501
CHALLENGING
LOGIC AND
REASONING
PROBLEMS

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501
CHALLENGING
LOGIC AND
REASONING
PROBLEMS
2nd Edition
(R)
N E W Y O R K

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Copyright (c) 2005 LearningExpress, LLC.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.
Published in the United States by LearningExpress, LLC, New York.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
501 challenging logic & reasoning problems.
p. cm.--(LearningExpress skill builders practice)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1-57685-534-1
1. Logic--Problems, exercises, etc. 2. Reasoning--Problems, exercises, etc.
3. Critical thinking--Problems, exercises, etc. I. LearningExpress (Organization)
II. Title: 501 challenging logic and reasoning problems. III. Series.
BC108.A15 2006
160'.76--dc22
2005057953
Printed in the United States of America
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Second Edition
ISBN 1-57685-534-1
For information or to place an order, contact LearningExpress at:
55 Broadway
8th Floor
New York, NY 10006
Or visit us at:
www.learnatest.com

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Contents
INTRODUCTION
vii
QUESTIONS
1
ANSWERS
99
v

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Introduction
This book--which can be used alone,with other logic and reasoning texts ofyour choice,or in com-
bination with LearningExpress's Reasoning Skills Success in 20 Minutes a Day--will give you practice
dealing with the types of multiple-choice questions that appear on standardized tests assessing logic,
reasoning, judgment, and critical thinking. It is designed to be used by individuals working on their own and by
teachers or tutors helping students learn, review, or practice basic logic and reasoning skills. Practice on 501 logic
and reasoning questions will go a long way in alleviating test anxiety, too!
Maybe you're one of the millions of people who, as students in elementary or high school, never understood
the necessity of having to read opinion essays and draw conclusions from the writer's argument. Or maybe you
never understood why you had to work through all those verbal analogies or number series questions. Maybe you
were one of those people who could never see a "plan of attack" when working through logic games or critical think-
ing puzzles. Or perhaps you could never see a connection between everyday life and analyzing evidence from a
series of tedious reading passages. If you fit into one of these groups, this book is for you.
First, know you are not alone. It is true that some people relate more easily than do others to number series
questions, verbal analogies, logic games, and reading passages that present an argument. And that's okay; we all
have unique talents. Still, it's a fact that for most jobs today, critical thinking skills--including analytical and log-
ical reasoning--are essential. The good news is that these skills can be developed with practice.
Learn by doing. It's an old lesson, tried and true. And it's the tool this book is designed to give you. The 501
logic and reasoning questions that follow will provide you with lots of practice. As you work through each set of
questions, you'll be gaining a solid understanding of basic analytical and logical reasoning skills--all without mem-
orizing! The purpose of this book is to help you improve your critical thinking through encouragement, no
frustration.
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-INTRODUCTION-
A n O v e r v i e w
Working on Your Own
If you are working alone to improve your logic skills or
501 Challenging Logic and Reasoning Problems is
prepare for a test in connection with a job or school,
divided into 37 sets of questions:
you will probably want to use this book in combination
with its companion text, Reasoning Skills Success in 20
Sets 1-4: Number Series
Minutes a Day, 2nd Edition, or with some other basic
Sets 5-6: Letter and Symbol Series
reasoning skills text. If you're fairly sure of your basic
Sets 7-8: Verbal Classification
logic and reasoning abilities, however, you can use 501
Sets 9-11: Essential Part
Challenging Logic and Reasoning Problems by itself.
Sets 12-17: Analogies
Use the answer key at the end of the book not
Sets 18-19: Artificial Language
only to find out if you got the right answer, but also to
Set 20: Matching Definitions
learn how to tackle similar kinds of questions next
Set 21: Making Judgments
time. Every answer is explained. Make sure you under-
Set 22: Verbal Reasoning
stand the explanations--usually by going back to the
Sets 23-27: Logic Problems
questions--before moving on to the next set.
Sets 28-31: Logic Games
Sets 32-37: Analyzing Arguments
Tutoring Others
This book will work well in combination with almost
Each set contains between 5-20 questions,
any analytical reasoning or logic text. You will proba-
depending on their length and difficulty. The book is
bly find it most helpful to give students a brief lesson
specifically organized to help you build confidence as
in the particular operation they'll be learning--
you further develop your logic and reasoning skills.
number series, verbal classification, artificial language,
501 Challenging Logic and Reasoning Problems begins
logic problems, analyzing arguments--and then have
with basic number and letter series questions, and then
them spend the remainder of the session actually
moves on to verbal classification, artificial language,
answering the questions in the sets. You will want to
and matching definition items. The last sets contain
stress the importance of learning by doing and of
logic problems, logic games, and logical reasoning
checking their answers and reading the explanations
questions. By the time you reach the last question,
carefully. Make sure they understand a particular set of
you'll feel confident that you've improved your critical
questions before you assign the next one.
thinking and logical reasoning abilities.
A d d i t i o n a l R e s o u r c e s
H o w t o U s e T h i s B o o k
Answering the 501 logic and reasoning questions in this
Whether you're working alone or helping someone
book will give you lots of practice. Another way to
brush up his or her critical thinking and reasoning
improve your reasoning ability is to read and study on
skills, this book will give you the opportunity to prac-
your own and devise your own unique methods of
tice, practice, practice!
attacking logic problems. Following is a list of logic and
reasoning books you may want to buy or take out of the
library:
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-INTRODUCTION-
REASONING
CRITICAL THINKING
Reasoning Skills Success in 20 Minutes a Day
Critical Thinking by Alec Fisher (Cambridge
(2nd Edition) by LearningExpress
University Press)
Critical Reasoning: A Practical Introduction by
Brainplay: Challenging Puzzles & Thinking
Anne Thomson (Routledge)
Games by Tom Werneck (Sterling)
Attacking Faulty Reasoning: A Practical Guide to
Challenging Critical Thinking Puzzles by
Fallacy-Free Arguments by T. Edward Damer
Michael A. Dispezio and Myron Miller
(Wadsworth)
(Sterling)
Thinking Critically: Techniques for Logical Rea-
Becoming a Critical Thinker: A User-Friendly
soning by James H. Kiersky and Nicholas J.
Manual by Sherry Diestler (Prentice Hall)
Caste (Wadsworth)
ANALOGIES
LOGIC
501 Word Analogy Questions by Learning-
Essential Logic: Basic Reasoning Skills for the
Express
Twenty-First Century by Ronald C. Pine
Analogies for Beginners by Lynne Chatham
(Oxford University Press)
(Dandy Lion Publications)
Increase Your Puzzle IQ: Tips and Tricks for
Cracking the MAT (3rd Edition) by Marcia
Building Your Logic Power by Marcel Danesi
Lerner (Princeton Review)
(Wiley)
Amazing Logic Puzzles by Norman D. Willis
(Sterling)
Challenging Logic Puzzles by Barry R. Clarke
(Sterling)
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Document Outline

• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Questions
• Answers

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