Logical reasoning for the NAPOLCOM exam: deductions, arrangements and 'which must be true', solved on paper.
Deduction items give a short set of statements and ask what follows. They are lost in the head and won on paper: most errors come from holding four facts in memory and letting one slip, or from choosing an option that is consistent with the statements rather than required by them. This page covers the item types, the quantifier words that decide syllogisms, the write-it-down method for arrangements, and the difference between must and could that decides most items.
- Last reviewed
- Worked examples
- 3
- Subtest
- NAPOLCOM Exam Logical Reasoning Reviewer: Deduction and Arrangement
Or drill napolcom exam logical reasoning reviewer: deduction and arrangement (included with a paid plan).
Quick facts
- Item types
- Syllogism, must-be-true, ordering, arrangement
- Method
- Write the facts down before reasoning
- Main trap
- Choosing what could be true instead of what must
- Key words
- All, some, none, only, must, could
- Time
- One to two minutes; arrangements longest
Primary keyword: napolcom exam logical reasoning reviewer
Must be true, not could be true
The question is almost always 'which must be true' or 'which conclusion follows'. An option that is consistent with the statements, that could be true, is wrong unless the statements force it. The exam lists such options deliberately, and they are the most chosen wrong answers on the paper. For each option ask: can I imagine a situation where all the statements hold and this option is false? If yes, it does not follow.
Syllogisms and the quantifier words
'All A are B' means every A is inside B, and says nothing about whether every B is an A. 'Some A are B' means at least one, and does not exclude all. 'No A are B' is symmetric. From 'all sergeants are officers' and 'some officers are investigators' nothing follows about sergeants and investigators, because the investigators could all be non-sergeants. Drawing the circles takes ten seconds and settles every syllogism.
| Statement | Says | Does not say |
|---|---|---|
| All A are B | Every A is a B | Every B is an A |
| Some A are B | At least one A is a B | Some A are not B |
| No A are B | A and B do not overlap | Anything about a third group |
| Only A are B | Every B is an A | Every A is a B |
Ordering and arrangement: write it down
Items that place people in a line, on days, or in seats are solved by drawing the line and filling it. Write the fixed facts first (Eli is at the far right), then the relative ones (Ana is left of Ben), then the conditional ones. If a fact does not settle a position, note both possibilities and let the next fact eliminate one. The item is designed to be impossible to hold in the head and trivial on paper; the whole method is to reach for the pencil.
Worked examples
These items are written specifically for this guide. The actual practice bank pulls from a separate pool of original NAPOLCOM-style items reviewed by passers.
Item 01
All sergeants are officers. Some officers are investigators. Which must be true?
- ASome sergeants are investigators.
- BAll investigators are officers.
- CSome officers are sergeants.Correct
- DNo sergeant is an investigator.
Explanation. If all sergeants are officers, then some officers (the sergeants) are sergeants: C is forced. A could be true but is not forced, since the investigators may all be non-sergeants; B reverses 'some officers are investigators'; D is not supported either way.Item 02
Five recruits stand in a line. Ana is to the left of Ben. Carlo is to the right of Ben but to the left of Dina. Eli is at the far right. Who is in the middle?
- ABen
- BCarloCorrect
- CDina
- DAna
Explanation. Fixed fact first: Eli is fifth. Then Ana < Ben < Carlo < Dina fills the other four in order: Ana, Ben, Carlo, Dina, Eli. Carlo is third. Written out it is immediate; held in the head it is where the item is lost.Item 03
If it rains, the drill is cancelled. The drill was not cancelled. Which must be true?
- AIt rained.
- BIt did not rain.Correct
- CThe drill is never cancelled.
- DIt will rain tomorrow.
Explanation. Rain would have forced a cancellation; there was none, so it did not rain. That is the contrapositive, and it is the only valid inference from 'if P then Q' and 'not Q'. A is the classic error; C and D go beyond the statements.
Want twenty more like these, under a clock?
The napolcom exam logical reasoning reviewer: deduction and arrangement drill runs ten or twenty items with full explanations and tracks which traps you fall for most often. Included with a paid plan.
Study tactics that actually move the score
- 01
For every option ask whether the statements force it or merely allow it. Only forced is correct.
- 02
Draw circles for syllogisms and a line for arrangements. Ten seconds on paper beats a minute in the head.
- 03
Learn the four quantifiers and what each does not say. 'All A are B' never means 'all B are A'.
- 04
With 'if P then Q', the only safe moves are P therefore Q, and not-Q therefore not-P.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common logical reasoning mistake?
Choosing an option that could be true. The question asks what must be true, and the exam lists consistent-but-unforced options on purpose.
How do I get faster at arrangement items?
Write the fixed facts first, then the relative ones, and draw the line every time. Speed comes from the habit, not from doing it in your head.
Are these the same as the Civil Service Exam's logic items?
Very close. Analytical ability on the CSE and logical reasoning on the NAPOLCOM exam draw on the same syllogism, deduction and arrangement item types.
Stop reading. Find your floor.
Forty questions across all four subtests, forty minutes, and a per-subject breakdown against the 80.00 pass mark.