Syllogism at its best - Part - II (Re-Post)

A statement has many conclusions (cases)

And thus, so many diagrams are possible!!

In possibility questions, the examiner asks if there exists any such case (diagram) where this conclusion is valid. So, you job is to find out this case. If there exists at least one such case, then the conclusion holds true. If not, then the conclusion is false. As simple as that!

Keeping this and also the previous Syllogism Post in mind, let’s solve some possibility questions.

Abbreviations that I used:

Basic Diagram = BD

Modified Diagram = MD

Question 1:

 Statements:

A. All flowers are trees

B. Some trees are houses

C. All houses are wheels

Let’s first make a BD according to these statements.

Conclusions:

1. At least some wheels are trees

2. Some trees are flowers

3. All wheels are flower is a possibility

Now, see the BD,

Conclusion 1 clearly follows. 

Conclusion 2 also clearly follows. 

But, what about Conclusion 3?

Let’s make a MD and see if it follows or not!

In the MD, we can clearly see that all the statements are still valid, and Conclusion 3 also is following. So, Conclusion 3 follows. 

• 1? Follows
• 2? Follows
• 3? Follows

Understood?

Let’s now solve another question!

Question 2:

Statements:

A. Some desks are chairs

B. Some chairs are pens

C. Some pens are drawers

First, make a BD according to these statements. 

Conclusions:

1. At least some drawers are desks

2. There is a possibility all drawers are chairs

3. No drawer is a chair

Now, see the BD

Conclusion 1 clearly doesn’t follow. 

But, what about Conclusion 2?

Let’s make a MD

See the MD, Conclusion 2 follows in it.

And if there is a possibility that All drawers are chairs, then how could No drawer is a chair follow?

So, Conclusion 3 will not follow! 

• 1? Doesn’t follows
• 2? Follows
• 3? Doesn’t follows

Understood?

Let’s solve another one!

Question 3:

Statements:

A. All politicians are corrupt

B. Some politicians are honest

C. No leader is honest

First, make a BD according to these statements.

Conclusions:

1. Some politicians are not leader

2. All honest being corrupt is a possibility

3. Some leaders are not corrupt

Now, see the BD, 

Some politicians, which are honest (Red Portion), cannot beleaders. 

So, Conclusion 1 clearly follows. 

But, what about Conclusion 2?

Let’s make a MD.

See the MD, Conclusion 2 clearly follows!

What about conclusion 3?

Let’s make another MD.

See the last diagram, All leaders are corrupt could be a possibility! So, Conclusion 3 doesn’t follow. 

• 1? Follows
• 2? Follows
• 3? Doesn’t follows

Understood?

Question 4:

Statements:

A. Some people are intelligent

B. All intelligent are honest

C. No intelligent is smart

First, make a BD according to these statements.

Conclusions:

1. Some honest are not smart

2. All people being honest is a possibility

3. Some honest are people

Now, see the BD, 

Some honest, which are intelligent (Red Portion), cannot be smart. 

So, Conclusion 1 follows.

But, what about Conclusion 2?

Let’s make a MD.

See the MD, Conclusion 2 clearly follows.

Conclusion 3 also follows. 

• 1? Follows
• 2? Follows
• 3? Follows

Understood?

Question 5:

Statements:

A. Some writers are poets

B. All poets are singers

C. Many singers are actors

D. No singer is a dancer

First, make a BD according to these statements.

Conclusions:

1. Some writers are singers

2. Some actors are not dancers

3. All poets being actor is a possibility

4. No poet is a dancer

See the BD, 

Conclusion 1 clearly follows.

Also, some actors, which are singers (Red Portion), cannot be dancers. 

So, Conclusion 2 also follows.

But, what about Conclusion 3?

Let’s make a MD.

See the MD, 

Conclusion 3 clearly follows.

Also, since no singer is a dancer, so, no poet is a dancer. 

Hence, Conclusion 4 is also following!

• 1? Follows
• 2? Follows
• 3? Follows
• 4? Follows

Understood?

PS: Try re-doing these questions again if you still feel confused. Confusions will be clear this way!

