Logical reasoning PrepTest 124 · Section 1 · Question 17

Incorrect. This answer doesn't highlight another phenomenon that causes both inflation and rapid growth in the money supply, instead stating the two phenomena are the same.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Must Be True (Principle)

Stimulus Summary:
Correlation doesn't equal causation because there could be another cause of the correlated phenomenon.

Answer Anticipation:
Learning about common errors in reasoning pays off yet again! This stimulus is entirely dedicated to explaining that correlation ("an association between two types of conditions") doesn't equal causation. It specifically references one of the three common reasons for this—that there might be a third phenomenon that is a cause of the correlated phenomena.

Let's find an answer that highlights such a flaw.

Answer Explanation:
This answer brings up a correlation between high blood pressure and being overweight. It then states that one can't conclude any causal connection between the two because it's possible a third phenomenon—an unhealthy lifestyle—can cause both.

Key Takeaway:
Don't forget about the common errors in reasoning just because you're not in a question that features flawed logic! Those errors can be relevant in other question types, so if something sounds like it's bringing one up, pay attention.

Incorrect. This answer highlights a potential correlation/causation issue, but it brings up a separate explanation other than a third cause—the correlation being a coincidence.

Incorrect. This answer highlights a potential correlation/causation issue, but it explains it as being a problem because of reversed causality, not because of a potential third cause.

Incorrect. This answer is, in many ways, the reverse of the stimulus. There, the argument brings up a potential third cause as an explanation for why a direct connection between two phenomena couldn't be concluded. Here, a direct connection between two phenomena is used to explain why the relevance of a third factor can't be concluded.