Discussion Forum

In the following question, three statements are given followed by four conclusions numbered I, II, III and IV. You have to take the given statements to be true even if they seem at variance with commonly known facts and then decide which of the given conclusions logically follows from the given statements disregarding commonly known facts.

 Statements: Some hills are rivers. Some rivers are deserts. All deserts are roads

Conclusions: I. Some roads are rivers. II Some roads are hills. III. Some deserts are hills.

Answer:

Explanation:

Some hills are rivers. Some rivers are deserts.

Since both the premises are particular, no definite conclusion follows.

Some rivers are deserts. All deserts are roads.

Since one premise is particular, the conclusion must be particular and shouldn't contain the middle term. So, it follows that 'Some rivers are roads'. I is the converse of this conclusion and so it holds.

Some hills are rivers. Some rivers are roads.

Again, since both the premises are particular, no definite conclusion follows