Critical Thinking Skills TEST

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Thomas Francis University • Course G120 • Segment 3

CRITICAL THINKING EXAMPLES

—Douglas R. Kelley, PhD, CH, CSL

Updated: September 27, 2015

Upon Completion of this Segment, You Will Know:

 Some basic processes in evaluating and analyzing problems.

 How to use deductive and inductive reasoning in solving problems.

 How to identify fallacies in arguments.

Thinking is skilled work. It is not true that we are naturally endowed with the ability to think clearly and logically without learning how, or without practicing.

—Alfred Mander

n the first two segments, we explored several aspects of critical thinking. Now, let’s have some

fun and consider some examples that will put our critical thinking skills to the test. The exam-

ples to follow are commonly known as brainteasers. I’ve chosen several that illustrate deductive

and inductive reasoning—some even include logical fallacies to make them work. We will critique and

analyze them after you’ve had a chance to solve them.

As you use your critical thinking skills to evaluate each of the problems below, make notes as to

your initial thoughts when reading them as well as your thought processes in solving them. This is

important because you will need to refer to these notes when completing the assignments for this

segment.

Read each example and sincerely try to figure out the answers. This is the honor system; so don’t

cheat by looking at the answers in the Segment 3 Addendum or by looking them up online. Give

yourself some time to think critically about the problems posed, most of them aren’t as hard as you

might think. Use the skills you learned in the previous segments to help you. We’ll begin with some

simple ones, then progress to some more difficult examples. If you get stumped by any particular

example, set it aside for a while, perhaps even overnight. Sleep on it, as they say. Even though these

examples won’t change your life, they do illustrate the processes necessary for using critical thinking

skills in solving real-life problems.

Here we go…

Segment 3: Critical Thinking Examples

PROBLEMS, PUZZLES, AND RIDDLES FOR YOUR ANALYSIS

1. Johnny's mother had four children. The first was April, the second was May, and the third was

June. What was the name of her fourth child?

2. You are driving a bus. Four people get on, three people get off, then eight people get on and

ten people get off, then 6 people get on and 2 more people get off. What color were the bus

driver's eyes?

3. There was an airplane crash, every single person died, but two people survived. How is this

possible?

4. “That attorney is my brother,” testified the accountant. But the attorney testified he didn't

have a brother. Who is lying?

5. A man and his son are driving in a car. The car crashes into a tree, killing the father and

seriously injuring his son. At the hospital, the boy needs to have surgery. Upon looking at the

boy, the surgeon says (telling the truth), "I cannot operate on him. He is my son." How is this

possible?

6. How can you throw a ball so that it goes a short distance, comes to a total stop, reverses its

motion, and then goes the opposite way? You are not allowed to bounce it against anything,

hit it with anything, or tie it to anything.

7. A man parks his car and gets out. He heads into the bank. While in the bank he holds up 25

people and walks out with $200. While walking back to his car a police officer stops him, but

only gives him a warning. How can this situation be explained?

8. Ted and Linda were found on the living room floor, deceased. The window is open, the curtains

are billowing and the carpet is wet. However the doors were closed and locked. This was not

a murder-suicide. What happened to Ted and Linda?

Once you have solved the above problems, go to the Segment 3 Addendum on the course page

for a detailed explanation.

IMPORTANT!

DO NOT VIEW THE SEGMENT 3 ADDENDUM UNTIL YOU HAVE SOLVED ALL

THE PROBLEMS ABOVE!

(Or at least had a nervous breakdown from trying! )