<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>GMAT Inference Questions – GMAT</title> <atom:link href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/tag/gmat-inference-questions/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat</link> <description>GMAT Prep Course, Best GMAT Class & Study Books | Manhattan Prep GMAT</description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:36:14 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2</generator> <item> <title>Inference Questions: The Black Sheep of the GMAT Critical Reasoning Family</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-critical-reasoning-inference-questions-top-tips/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrick Tyrrell]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:34:10 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gmat critical reasoning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Inference Questions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gmat strategies]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=18414</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>A quick note: this is a pretty deep dive into a single GMAT Critical Reasoning question type. If you’re just beginning to learn CR strategy, check out The GMAT Critical Reasoning Mindset or How to Master Every GMAT Critical Reasoning Question Type Inference questions are not super common on GMAT Critical Reasoning, usually only accounting […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-critical-reasoning-inference-questions-top-tips/">Inference Questions: The Black Sheep of the GMAT Critical Reasoning Family</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class="alignnone wp-image-18417 size-full" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/01/mprep-blogimages-wave1-29-e1578063405906.png" alt="gmat critical reasoning" width="1200" height="628" /></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">A quick note: this is a pretty deep dive into a single GMAT Critical Reasoning question type. If you’re just beginning to learn CR strategy, check out </span></i><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/the-gmat-critical-reasoning-mindset/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The GMAT Critical Reasoning Mindset</span></a> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">or</span></i> <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/how-to-master-every-gmat-critical-reasoning-question-type/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">How to Master Every GMAT Critical Reasoning Question Type </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inference questions are not super common on GMAT Critical Reasoning, usually only accounting for 1 of your 10 CR questions. However, it tends to be a question type that students miss more frequently, in both CR and </span><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-reading-comprehension-tips/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reading Comprehension</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Some of this stems from the inherent difficulty, but much of it can result from students’ possessing an incorrect or incomplete sense of what they’re supposed to be doing on these problems.</span></p> <p><span id="more-18414"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are seven main question types in Critical Reasoning: Explain Discrepancy, Role of Bold, Strengthen, Weaken, Evaluate, Assumption, and Inference.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inference question types are pretty unique. Unlike Assumption, Evaluate, Strengthen, Weaken, and Role of Bold, Inference questions are not based on arguments. And unlike Assumption, Evaluate, Strengthen, Weaken, and Explain Discrepancy, Inference questions are not usually about </span><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/do-better-gmat-critical-reasoning/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">presenting your brain with some form of cognitive dissonance.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></a></p> <p><b>RELATED: </b><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-critical-reasoning-tips/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Top 10 Tips for GMAT Critical Reasoning</span></a></p> <h3><b>How to Learn GMAT Critical Reasoning</b></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to learning the </span><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/the-gmat-critical-reasoning-mindset/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">patterns surrounding analyzing Plans, Predictions, and Causal Explanations,</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> we should also be learning a little index card’s worth of technique for each of these seven main question types. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">For each question type, we’re trying to memorize the following:</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">What keywords in the question stem tell me it’s this type of question?</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">What am I reading for in the paragraph?</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">How, and to what extent, should I pre-phrase a potential correct answer?</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Are there any tendencies relating to the paragraph or the answer choices?</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So let’s make sure everyone has a great index card for Inference questions.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></p> <h4><b>What Keywords in the Question Stem Tell Me It’s an Inference Question?</b></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are a few examples of Inference question stem wording:</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">– If the statements above are true, which of the following must be true?</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">– If the information above is correct, which of the following is most strongly supported?</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">– The claims above most strongly support which of the following assertions?</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">– Which of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the most salient features is the noun being used to describe the paragraph we read. Remember, when we’re doing Strengthen, Weaken, Evaluate, and Assumption, we’re going to almost always see the paragraph described as one of the following: argument, plan, prediction, or hypothesis. Those nouns connote the idea that there will be an opinion within the paragraph:</span></p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;"><b><i>Arguments</i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> have an opinionated conclusion, based on some (untouchable) evidence.