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Petrol Pump Fuel Contamination Levels

CAT 2018 Slot 1 · Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning · Hard · Logical Reasoning

This is a hard Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning question set from the CAT 2018 Slot 1 paper. It tests Logical Reasoning. The full answer key and a step-by-step explanation are below — try it yourself first, then reveal the solution.

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Passage / data set

Fuel contamination levels at each of 20 petrol pumps P1, P2, …, P20 were recorded as either high, medium, or low.

  1. Contamination levels at three pumps among P1 – P5 were recorded as high.
  2. P6 was the only pump among P1 – P10 where the contamination level was recorded as low.
  3. P7 and P8 were the only two consecutively numbered pumps where the same levels of contamination were recorded.
  4. High contamination levels were not recorded at any of the pumps P16 – P20.
  5. The number of pumps where high contamination levels were recorded was twice the number of pumps where low contamination levels were recorded.

Question 1 of 4

Which of the following MUST be true?

  1. A.

    The contamination level at P12 was recorded as high.

  2. B.

    The contamination level at P20 was recorded as medium.

  3. C.

    The contamination level at P10 was recorded as high.

  4. D.

    The contamination level at P13 was recorded as low.

Answer

C

Explanation

Deductions from strict alternating patterns between P6 and P15 require P10 to be recorded as high.

Question 2 of 4

What best can be said about the number of pumps at which the contamination levels were recorded as medium?

  1. A.

    Exactly 8

  2. B.

    At most 9

  3. C.

    At least 8

  4. D.

    More than 4

Answer

A

Explanation

Count of high = 8, low = 4, medium = 8 across the 20 pumps.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A.Exactly 8 — does not satisfy the condition asked in this question, so it is not the correct answer.
  • B.At most 9 — does not satisfy the condition asked in this question, so it is not the correct answer.
  • C.At least 8 — does not satisfy the condition asked in this question, so it is not the correct answer.
  • D.More than 4 — does not satisfy the condition asked in this question, so it is not the correct answer.

Question 3 of 4

If the contamination level at P11 was recorded as low, then which of the following MUST be true?

  1. A.

    The contamination level at P18 was recorded as low.

  2. B.

    The contamination level at P15 was recorded as medium.

  3. C.

    The contamination level at P14 was recorded as medium.

  4. D.

    The contamination level at P12 was recorded as high.

Answer

C

Explanation

Setting P11 = low fixes the sequence P12..P15, requiring P14 to be medium.

Question 4 of 4

If contamination level at P15 was recorded as medium, then which of the following MUST be FALSE?

  1. A.

    Contamination levels at P11 and P16 were recorded as the same.

  2. B.

    Contamination levels at P10 and P14 were recorded as the same.

  3. C.

    Contamination level at P14 was recorded to be higher than that at P15.

  4. D.

    Contamination levels at P13 and P17 were recorded as the same.

Answer

A

Explanation

If P15 is medium, P11 and P16 cannot have the same contamination level.

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