Study Notes – Statement & Conclusion
Mental Ability Test (MAT) – NMMS
1. What is “Statement & Conclusion”?
In the Statement & Conclusion (S&C) section, you’re given a statements (S) or hypothesis and a list of conclusions (C).
Your job is to decide which conclusions logically follow from the statement, based on the information given.
Key Idea – A conclusion is valid if it is necessarily true when the statement holds.
The statement may also be plausible but not definitively true; in that case, conclusions that might follow are invalid.
2. Types of Questions
| Question | What you’re asked to do | Example |
|---|---|---|
| S + C | Decide which of the listed conclusions are necessarily true given the statement. | “All dogs are animals. Conclusion: All dogs are mammals.” |
| S + ¬C | Identify conclusions that are not necessarily true. | “If it rains, the street will be wet. Conclusion: The street is wet.” (Only if it actually rained) |
| S + C & ¬C | Pick conclusions that are both true and false? (rare) | Usually a trick that forces you to pick the most accurate conclusion. |
| S + C – C | Choose the conclusion that is true and the one that is false. | “The lights are dim. Conclusion 1: There is a bulb. Conclusion 2: The bulb is broken.” |
| S + C – C – C | Similar to above but with more options. |
Tip: In most test banks, the format is simply S + C and you must pick the only correct conclusion(s).
3. How to Approach a Statement & Conclusion Question
-
Read the statement carefully.
- Identify core facts and conditions.
- Look for verbs like “must”, “cannot”, “always”, “usually”.
-
Check each conclusion one by one.
- Does the conclusion directly follow from the statement?
- Does it require an extra assumption not present in the statement?
-
Beware of “may” or “might” conclusions.
- If a conclusion is possible but not guaranteed, it’s invalid.
-
Eliminate obviously false conclusions first.
- If a conclusion contradicts the statement, discard it immediately.
-
Select the correct answer.
- In most cases, there is either one correct conclusion or none (if the statement is ambiguous).
4. Key Points to Remember
| # | Point | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Necessity vs. Possibility | MAT only accepts necessary conclusions. |
| 2 | Explicit vs. Implicit | A statement may implicitly say something (e.g., “All cars have wheels” implies “Cars are vehicles”). |
| 3 | Logical operators |
- If‑then (conditional) → “If A, then B” means B follows only when A occurs.
- And → Both conditions must be true.
- Or → At least one must be true. | | 4 | Avoid over‑generalization | A specific statement does not allow you to generalize to a broader category. | | 5 | Check for hidden assumptions | Some conclusions assume a fact that is not stated. |
5. Worked Example
Statement (S):
“All roses are flowers. None of the roses are red.”
Conclusions (C) to test:
- All red flowers are not roses.
- Some flowers are red.
- No roses are flowers.
- All flowers are roses.
Step‑by‑Step Analysis
| Conclusion | Does it follow? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. All red flowers are not roses. | Yes. | The statement explicitly says no roses are red, so any red flower cannot be a rose. |
| 2. Some flowers are red. | No. | The statement does not say that no flowers are red; it only says no roses are red. Other flowers could be red. |
| 3. No roses are flowers. | No. | Contradicts the first clause “All roses are flowers.” |
| 4. All flowers are roses. | No. | The statement only says all roses are flowers; it does not say all flowers are roses. |
Answer: Conclusion 1 is the only valid conclusion.
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming “none of the roses are red” → “no red flowers exist.”
Wrong: it only excludes roses, not all flowers. - Thinking “All roses are flowers” → “All flowers are roses.”
Wrong: it’s a one‑way implication.
6. Quick Revision Summary
| Topic | What to remember |
|---|---|
| Statement & Conclusion | Identify necessary conclusions only. |
| Logical form | Conditional (If‑then), conjunctions, disjunctions. |
| Testing | Verify each conclusion against the statement; discard false or ambiguous ones. |
| Common errors | Over-generalizing, assuming hidden facts, confusing “none of A” with “none of B”. |
| Strategy | 1️⃣ Read carefully → 2️⃣ List facts → 3️⃣ Test each conclusion → 4️⃣ Pick the valid one(s). |
7. Quick Practice Question
Statement: “All triangles have three sides. No triangle is a square.”
Which conclusion is necessarily true?
A) No square has three sides.
B) Some squares are triangles.
C) All squares are not triangles.
D) None of the above.
Answer: C – “All squares are not triangles” follows directly from “No triangle is a square.”
Good luck with your MAT preparation! Keep practicing with varied statements to sharpen your logical deduction skills.