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span> <b><i>Plans</i></b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">have the opinion that if we follow this plan, we will achieve the stated goal.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span> <b><i>Predictions</i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> contain a conclusion that is in the future tense, thus an opinion.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span> <b><i>Hypothesis</i></b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">means that our author will be opining some ‘causal explanation’ for a curious fact.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Inference, you see that the nouns being used connote that we’re just reading some facts: </span><b>statements, information, claims,</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or</span><b> passage</b><b><br /> </b><b><br /> </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inference may be asked in the “must be true / properly inferred” style (indicating 100% provability), or they may be asked in the “most strongly supported” style (indicating that the correct answer is the </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">most </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">provable claim, even if not 100% provable).</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Students often confuse “most strongly support” Inference question stems with a Strengthen question stem.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><b>INFERENCE</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">: The statements above most strongly support which of the following conclusions?</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><b>STRENGTHEN</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">: Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument?</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The two big differences are that Inference deals with statements/information, while Strengthen deals with arguments/plans/hypotheses, and that in Inference questions the paragraph provides support for the correct answer choice, while in Strengthen questions the correct answer choice provides support for the paragraph.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now you tell me, how do you tell the difference between an alligator and a crocodile? Or better </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">yet, one of my favorite SNL premises ever, how do you tell the difference between </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGqSn5Cnw74"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dylan </span></a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGqSn5Cnw74"><span style="font-weight: 400;">McDermott and Dermot Mulroney</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">?</span></p> <h4><b>What am I Reading For on an Inference Question?</b></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s the real reason for the season. I wanted to write this blog because any time I’ve asked students this question, I’ve always gotten blank faces or wrong answers. People are tempted to say something like, “The conclusion and premise?”, “the assumption?”, “the gap?”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">These answers indicate that students are still in default Critical Reasoning mode, thinking that they’re about to read another argument or plan. Remember, Inference is specifically </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">not </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">giving us arguments and plans. We’re just getting two or more facts and being asked which answer is derivable from those facts. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">To draw a valid inference = to draw a valid conclusion. Validity means that we can derive an idea from the available evidence without speculation or exaggeration. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Reading Comp, correct answers to Inference questions usually paraphrase something we know from the passage, but they use new and unexpected wording or some sort of inverted syntax. Pretend that in line 20 of an RC passage we are told that “George Washington wore a military cap to his Inauguration as the first President of the U.S.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Can we infer that</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">(A) He wore the cap because it was a cold January day.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">(B) All former generals have to wear military caps.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">(C) He thought it flattered his deep blue eyes.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of course not. None of those are provable claims. They are speculations or overstatements.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">We can infer weird restatements such as these:</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">(A) Not all Presidents are sworn in hatless.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">(B) On the first day of the American Presidency, at least some parts of the first President’s scalp were not visible.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">(C) People seeing George Washington for the first time at his Inauguration could not have conclusively determined Washington’s level of baldness.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The personality of CR Inference questions is a little different: the correct answer almost always pulls together </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">two or more</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> facts provided.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pretend we read a CR Inference paragraph that said, “George Washington wore a military cap to his Inauguration as the first President of the U.S. He wore this same cap during the Battle of Yorktown.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Can we think of a safely worded claim that pulls information from both sentences?</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">A) Presidents do not always begin their terms wearing totally new garments.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Presidents begin their terms” pulls info from the first sentence. “Not wearing totally new garments” comes from knowing that the cap he wore on Inauguration day had been worn before at the Battle of Yorktown.