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Feasibility / Practicality Based Assumptions

Introduction

Many reasoning questions involve suggestions or recommendations. However, not every suggestion is automatically valid - it must be both necessary and possible to implement. These questions test whether you can identify the feasibility or practicality assumptions behind a given statement.

This pattern is important because practical reasoning always assumes that the recommended action can be carried out effectively, and that it will actually solve the problem it targets.

Pattern: Feasibility / Practicality Based Assumptions

Pattern

The key idea is: a recommendation assumes (1) the action is possible to perform, and (2) the action will help achieve the desired outcome.

These assumptions appear in statements that suggest actions such as government policies, reforms, bans, or solutions - where feasibility and effectiveness are key concerns.

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Statement: “The government should ban plastic bags to reduce pollution.”
Which of the following assumptions is/are implicit?
A. Plastic bags are harmful to the environment.
B. The government can successfully enforce such a ban.
C. Both A and B.
D. Neither A nor B.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify nature of statement

    The statement is a recommendation, not a fact - so it assumes that banning plastic is both necessary and possible.

  2. Step 2: Analyze assumptions

    Assumption A - plastic causes pollution - implicit, because otherwise the recommendation has no basis.
    Assumption B - the government can enforce the ban - implicit, because if enforcement were impossible, the recommendation would be meaningless.

  3. Final Answer:

    Both A and B are implicit. → Option C

  4. Quick Check:

    If the ban couldn’t be implemented or plastics weren’t harmful, the suggestion would fail ✅

Quick Variations

1. Policy feasibility: “The city should build more public parks.” → assumes funds and space are available.

2. Implementation-based: “The school should conduct online classes.” → assumes students have access to devices and internet.

3. Enforcement-based: “The government must ensure clean drinking water in every village.” → assumes resources and infrastructure exist.

4. Technical feasibility: “Factories should switch to solar power.” → assumes solar energy is practically affordable and available.

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1 → Check if the suggested action can be practically implemented.
  • Step 2 → Check if the suggestion assumes a positive effect or benefit from implementation.
  • Step 3 → Eliminate any assumption that is merely idealistic or unrelated to feasibility.

Summary

Summary

  • Feasibility-based assumptions always check for possibility + effectiveness.
  • If a suggestion is given, assume it can be implemented in the current conditions.
  • Also assume that implementing it will actually solve the problem.
  • Statements ignoring practical limits are unrealistic and hence invalid assumptions.

Example to remember:
Statement: “Schools should go paperless.” → Implicit: technology is available and digital study is effective.

Practice

(1/5)
1. Statement: "The government should introduce electric buses to reduce air pollution."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ Electric buses cause less pollution than diesel buses.<br>2️⃣ The government can immediately afford to buy and maintain electric buses.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
easy
A. Both 1 and 2
B. Only 1
C. Only 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the claimed benefit

    The statement links electric buses directly to reduced air pollution - that requires the belief that electric buses produce less pollution.

  2. Step 2: Test Assumption 1

    Belief that electric buses are cleaner is necessary for the recommendation - therefore implicit.

  3. Step 3: Test Assumption 2

    The claim does not necessarily assert that the government has immediate funds; affordability might be solved by loans, phased purchase, or private partnerships - so immediate affordability is not implicitly assumed.

  4. Final Answer:

    Only 1 is implicit. → Option B

  5. Quick Check:

    If electric buses weren’t cleaner, the recommendation would lack rationale; affordability can be arranged separately ✅
Hint: Separate the benefit assumption (cleaner tech) from implementation/affordability assumptions.
Common Mistakes: Assuming a recommendation always implies immediate funding availability.
2. Statement: "The city should install solar panels on government buildings."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ Solar energy is a reliable and sustainable power source for the city’s needs.<br>2️⃣ Government buildings have adequate rooftop space and structural suitability for panels.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
easy
A. Only 1
B. Only 2
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the proposal’s two requirements

    Installing solar panels is both a technical (energy source) and logistical (space/structure) action.

