Statements: All the poets are goats. Some goats are trees. Conclusions: (1)…

2025

Statements:
All the poets are goats.
Some goats are trees.

Conclusions:
(1) Some poets are trees.
(2) Some trees are goats.

  1. A.

    Only (1) conclusion follows

  2. B.

    Only (2) conclusion follows

  3. C.

    Neither (1) nor (2) follows

  4. D.

    Both (1) and (2) follow

Attempted by 2 students.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B

Concept: In statement-based syllogism questions, a definite conclusion must hold in every diagram consistent with the given statements. A universal statement (all A are B) combined with a particular statement about a different term (some B are C) never fixes a certain relation between A and C; that combination only supports a possibility, tested by drawing every distinct valid diagram. A particular statement given directly, however, always reverses safely: some X are Y guarantees some Y are X, because sharing a region is the same fact stated either direction.

Apply this to the given premises (poets is a sub-circle inside goats; goats overlaps trees):

  • Diagram A: the goats-trees overlap sits entirely in the part of goats outside poets, so no poet is a tree in this valid diagram.

  • Diagram B: the goats-trees overlap extends into the poets sub-circle too, so some poets are trees in this equally valid diagram.

Since Diagram A already satisfies both premises without any poets-trees overlap, some poets are trees is not certain, so conclusion (1) fails. In both diagrams, the stated some goats are trees overlap exists, and since sharing a region is the same fact viewed from either side, some trees are goats holds in both diagrams too, so conclusion (2) is certain.

Cross-check: Check independently, without diagrams: some goats are trees means the goats circle and the trees circle share a region. Sharing a region is a symmetric fact, so some trees are goats is automatically true as well. This matches what both diagrams showed, confirming conclusion (2) is definite while conclusion (1) is only a possibility.

Only conclusion (2) follows, so Only (2) conclusion follows is the correct option.

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