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, in summary, what are we reading for when we read an Inference paragraph? We are reading for </span><b><i>two or more facts that could be synthesized in order to derive a true claim</i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Very often, this synthesis comes about because the two or more facts contain some overlapping piece of information (in this case, both facts referenced GW’s hat). There are four main types of Inferences, which I will detail a little later:</span></p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1. Math-y</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">2. Apply a Rule</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">3. Causal</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">4. Straddle the Pivot</span></p> <h4><b>How, and to What Extent, Should I Pre-phrase a Potential Correct Answer on Inference?</b></h4> <p><b></b><span style="font-weight: 400;">We are reading to see if we can combine two or more of the provided facts to derive some true claim (or incredibly likely claim, if we’re doing “most supported”). When we successfully find an available inference we can make from the paragraph, we should certainly anticipate that the correct answer will probably reinforce or reward that.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">But we should stay very flexible. Ultimately, the only standard of right or wrong on Inference is, “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Could </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">you prove this answer choice, using only the information provided in the paragraph?”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">So the correct answer is under no obligation to tie everything together or to present the ‘coolest’ takeaway. The correct answer just has to be the most provable claim. Keep any inference you discovered in your mind as your mantra of what the correct answer will probably sound like, but give each answer choice a fair hearing by asking, “Could I prove this, using the statements I just read?”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">What will frequently happen with correct answers is that they will be a spin-off inference of what we inferred. For example, if we inferred “Spain outscored France in the first half”, the correct answer might say “Spain scored at least once in the first half”. If we inferred “the cost of paying for parking was more than the combined costs of taking the train and taking a Lyft from there”, the correct answer might say “The Lyft ride was cheaper than the cost of paying for parking”.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Those answers can feel annoying, because we’re like, “Yes, but I know even more than that!” It doesn’t matter. You can sign off on the truth of those answers, so they are correct. In general, expect that when you walk out of your real GMAT, you’ll reflect on all the stuff you studied that you never even saw on your test and feel like, “Yes, but I know even more than that!”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Why did I spend a week </span><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/everything-need-know-combinatorics-gmat/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">working on Combinatorics</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, only to have ZERO combinatorics questions on my exam!”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sir, I’m just a janitor at the Pearson testing center. I’m not sure why you’re screaming at me.”</span></p> <h4><b>Are There Any Tendencies Relating to the Paragraph or the Answer Choices?</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As I hinted before, there are four main types of Inferences, so we can learn to read the paragraph while seeing if we pick up on the scent of any of these.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></p> <ol> <li><b><i>Math-y Inferences</i></b> <ul> <li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spain beat France in regulation. However, France scored more goals in the 2</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">nd</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> half.</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Infer: Spain scored more in the 1</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">st</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> half / Spain’s margin of victory in the 1</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">st</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> half was larger than France’s margin of victory in the 2</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">nd</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> half</span></li> <li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">My rent is scheduled to increase next month. Nonetheless, it will represent the same proportion of my income.</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Infer: My income is also going to be higher next month (increasing by the same multiplier)</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></li> </ul> </li> <li><b><i>Apply a Rule Inferences</i></b> <ul> <li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">For a grilled cheese to be delicious, the cheese must be melted into liquid form and the bread must be toasted but not burned. The cheese Patrick is using to make grilled cheeses for his wedding feast is so cold and dense that liquefying it will take at least five minutes of high heat, which is more than enough time to burn the bread he’s using.</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Infer: At least one item at Patrick’s wedding feast will not be delicious. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">(many different ways we could state the inference, but applying the rule to my specific situation tells us that these will not be delicious grilled cheeses)</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></li> </ul> </li> <li><b><i>Causal Inferences</i></b> <ul> <li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Patrick always buys his shampoo at CVS. Recently, CVS stopped offering Herbal Essences shampoo. As a direct result, the cost of Patrick’s hair care went up.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Infer: Patrick was previously buying Herbal Essences. He is now buying a different shampoo, and that new shampoo costs more.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></li> </ul> </li> <li><b><i>Straddle the Pivot Inferences</i></b> <ul> <li><i>Patrick is a mean teacher. However, he gives his students candy.