If the statement “Some residents are voters” is true, consider the following…

2021

If the statement “Some residents are voters” is true, consider the following conclusions:

  1. No voter is a resident.

  2. All residents are voters.

  3. Some voters are residents.

  4. No resident is a voter.

Which of the above conclusion(s) follow?

Answer: C. Only 3ConceptAn existential affirmative statement says that the two named sets share at least one member. Such a statement permits simple conversion: “Some A are B”…

  1. A.

    Only 1 and 2

  2. B.

    Only 2

  3. C.

    Only 3

  4. D.

    Only 3 and 4

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C

Concept

An existential affirmative statement says that the two named sets share at least one member. Such a statement permits simple conversion: “Some A are B” implies “Some B are A.”

It does not establish universal inclusion, and it is incompatible with a universal statement that the two sets are disjoint.

Application

  1. Let R be the set of residents and V the set of voters. “Some residents are voters” means that at least one person lies in R ∩ V.

  2. The same shared person is both a voter and a resident, so conclusion 3, “Some voters are residents,” follows by simple conversion.

  3. Conclusion 2 says R is entirely contained in V. One shared member does not prove that every resident belongs to V.

  4. Conclusions 1 and 4 both say R and V are disjoint. That contradicts the given non-empty intersection.

Cross-check and contrast

  • “Only 1 and 2” combines two universal claims that are not established by the existential statement.

  • “Only 2” strengthens “some” to “all,” which is not licensed.

  • “Only 3” preserves the same shared witness while reversing the order of the two classes.

  • “Only 3 and 4” combines the shared-witness claim with a disjointness claim, so the pair is internally inconsistent.

Therefore, conclusion 3 alone follows, so the answer is “Only 3.”

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