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CAT 2025 Lesson : Inference - Fact-Inference-Judgement
5. Fact-Inference-Judgement
An understanding of the different types of statements will help you to solve a specific type of inferential questions which have sometimes come in entrance tests. In CAT, the examiners had shared a few statements and asked students to classify these as Facts, Inferences and Judgements. In NMAT, we have questions about implicit in a given paragraph. Let us learn about these and and a few more types of statements:5.1 Fact
A fact is a detail or some information. A fact is independent of the author's opinions and biases, and can be verified. In this context, a fact may be true or false. Universally accepted truths are also taken to be facts.Examples: In India, Xiaomi is selling more phones than Samsung and Apple combined.
I have a white horse.
The capital of India is Bangalore. (this is an example of a fact which is false.)
A friend in need is a friend indeed. (this is an example of a universally accepted truth)
5.2 Argument
An argument is a reason or a set of reasons which support a view, a theory, an action or an idea.Examples:
(The arguments are underlined in the following examples)
In India, Xiaomi is selling a lot of phones because they are inexpensive.
Years of catastrophic illegal poaching have pushed African elephants closer and closer to extinction. The stolen bitcoins which turned up become such a subject of contention that McCaleb wonders whether it might have been better if they’d remained lost.
5.3 Hypothesis:
A hypothesis is something which you assume based on facts. It is also called a premise, an assumption or a supposition. These can lead to arguments.Examples: (The hypotheses mentioned below are drawn on the basis of the arguments shown earlier)
Phones by Xiaomi are loved by everyone in India.
African elephants are easier to poach than Indian elephants.
5.4 Inference
An inference is something which we realise or conclude based on a known fact.Examples:
(The inferences are underlined in the following examples)
She has read over five hundred books. She likes reading.
Xiaomi's sales in India have been their best since the inception of the company. Xiaomi holds a major market share in India.
5.5 Judgement
A judgement is an opinion, which is made based on facts and logic. It is typically a conclusion, or approval/disapproval.Examples:
In India, cost effective products usually have great sales.
The Mt. Gox hack remains the worst disaster in Bitcoin’s short history.
India will probably win the cricket World Cup this year.
Example 18
The question below has a set of sequentially ordered questions. Each statement can be classified as one of the following:
A. Facts, which deal with pieces of information that one has heard, seen or read, and which are open to discovery or verification (the answer option indicates such a statement with F)
B. Inferences, which are conclusions drawn about the unknown, on the basis of the known (the answer option indicates such a statement with I)
C. Judgements, which are opinions that imply approval or disapproval of persons, objects, situations and occurrences in the past, the present or the future (the answer option indicates such a statement with J)
Select the answer option that best describes the set of statements:
1. Homo sapiens emerged in Africa hundreds of thousands of years ago.
2. Genomic studies help us to understand humanity’s dispersal into other continents.
3. The current theory is extremely conservative.
4. The data shows that people from Asia eventually populated the Americas.
(1) FIJI (2) FFJI (3) FJII (4) IJJI
Statement 1 is a fact, as it provides information about the origin of homo sapiens (humans).
Statement 2 is also a fact, as the author is speaking about genomic studies helping us understand how humans moved to other continents. Note that if we had the reason itself, it could have been an inference based on genomic studies. However, in this case, this is simply information about how we can learn about human dispersal.
Statement 3 is the author's opinion about the current theory, and hence, is a judgement.
Statement 4 uses some data to infer that humans moved from Asia to the Americas, and hence, is an inference.
Therefore, the correct choice is option (2).
Answer: (2) FFJI
A. Facts, which deal with pieces of information that one has heard, seen or read, and which are open to discovery or verification (the answer option indicates such a statement with F)
B. Inferences, which are conclusions drawn about the unknown, on the basis of the known (the answer option indicates such a statement with I)
C. Judgements, which are opinions that imply approval or disapproval of persons, objects, situations and occurrences in the past, the present or the future (the answer option indicates such a statement with J)
Select the answer option that best describes the set of statements:
1. Homo sapiens emerged in Africa hundreds of thousands of years ago.
2. Genomic studies help us to understand humanity’s dispersal into other continents.
3. The current theory is extremely conservative.
4. The data shows that people from Asia eventually populated the Americas.
(1) FIJI (2) FFJI (3) FJII (4) IJJI
Solution
Let us consider the statements.Statement 1 is a fact, as it provides information about the origin of homo sapiens (humans).
Statement 2 is also a fact, as the author is speaking about genomic studies helping us understand how humans moved to other continents. Note that if we had the reason itself, it could have been an inference based on genomic studies. However, in this case, this is simply information about how we can learn about human dispersal.
Statement 3 is the author's opinion about the current theory, and hence, is a judgement.
Statement 4 uses some data to infer that humans moved from Asia to the Americas, and hence, is an inference.
Therefore, the correct choice is option (2).
Answer: (2) FFJI
Example 19
The question below has a set of sequentially ordered questions. Each statement can be classified as one of the following:
A. Facts, which deal with pieces of information that one has heard, seen or read, and which are open to discovery or verification (the answer option indicates such a statement with F)
B. Inferences, which are conclusions drawn about the unknown, on the basis of the known (the answer option indicates such a statement with I)
C. Judgements, which are opinions that imply approval or disapproval of persons, objects, situations and occurrences in the past, the present or the future (the answer option indicates such a statement with J)
Select the answer option that best describes the set of statements::
1. Nick Bostrom proposed that the universe and everything in it might be a simulation.
2. Since then, there has been public speculation and debate about the nature of reality.
3. The claims have been afforded some credence by repetition by luminaries.
4. However, all these discussions and studies of the simulation hypothesis have missed a key element of scientific inquiry: plain old empirical assessment and data collection.