<br /> </i>Infer: Not all candy-giving teachers are nice.</li> <li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">People think that New York City is the most expensive city in the country. Yet, the cost per square foot of real estate in San Francisco is much higher than that in New York City.</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Infer: New York City is not necessarily the most expensive city in the country.</span></li> </ul> </li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Math-y and Rule-based inferences tend to feel more like Must Be True. Causal and Straddle the Pivot tend to go more with Most Strongly Supported.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span></p> <h4><b>What About Answer Choice Tendencies?</b></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since we are trying to find the most provable claim, this is a question type for which strong or new language in the answer choices should be a big red flag.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are three big categories of strength of language:</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">CERTAIN: all, only, never, unless, requires, must</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">MORE THAN 50%: most, typically, generally, usually, likely, tends to, probably</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">AT LEAST ONE: some, sometimes, can, may, might, not all, not always, need not</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">When you’re doing Reading Comp, Assumption, or Inference, you should always consider the two stronger levels of language to be red flags; this doesn’t mean they’re automatically wrong, but it means you have to research in the passage whether you’re justified in saying something this strong.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meanwhile, when you’re doing Strengthen, Weaken, or Explain Discrepancy, all of which begin with the words “Which of the following, if true, most …”, then the weakest level of language is a red flag. An answer choice isn’t going to have much impact if it’s only saying “at least in one case this is true”.</span></p> <h3><b>Inference Questions: Takeaways</b></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In summary, if we want to improve at Inference questions on RC and CR, we need to remember that we’re </span><b>not </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">allowed to speculate or exaggerate. We’re only allowed to pick answers we feel like we can derive from the provided information. If nothing is 100% provable, then pick the most provable option. If you need to guess quickly, avoid strong language.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">For CR, you can go one layer farther and proactively read the paragraph looking for facts that can be combined. In particular, if you see quantified wording, look for a math-y inference. If you see causal wording (e.g., “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">because of this”, “due to”, “this allows”, “this makes possible</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">), look for a causal inference. If you see a Rule (e.g., “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">if/then”, “always”, “only”, “ensures”, “requires”, “guarantees”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">), look for an inference you can make by applying that rule to a specific situation. If you see the paragraph is divided up by a </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">but / yet / however</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, think about what safely worded claim you could create that would integrate both sides of that pivot.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And if you’d like to submit an entry into a drawing contest I’m sponsoring, provide one drawing </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">of a crocodile eating Dylan McDermott and another one of an alligator eating Dermot </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mulroney.</span></p> <p><b><i>You can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free! We’re not kidding. </i></b><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/"><b><i>Check out our upcoming courses here</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b></p> <hr /> <p><em><strong><img decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-15335 size-thumbnail" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/03/patrick-tyrell-150x150.png" alt="patrick-tyrrell" width="150" height="150" /><a id="bloglink" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/patrick-tyrrell/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patrick Tyrrell</a> is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Los Angeles, California.</strong> He has a B.A. in philosophy, a 780 on the GMAT, and relentless enthusiasm for his work. In addition to teaching test prep since 2006, he’s also an avid songwriter/musician. <a id="bloglink" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/#instructor/270" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out Patrick’s upcoming GMAT courses here!</a></em></p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-critical-reasoning-inference-questions-top-tips/">Inference Questions: The Black Sheep of the GMAT Critical Reasoning Family</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>GMAT Critical Reasoning: Infer like a Master</title> <link>https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-critical-reasoning-infer-like-a-master/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey Koprince]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 16 Aug 2016 23:29:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Critical Reasoning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[For Current Studiers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Prep]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Strategies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[How to Study]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Verbal]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gmat critical reasoning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GMAT Inference Questions]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/?p=11878</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Did you know that you can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free? We’re not kidding! Check out our upcoming courses here. Inference questions can appear in GMAT Critical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Integrated Reasoning, so it’s crucial to master what the test is—and is not—asking you […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-critical-reasoning-infer-like-a-master/">GMAT Critical Reasoning: Infer like a Master</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-11882 alignnone" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/08/8-16-16-blog-2.png" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - GMAT Prep Critical Reading: Infer Like a Master by Stacey Koprince" width="676" height="264" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/08/8-16-16-blog-2.png 676w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/08/8-16-16-blog-2-300x117.