Which of the following is an example of inductive reasoning? Answer 2 Points Keypad Keyboard Shortcuts The drive to work usually takes 10 minutes every day. If I leave my house today at 7:40 a.m. and have to be to work by 8:00 a.m., I should make it to work on time. This August a nearby gym is expected to offer free classes to college students, since they always offer this promotion during August.
For the past two weeks a local grocery store had a sale on tomatoes on Friday. So, that grocery store should have tomatoes on sale every Friday.
Kara has caught 30 out of 75 targets so far this season. So, she is expected to catch 6 out of 15 targets in tonight’s game.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: For the past two weeks a local grocery store had a sale on tomatoes on Friday. So, that grocery store should have tomatoes on sale every Friday.
Explanation:
Inductive reasoning involves making generalizations based on specific observations, patterns, or past experiences. It starts with specific evidence and moves toward a broader general conclusion. Unlike deductive reasoning, which guarantees the conclusion if the premises are true, inductive reasoning suggests that the conclusion is likely but not guaranteed.
Let’s break down why the correct answer is “For the past two weeks a local grocery store had a sale on tomatoes on Friday. So, that grocery store should have tomatoes on sale every Friday.”
This is a clear example of inductive reasoning. The speaker has observed a pattern over a short period of time—sales on tomatoes happened on two consecutive Fridays—and based on this limited data, they are drawing a general conclusion that the store will have tomato sales on every Friday. This reasoning is not certain or universally true, but it is a probable conclusion based on a recurring event.
Let’s contrast this with the other options:
- “The drive to work usually takes 10 minutes every day…”
- This uses a more deductive style. The reasoning is based on a consistent routine and makes a prediction about a specific day. While there’s a slight element of probability, the conclusion is time-bound and based on a repeated, measured timeframe—closer to deductive reasoning.
- “This August a nearby gym is expected to offer free classes…”
- This is also more deductive. The word “always” suggests a consistent pattern already known to be true, so expecting the same event again is drawing from a rule, not inferring a new one.
- “Kara has caught 30 out of 75 targets…”
- This is a statistical prediction using proportions. While similar to inductive reasoning, this is better categorized as predictive reasoning using mathematical modeling, not inductive generalization from patterns.
Summary:
The grocery store example shows inductive reasoning because it uses a small set of repeated observations to suggest a broader pattern.