(1) FIFJ (2) IFJJ (3) FFIJ (4) JIFJ
Statement 2 tells us what happened after that, and is to be a verifiable fact – we can find out if there has been a lot of speculation and debate on this topic.
Statement 3 is the author's inference based on what is happening (prominent people agreeing with this theory gives it credibility), and is an inference.
Statement 4 is the author's opinion (an important element is missed out), and hence, is a judgement.
Thus, the answer is option (3) – FFIJ.
Answer: (3) FFIJ
A. Facts, which deal with pieces of information that one has heard, seen or read, and which are open to discovery or verification (the answer option indicates such a statement with F)
B. Inferences, which are conclusions drawn about the unknown, on the basis of the known (the answer option indicates such a statement with I)
C. Judgements, which are opinions that imply approval or disapproval of persons, objects, situations and occurrences in the past, the present or the future (the answer option indicates such a statement with J)
Select the answer option that best describes the set of statements::
1. Nick Bostrom proposed that the universe and everything in it might be a simulation.
2. Since then, there has been public speculation and debate about the nature of reality.
3. The claims have been afforded some credence by repetition by luminaries.
4. However, all these discussions and studies of the simulation hypothesis have missed a key element of scientific inquiry: plain old empirical assessment and data collection.
(1) FIFJ (2) IFJJ (3) FFIJ (4) JIFJ
Solution
Statement 1 provides information about Bostrom's statement, and hence, this is a fact.Statement 2 tells us what happened after that, and is to be a verifiable fact – we can find out if there has been a lot of speculation and debate on this topic.
Statement 3 is the author's inference based on what is happening (prominent people agreeing with this theory gives it credibility), and is an inference.
Statement 4 is the author's opinion (an important element is missed out), and hence, is a judgement.
Thus, the answer is option (3) – FFIJ.
Answer: (3) FFIJ
Example 20
The question below has a set of sequentially ordered questions. Each statement can be classified as one of the following:
A. Facts, which deal with pieces of information that one has heard, seen or read, and which are open to discovery or verification (the answer option indicates such a statement with F)
B. Inferences, which are conclusions drawn about the unknown, on the basis of the known (the answer option indicates such a statement with I)
C. Judgements, which are opinions that imply approval or disapproval of persons, objects, situations and occurrences in the past, the present or the future (the answer option indicates such a statement with J)
Select the answer option that best describes the set of statements:
[CAT 2006]
1. We should not be hopelessly addicted to an erroneous belief that corruption in India is caused by the crookedness of Indians.
2. The truth is that we have more red tape – we take eighty nine days to start a small business, Australians take two.
3. Red tape leads to corruption and distorts a person's character.
4. Every red tape procedure is a point of contact with an official, and such contacts have the potential to become opportunities for money to change hands.
(1) JFIF (2) JFJJ (3) JIJF (4) IFJF (5) JFJI
The first statement is that writer's opinion that corruption in India is not because of the nature of Indians. Therefore, it is a judgement (J).
The second statement, that India has a lot of red tape (meaningbureaucratic rules and formalities) is a fact which can be verified (F).
The third statement is also the writer's opinion about the impact of red tape, and thus, is a judgement (J).
The last statement is an opinion (such contacts become opportunities for corruption) based on a known fact (every red tape procedure is a point of contact with an official), and thus, is an inference (I).
Therefore, the correct choice is option (5) – JFJI.
Answer: (5) JFJI
A. Facts, which deal with pieces of information that one has heard, seen or read, and which are open to discovery or verification (the answer option indicates such a statement with F)
B. Inferences, which are conclusions drawn about the unknown, on the basis of the known (the answer option indicates such a statement with I)
C. Judgements, which are opinions that imply approval or disapproval of persons, objects, situations and occurrences in the past, the present or the future (the answer option indicates such a statement with J)
Select the answer option that best describes the set of statements:
[CAT 2006]
1. We should not be hopelessly addicted to an erroneous belief that corruption in India is caused by the crookedness of Indians.
2. The truth is that we have more red tape – we take eighty nine days to start a small business, Australians take two.
3. Red tape leads to corruption and distorts a person's character.
4. Every red tape procedure is a point of contact with an official, and such contacts have the potential to become opportunities for money to change hands.
(1) JFIF (2) JFJJ (3) JIJF (4) IFJF (5) JFJI
Solution
Let us read the statements and try to identify them.The first statement is that writer's opinion that corruption in India is not because of the nature of Indians. Therefore, it is a judgement (J).
The second statement, that India has a lot of red tape (meaningbureaucratic rules and formalities) is a fact which can be verified (F).
The third statement is also the writer's opinion about the impact of red tape, and thus, is a judgement (J).
The last statement is an opinion (such contacts become opportunities for corruption) based on a known fact (every red tape procedure is a point of contact with an official), and thus, is an inference (I).
Therefore, the correct choice is option (5) – JFJI.
Answer: (5) JFJI
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