  2. Step 2: Test Assumption 1

    If solar energy were unreliable for the city’s needs, recommending installation on public buildings wouldn’t make sense - so reliability/sustainability is implicit.

  3. Step 3: Test Assumption 2

    If roofs were unsuitable or too small, the plan could not be implemented as stated - so structural/space suitability is implicit.

  4. Final Answer:

    Both 1 and 2 are implicit. → Option C

  5. Quick Check:

    Technical proposals typically assume both the solution works and the place to put it exists ✅
Hint: Technical recommendations assume both effectiveness and implementability.
Common Mistakes: Focusing on only the technology and ignoring physical constraints.
3. Statement: "The school should provide free tablets to students to ensure internet access at home."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ Tablets will necessarily improve learning outcomes.<br>2️⃣ The school (or its funders) can secure and distribute enough tablets to cover students lacking access.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
medium
A. Only 2
B. Both 1 and 2
C. Only 1
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Note the stated purpose

    The statement’s purpose is explicit: provide tablets to ensure internet access at home (focus on access, not guaranteed learning improvement).

  2. Step 2: Test Assumption 1

    While tablets can help, the statement does not claim they will necessarily improve learning outcomes (many other factors affect learning) - improvement is not implicitly guaranteed.

  3. Step 3: Test Assumption 2

    The proposal presumes the school/funders can obtain and distribute sufficient devices - this logistical/cost assumption is required and therefore implicit.

  4. Final Answer:

    Only 2 is implicit. → Option A

  5. Quick Check:

    Access-focused proposals assume supply/distribution capacity; learning gains are desirable but not automatically assumed ✅
Hint: Distinguish access (implicit) from guaranteed outcomes (not necessarily implicit).
Common Mistakes: Assuming capacity to deliver equals guaranteed improvement.
4. Statement: "The company should switch to a four-day work week."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ A shorter work week will increase employee productivity.<br>2️⃣ The company can maintain required operations with one fewer workday.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
medium
A. Only 1
B. Both 1 and 2
C. Only 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Observe neutral wording

    The statement is a general policy suggestion (no reason like 'to increase productivity' or 'to cut costs' is attached).

  2. Step 2: Test Assumption 1

    Because no purpose is specified, the statement does not necessarily assume productivity will increase - that is a possible motive, but not implicit in this neutral recommendation.

  3. Step 3: Test Assumption 2

    Similarly, the statement does not implicitly claim the company can maintain operations without loss; operational viability is a separate evaluation, not automatically assumed by the neutral suggestion.

  4. Final Answer:

    Neither 1 nor 2 is implicit. → Option D

  5. Quick Check:

    Neutral policy proposals do not always carry hidden practical assumptions unless a specific benefit or feasibility claim is attached ✅
Hint: If no purpose or effect is stated, avoid assuming specific benefits or feasibility automatically.
Common Mistakes: Reading unstated motives into neutral policy suggestions.
5. Statement: "Local authorities should build rainwater harvesting systems in all public buildings."<br>Assumptions:<br>1️⃣ Rainwater harvesting effectively conserves and supplements water supply.<br>2️⃣ Local authorities have the administrative capacity and funds to construct and maintain such systems across public buildings.<br>Which assumption(s) is/are implicit?
medium
A. Both 1 and 2
B. Only 2
C. Only 1
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify policy goals

    The proposal aims at water conservation and widespread implementation across public buildings.

  2. Step 2: Test Assumption 1

    If harvesting did not conserve or meaningfully supplement water, recommending it would be pointless - so effectiveness is implicit.

  3. Step 3: Test Assumption 2

    Widespread installation implies administrative capacity and funding to implement and maintain systems - this feasibility assumption is also implicit.

  4. Final Answer:

    Both 1 and 2 are implicit. → Option A

  5. Quick Check:

    Public infrastructure proposals rely on both benefit and institutional capacity assumptions ✅
Hint: Public infrastructure suggestions assume both effectiveness and implementation capacity.
Common Mistakes: Assuming a proposal implies only benefit and forgetting implementation limits.

Mock Test

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