining smaller office space will still be enough to accommodate the staff who need to come in on any given day without serious crowding." is something the argument's conclusion silently depends on — if it were false, the conclusion would collapse, so it is a necessary assumption. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-31 | Remote work and office rent savings | Easy

32. C. "The remaining smaller office space will still be enough to accommodate the staff who need to come in on any given day without serious crowding." is something the argument's conclusion silently depends on — if it were false, the conclusion would collapse, so it is a necessary assumption. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-32 | Remote work and office rent savings | Easy

33. C. "Both ice cream sales and lake visits rise sharply during the hot summer months, when more people also swim and are at risk of drowning." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-33 | Ice cream sales and drowning incidents | Easy

34. B. "The same year saw an unusually dry season that also reduced the mosquito population responsible for spreading the disease." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-34 | Vaccination drive and disease decline | Medium

35. C. "Since the centre only admits already high-scoring students, a similarly high pass rate might have occurred even without its specific teaching method." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-35 | Exam coaching centre success claim | Medium

36. D. "During the same two months, the product was also given prominent shelf placement in most stores in the region as part of an unrelated distributor deal." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-36 | Billboard ad and product sales | Medium

37. C. "The same six months also saw the company introduce a free late-night shuttle service for night-shift staff, addressing a commuting concern many had raised." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-37 | Night shift pay hike and resignations | Medium

38. A. "The same year, the factory also introduced a new safety-training programme and stricter protective-gear enforcement across all sections, not just the automated one." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-38 | Factory automation and worker injuries | Medium

39. B. "Both groups had similar average maths scores before the trial began, and no other change was made to either group's routine during the term." directly rules out the most obvious alternative explanation for the result, so it strengthens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-39 | App-based tutoring and test scores | Medium

40. A. "The same quarter also saw the company roll out new project-management software that was independently linked to higher output across other offices too." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-40 | New cafeteria menu and productivity | Medium

41. B. "The same three months coincided with a large local festival that significantly increased footfall at all restaurants in the area, regardless of rating." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-41 | Online reviews and restaurant sales | Medium

42. A. "A significant number of potential riders on that route are currently avoiding the bus specifically because of long waiting times, not for other reasons like cost or route coverage." is something the argument's conclusion silently depends on — if it were false, the conclusion would collapse, so it is a necessary assumption. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-42 | Bus frequency increase and ridership | Medium

43. C. "Several nearby cities that did not introduce any new traffic law saw a similar drop in accidents over the same period." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-43 | Traffic law and accidents | Medium

44. D. "A meaningful number of current bridge users will choose an alternative route or mode of transport rather than pay the higher toll." is something the argument's conclusion silently depends on — if it were false, the conclusion would collapse, so it is a necessary assumption. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-44 | Bridge toll increase and traffic reduction | Medium

45. D. "The remaining smaller office space will still be enough to accommodate the staff who need to come in on any given day without serious crowding." is something the argument's conclusion silently depends on — if it were false, the conclusion would collapse, so it is a necessary assumption. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-45 | Remote work and office rent savings | Medium

46. B. "The same six months also saw the company introduce a free late-night shuttle service for night-shift staff, addressing a commuting concern many had raised." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-46 | Night shift pay hike and resignations | Medium

47. B. "Muggings on similar, still poorly lit roads nearby stayed roughly the same or rose slightly over the same period." directly rules out the most obvious alternative explanation for the result, so it strengthens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-47 | Streetlights and night-time crime | Difficult

48. B. "Several nearby cities that did not introduce any new traffic law saw a similar drop in accidents over the same period." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-48 | Traffic law and accidents | Difficult

49. D. "Several nearby cities that did not introduce any new traffic law saw a similar drop in accidents over the same period." points directly at a plausible alternative explanation (a confounding factor) that the argument failed to rule out, so it weakens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-49 | Traffic law and accidents | Difficult

50. B. "A comparable ward that did not receive the reward scheme, but was otherwise similar, showed no meaningful change in recycling volumes over the same period." directly rules out the most obvious alternative explanation for the result, so it strengthens the argument. The other three options are true or plausible details about the situation, but none of them bears on whether the stated conclusion actually follows from the evidence given.

APRS26-11-50 | Recycling incentive and waste reduction | Difficult