Tips to approach Reverse Syllogisms in upcoming Bank exams?

How to approach Reverse Syllogisms in the exam?

A preferable method to solve Reverse Syllogisms is the Elimination method. In this method, we try to eliminate the options step by step which cannot be answered.

Steps that should be taken in eliminating the options are given below.

• First, always identify the “Universal Negative” conclusion, then eliminate those options which do not have a single universal negative statement.   
• Secondly, check the “Particular Negative” conclusion, then eliminate those options which violate this condition.
• Thirdly, check the “Universal Positive” conclusion, then eliminate the option which also violates this condition.
• In last, check the “Particular positive” conclusion, then eliminate the option which also violates this condition.
• In the last, the remaining option will be your answer.

Let's discuss it with examples now:

Example 1

Conclusion:
(1) No toxic is injection. (2) Some injections are glucose.

Statements:  
(A) All toxic are tablet. No tablet is glucose. Some glucose are medicine. All medicine are injection.
(B) Some toxic are tablet. All tablet are injection. Some injection are glucose. All glucose are medicine.
(C) All tablet are toxic. No injection is toxic. Some glucose are injection. All glucose are medicine.
(D) Some injection are toxic. All injection are tablet. Some toxic are glucose. All glucose are medicine.
(E) Some medicine are toxic. Some toxic are injection. Some injection are tablet. All tablet are glucose.

Solution:
In Reverse Syllogism, Conc.1 is Universal negative or disjointed set. So first we will try to find out the option which has the statement following this conclusion.
We can see that, In option B, D and E, there is no negative statement. So these cannot be answered.
In option A and C, there is a negative statement. In option C, you can see the statement 2 and statement 3 depict the given conclusion. So, C is the answer.
You can also check option A, but when you have got your answer, there is no use of wasting time.
Now, Question is why I checked first option C?
I checked both option A and C, but in C I found related information to Conclusion, So, I go into detail of it.

Example 2

Conclusion:
(1) No toxic is injection. (2) Some injection are not glucose.

Statements:
(a) All toxic are syrup. Some syrup are glucose. Some glucose are medicine. All medicine are injection.
(b) Some toxic are syrup. All syrup are injection. Some injection are glucose. All glucose are medicine.
(c) All syrup are toxic. Some toxic are not injection. Some glucose are injection. All glucose are medicine.
(d) Some injection are not toxic. Some injection are not syrup. Some toxic are glucose. All glucose are medicine.
(e) No medicine is syrup. All toxic are medicine. All injection are syrup. No syrup is glucose.

Solution:
In this also conclusions are “No toxic is injection” and “Some injection are not glucose”.
First, we will identify the option which has statements depicting “No toxic is injection”.
Except for option E, all options do not have any “Universal negative” statement. So our answer will be E.
If your basics are clear, no need to check option E. Still for your convenience let’s check Option E.

We can see that All toxics are medicine, All injections are syrup and no medicine is syrup. So, no toxic is injection.
All injections are syrup and No syrup is glucose. So, no injection is glucose which infers that some injection is not glucose.

Example 3

Conclusion:
(1) All toxic are injection.              (2) Some glucose are not medicine.

Statements:
(A) All toxic are syrup. Some syrup are glucose. Some glucose are injection. All medicine are injection.
(B) All toxic are syrup. All syrup are glucose. Some toxic are not medicine. All glucose are injection.
(C) All syrup are toxic. Some toxic are injection. Some glucose are injection. All glucose are medicine.
(D) Some injection are not toxic. No injection are syrup. No toxic are glucose. All glucose are medicine.
(E) No toxic is syrup. All syrup are glucose. All toxic are medicine. All toxic are injection

Solution: In this, there is no universal negative statement. Now, we will first focus on a Particular Negative statement.
In option A and option C, there is no negative statement, so these options are eliminated.
In option D, the last statement is “All glucose are medicine” given, so it will not be the answer.
Now let’s check option E and B.
In option E, the last statement has already depicted the first conclusion, but there is no restriction on Glucose and medicine. So, this will also not be our answer.

We have already eliminated four options. So the remaining will be our answer i.e. B.
Now let’s check option B. But, in exams, you don’t need to check when you have eliminated four options.

We know “some toxic are not medicine” means at least one element of toxic is not medicine.
In diagram B.1, all toxic are glucose so, so at least one element of glucose will not be medicine.

Example 4

Conclusion:
(1) Some car are bus.    (2) No bus is plane.    (3) All plane are train

Statement:
(A) Some car are not plane. All drum are train. Some bus are not plane. All planes are drums.
(B) Some bus are car. All bus are train. No plane is bus. All car are train.
(C) Some bus are car. Some car are plane. Some train are plane. No plane is bus.
(D) All bus are train. All plane are drum. Some bus are car. All drum are bus.
(E) All drum are train. No train is car. All bus are car. All plane are drum.

Solution:
In given conclusions, Conc.2 is a universal negative type. So, we will first identify options that have this type of statement.
Option B, C, and E are this type of statement, so options A and D are eliminated.
In option B and C, the statement “No plane is bus” is available. Let’s first see both options.
In option B, there is no relation between plane and train. This option is also eliminated.
In option C, If we check Conc.3 “All plane are train” which is universal affirmative for its statements should be also universal affirmative. So, this option is also eliminated.
So, the answer is E. Let’s check it also.

Expert Tips to Prepare for Reverse Syllogism for Bank Exams:

Kindly go through the below pointers and tips provided by our exam qualified experts to handle the reverse syllogism chapter for the upcoming Bank and Insurance exams 2022.

• As Reverse Syllogism is a type of Syllogism, first grasp the basic concepts of the Syllogism chapter.
• Practice as many questions as possible to inculcate the concepts.
• Then go for some of the previous year's questions papers for major exams like SBI PO, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, etc to understand the types of questions asked in Reverse Syllogism.
• Practice Reverse Syllogism questions from our app or from any standard book.