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" /></p> <p><strong><em>Did you know that you can attend the first session of any of our online or in-person GMAT courses absolutely free? We’re not kidding! <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=GMAT%20Complete%20Courses%20Plug&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out our upcoming courses here</a>.</em></strong></p> <hr /> <p>Inference questions can appear in GMAT Critical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Integrated Reasoning, so it’s crucial to master what the test is—and is not—asking you to do. The good news? Your goal is the same, regardless of the question type.<span id="more-11878"></span></p> <p>Try this problem from the free questions that come with the GMATPrep® software and then we’ll talk about how Inference questions work!</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">Roland: The alarming fact is that 90 percent of the people in this country now report that they know someone who is unemployed.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">Sharon: But a normal, moderate level of unemployment is 5 percent, with one out of 20 workers unemployed. So at any given time if a person knows approximately 50 workers, one or more will very likely be unemployed.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">Sharon’s argument is structured to lead to which of the following as a conclusion?</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(A) The fact that 90% of the people know someone who is unemployed is not an indication that unemployment is abnormally high.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(B) The current level of unemployment is not moderate.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(C) If at least 5% of workers are unemployed, the result of questioning a representative group of people cannot be the percentage Roland cites.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(D) It is unlikely that the people whose statements Roland cites are giving accurate reports.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(E) If an unemployment figure is given as a certain percent, the actual percentage of those without jobs is even higher.</p> <p>Let’s start by talking about what you need to do for Inference questions in general. Then we’ll tackle the problem.</p> <p>Inference arguments will provide you mostly with a series of premises and they’ll ask you to <em>infer</em> or to <em>draw a conclusion</em> in some way.</p> <p>Now, here’s the key: the test does <em><strong>not</strong></em> want you to infer or conclude in the way that you likely would in the real world. (Did I emphasize that word strongly enough? ?) In the real world, we conclude things that are <em>likely</em> to be true, given certain information.</p> <p>On GMAT Critical Reasoning, you’ll need to hold yourself to a higher standard: What <em>must</em> be true, based on the information you were given? (Not just what is <em>likely</em> or <em>reasonable </em>to believe.)</p> <p>Okay, let’s dive into this problem and see how this “what must be true?” concept works.</p> <h4><strong> Step 1: Identify the Question</strong></h4> <p>How do you know that this is an Inference question in the first place?</p> <p>The question stem refers to the answer choices as possible conclusions:</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">“<em>lead to which of the following</em> [the answers] <em>as a conclusion</em>?”</p> <p>GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) questions may also ask you what can be <em>inferred</em>. (On Reading Comp and Integrated Reasoning, you might see the words <em>suggest</em> or <em>imply </em>in the question stem.)</p> <p>In all cases, the question is asking you what must be true based on the information you’ve been given so far.</p> <h4><strong>Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument</strong></h4> <p>Roland finds it <em>alarming</em> that 90% of people say they know someone who is unemployed.</p> <p>Sharon’s response starts with the word <em>but</em>, so she doesn’t agree with <em>something</em> that Roland said. What?</p> <p>According to Sharon, a <em>normal, moderate level</em> of unemployment is 5%. If you know 50 people who work, then 5% = 1 person.</p> <p>So, if the unemployment rate is 5%, then you’d know 1 person who is unemployed. She seems to think that it’s not a big deal that 90% of people know someone who is unemployed.</p> <p>Do you know 50 people who work? You may not be close friends with 50 workers, but chances are you do know 50 people who work—your co-workers, your friends and family, acquaintances at the gym, the servers at your favorite restaurant, etc.</p> <p>Hmm. Sharon seems to think that it’s not a big deal that 90% of people know someone who is unemployed and maybe she has a point! If I know 50 people who work, and if just one is unemployed right now, that reflects an unemployment rate of just 5%—not a very high rate. So most people probably do know someone who is unemployed at the moment.</p> <p>Note that Sharon doesn’t dispute Roland’s statistic. She just says that his figure <em>isn’t</em> <em>surprising</em>. She thinks it’s pretty normal and explains why.</p> <p>Here’s what my notes looked like, taken as I read the argument:</p> <p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-11881 aligncenter" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/08/2016-08-16-1917.png" alt="Manhattan Prep GMAT Blog - GMAT Prep Critical Reading: Infer Like a Master by Stacey Koprince - Critical Reasoning Argument Notes " width="676" height="311" srcset="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/08/2016-08-16-1917.png 770w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/08/2016-08-16-1917-300x138.png 300w, https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2016/08/2016-08-16-1917-768x353.