Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CAT4 Practice Questions and Study Guide

Inductive reasoning involves making probable conclusions based on evidence. This type of reasoning starts with specific observations or real examples and develops broader generalizations or theories. For instance, if you observe that the sun has risen in the east every morning, you may induce that the sun will continue to rise in the east. In this process, the conclusions drawn are not guaranteed to be true but are likely or probable based on the evidence available.

This reasoning is different from deductive reasoning, which involves drawing specific conclusions from general principles or premises, where if the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true. Abductive reasoning is about making the best possible explanation or conjecture based on incomplete evidence, often leading to hypotheses rather than general conclusions. Lastly, analogical reasoning draws comparisons between similar cases or situations to derive conclusions, which is distinct from the evidence-based generalizations derived through inductive reasoning.