Statement & Conclusion – Mental Ability Test (MAT)
Goal:
Learn how to read a set of facts (statements) and pick the one statement that follows logically from them (the conclusion).
1. What Are Statements?
- Definition: A statement is a sentence that gives you a fact or a piece of information.
- Example:
- “The book is on the table.”
- “All red cars are fast.”
- Why They Matter: Statements are the building blocks of the reasoning problem.
2. What Is a Conclusion?
- Definition: A conclusion is the sentence that you need to pick. It must be directly supported by the statements.
- Key Idea: If you can prove the conclusion using only the statements and no extra information, it is the answer.
- Example:
- Statements: “All roses are flowers.” “All flowers are plants.”
- Conclusion: “All roses are plants.” (Because the statements lead to this.)
3. How to Spot the Right Conclusion
| Step | What to Do | Quick Analogy |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Read All Statements | Write them down or keep them in mind. | Think of each statement as a clue in a mystery. |
| 2. Look for Logical Links | See if one statement mentions something that appears in another. | Like connecting puzzle pieces that share a common edge. |
| 3. Check Each Answer Option | Try to prove it using the statements. | Pretend the answer is a bridge; does it fit between the clues? |
| 4. Pick the One That Fits | Only one answer will be provable. | The correct answer is the only bridge that spans the gap. |
| 5. Eliminate the Others | Show why the remaining options cannot be proved. | The other options are dead ends – they don’t fit the clues. |
4. Common Patterns (Very Simple)
| Pattern | What It Looks Like | Tiny Example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Statement | The conclusion is literally one of the statements. | “The sky is blue.” → Conclusion: “The sky is blue.” |
| Transitive (A → B, B → C) | If A is true and B is true, then C must be true. | 1) “All apples are fruits.” 2) “All fruits are healthy.” → “All apples are healthy.” |
| Contrapositive (If P, then Q) | If the opposite of Q is true, then the opposite of P must be true. (Avoid this in practice; it’s harder.) | Not used in most MAT questions. |
| Multiple Statements Needed | You must combine two or more statements. | 1) “All dogs bark.” 2) “Fido is a dog.” → “Fido barks.” |
5. A Tiny Example
Statements
- All cats are animals.
- All animals have hearts.
Conclusion Choices
A. All cats have hearts.
B. All animals are cats.
C. All hearts belong to cats.
Solution
- From (1) we know: Cats → Animals
- From (2) we know: Animals → Hearts
- Combine them: Cats → Hearts
- Answer A is correct.
- B and C are not supported by the statements.
6. Quick Tips
- Read Carefully: A single word can change everything.
- Ignore “Only” or “All” at first; focus on the logical connection.
- Eliminate Clearly Wrong Answers First.
- Practice with Simple Statements before tackling long lists.
- Time Yourself: 1–2 minutes per question keeps you on track.
7. Mini‑Practice Question
Statements
- All cars are vehicles.
- Some vehicles are electric.
- All electric cars are green.
Choose the correct conclusion
A. Some cars are electric.
B. All vehicles are cars.
C. All electric vehicles are green.
Answer: A.
Why?
- From (1) and (2) we can say: Some cars are vehicles that are electric.
- So, Some cars are electric.
- (B) and (C) are not directly supported.
8. Final Thought
Treat statements as facts and the conclusion as the one logical result that follows from those facts. With practice, spotting that result becomes as easy as matching a missing piece of a simple jigsaw puzzle. Happy practicing!