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" /></p> <p>The bracketed text at the end was not stated in the argument. This is my own conclusion, in my own words. I use the brackets to signal to myself that I’m doing my own thinking here; I’m not writing what the argument actually stated.</p> <h4><strong>Step 3: State the Goal</strong></h4> <p>On Inference questions, the goal is to find the answer that must follow from the given information in the argument.</p> <p>The most common trap on this question type is an answer that goes too far—what I call a real-world conclusion. A real-world conclusion <em>might</em> be true, and even might be <em>likely</em> to be true, but it doesn’t have to be true…so it’s not the right answer on the GMAT.</p> <h4><strong>Step 4: Work from Wrong to Right</strong></h4> <p>All right, let’s dive in.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(A) The fact that 90% of the people know someone who is unemployed is not an indication that unemployment is abnormally high.</p> <p>Roland is alarmed. Sharon isn’t and she has a reasonable explanation for why Roland’s statistic isn’t actually alarming. This choice fits Sharon’s argument: she doesn’t think that Roland’s statistic indicates that unemployment is unusually high.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(B) The current level of unemployment is not moderate.</p> <p>This one is a double trap. First, this goes along with what Roland is saying, but the question asks about Sharon’s argument, not Roland’s. That’s trap #1.</p> <p>Trap #2: We don’t technically know what the current level of unemployment is! The argument says only that 90% of people currently know someone who is unemployed.</p> <p>If anything, we could possibly real-world infer from Sharon’s argument that the current level is somewhere around 5%, and she calls this level <em>normal</em> and <em>moderate</em>. So a choice that says it is not moderate does not match what Sharon is saying.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(C) If at least 5% of workers are unemployed, the result of questioning a representative group of people cannot be the percentage Roland cites.</p> <p>This one is directly contradicted by the information given; if you follow Sharon’s math, she shows that a 5% unemployment stat could easily lead to 90% of people knowing that someone is unemployed.</p> <p>They’re trying to trap you into thinking that Sharon’s “but” means that she disputes Roland’s statistic in the first place. She doesn’t; she just thinks that his interpretation of what the statistic means is wrong.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(D) It is unlikely that the people whose statements Roland cites are giving accurate reports.</p> <p>This is another trap based on Sharon’s starting word, <em>but</em>. Sharon is not disputing Roland’s statistic, just how he interprets it. He finds it alarming; she finds it normal.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">(E) If an unemployment figure is given as a certain percent, the actual percentage of those without jobs is even higher.</p> <p>In the real world, this may very well be true. The method used to estimate the percentage may be missing certain categories of people or something like that. The argument, though, doesn’t provide enough information to conclude that this <em>must</em> be true. I’d call this one a real-world trap: it probably is true a lot of the time in the real world, but it doesn’t have to be true.</p> <p>The correct answer is (A). Sharon’s argument is set up to conclude that Roland’s 90% figure actually isn’t unusual and so unemployment isn’t necessarily abnormally high. If anything, Sharon’s figures seem to show that the 90% figure goes along with “normal, moderate” levels of unemployment, not unusually high levels.</p> <p>What did you learn on this problem? Come up with your own takeaways before you read mine below.</p> <h4><strong>Key Takeaways for Inference Problems</strong></h4> <p>(1) Know how to identify the question type. On GMAT Critical Reasoning, this usually means some mention of the word <em>infer</em> or some reference to a conclusion <em>in the answers below</em> (not in the argument above).</p> <p>(2) Lay out the facts very clearly. Articulate to yourself what the facts do and don’t tell you. Don’t assume anything and don’t try to draw any real-world conclusions!</p> <p>(3) Look for an answer that must follow from the information you were already given. Be wary of “real-world conclusion” traps: ones that <em>might</em> be true or are even <em>pretty</em> <em>likely</em> to be true but don’t <em>have</em> to be true. You’re not looking for a “reasonable” conclusion. You’re looking for a “must be true” conclusion. ?</p> <p>* GMATPrep® questions courtesy of the Graduate Management Admissions Council. Usage of this question does not imply endorsement by GMAC.</p> <hr /> <p><em><strong>Can’t get enough of Stacey’s GMAT mastery? Attend the first session of one of <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceCoursesLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog#instructor/86" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her upcoming GMAT courses</a> absolutely free, no strings attached. Seriously. </strong></em></p> <hr /> <p><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/stacey-koprince/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceBioLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-9719 size-thumbnail" src="https://cdn2.manhattanprep.com/gmat/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2015/06/stacey-koprince-150x150.png" alt="stacey-koprince" width="150" height="150" /></a><em><strong><a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/instructors/stacey-koprince/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceBioLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stacey Koprince</a> is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Montreal, Canada and Los Angeles, California.</strong> Stacey has been teaching the GMAT, GRE, and LSAT for more than 15 years and is one of the most well-known instructors in the industry. Stacey loves to teach and is absolutely fascinated by standardized tests. <a href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/classes/?utm_source=manhattanprep.com%2Fgmat%2Fblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=KoprinceCoursesLinkGMATBlog&utm_campaign=GMAT%20Blog#instructor/86">Check out Stacey’s upcoming GMAT courses here</a>.</em></p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/gmat-critical-reasoning-infer-like-a-master/">GMAT Critical Reasoning: Infer like a Master</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat">GMAT</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>