Answer the following question on the basis of the given statements and conclusions.
Statements: Some books are pens. No pen is a pencil.
Conclusions:
I. Some pens are books
II. Some pencils are books
III. Some books are not pencils
IV. All pencils are books
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Only I and III follow
Draw the circles so that they show only what the statements say: the books circle overlaps the pens circle, and the pens circle has no part in common with the pencils circle. The statements say nothing about books and pencils together, so a conclusion linking them follows only if it is true however those two circles are drawn.
I. Some pens are books follows: the shaded part holds things that are both books and pens, so “some books are pens” can be read the other way round.
II. Some pencils are books does not follow: the pencils circle may or may not touch the books circle.
III. Some books are not pencils follows: the books in the shaded part are pens, and no pen is a pencil, so at least these books are not pencils.
IV. All pencils are books does not follow: nothing puts the pencils circle inside the books circle.