Banking Awareness: Inflation and RBI

To understand RBI monetary policy we have to understand why RBI has to do all this mehnat, RBI has a biggest villain standing against him called as INFLATION.

INFLATION-

Inflation is the biggest parasite in the Indian economy. In the condition of inflation there is flow of extra money in the economy creating excess of demand in the market for the products as compared to supply in midst of all this maara maari the producers grab this opportunity with both arms and if possible with legs too (too greedy these fellows), they mark higher prices for the goods that are excess in demand and this creates a rise in price of the products resulting in inflation.

Inflation has the following adverse effects on the economy:

Here is story of Mr. Bechara (common man)

Inflation and Purchasing Products-

Purchasing Power-The value of a currency expressed in terms of the amount of goods or services that one unit of money can buy. Purchasing power is important because, all else being equal, inflation decreases the amount of goods or services you'd be able to purchase. Mr.Bechara  is fetching a salary of Rs.20K monthly, he was doing his best to keep up to the expectations his over sized wife and extra demanding kids, Now in inflation his salary is the same but his 20K will now cannot complete the demands of his family, because that 20K has become equivalent to say, 18K and now they can have less resources in the same prices, This will result in the debt conditions , lesser purchase of goods and services(due to higher prices) and will directly hurt the economy.

Inflation and Debt-

Price inflation is a debtor's best friend and a creditor's worst enemy. Let’s see how, our Mr. Bechara gave Rs. 10K to a debtor in 2006 for a period of three years, after two years inflation occurred, now the value of that 10k becomes equivalent to 8k (loss in the value of Rs), The effect of inflation on debtors is positive because debtors can pay their debts with money that is less valuable.

Other negative impacts-

Black-marketing- Expecting inflation many mafias start to collect the onions and kerosene in their backyards for releasing these when the inflation strikes, hence they will make big bucks in no time and our Mr. Bechara has to pay more than hefty amount for the daily ka aaloo ,pyazz..

Unemployment- Inflation comes along with a gift package of unemployment, companies with limited resources will start to fire people on the name of cost cutting and also the new recruitments will not happen resulting in not so aache din for aspirants.

Different stages of Inflation-

Creeping Inflation:

Creeping or mild inflation is when prices rise 3% a year or less.

Walking Inflation:

This type of strong, or pernicious, inflation is between 3-10% a year. It is harmful to the economy because it heats up economic growth too fast.

Galloping Inflation:

When inflation rises to ten percent or greater, it wreaks absolute havoc on the economy. Money loses value so fast that business and employee income can't keep up with costs and prices. Foreign investors avoid the country.

Hyperinflation:

Hyperinflation is when the prices skyrocket, the currency becomes a piece of trash, Zimbabwe experienced a similar conditions in previous years.

Calculation of Inflation-

In India inflation is calculated by the help of CPI(Consumer Price Index),previously it was calculated by WPI(Wholesale Price Index), CPI as a scale was adopted by RBI ,due the recommendations of Urijit Patel committee. 

SBI PO 2015: Letter to airlines inquiring about the Lost Luggage

Dear Sirs,

I was one of the passengers who took the flight from Mumbai to Delhi on 5th May, 2015. Unfortunately, my suitcase did not come out after the flight. Although I have explained this Mr. Narang who was in charge at the Luggage Claim Office I have not heard from him as of now.

My suit case is grey Samsonite whose size is 10 x 95 cm. There are 3 steckers on one side and 1 heart shaped stecker on the other side. My initials "AR" are also written on both sides.

There are a few books and a copy of my thesis in that suitcase, which I need for the conference on 19 May.

So, I would deeply appreciate it if you could give me a prompt reply at your most convenient. My flight number, luggage claim number and address are written below.

Flight No : NH 101

Luggage Claim No : 00026

Address : XYZ, Laxmi Nagar,

New Delhi

Ph No. - 0123456789

Yours Faithfully,

Akshay Rajan

Nitty-Gritty of FDs

FDs (Fixed Deposits): A comprehensible approach towards defining the nitty-gritty of a popular investing instrument.

Fixed deposit (FD) is a financial instrument where a sum of money given to a bank, financial institution or company whereby the receiving entity pays interest at a specified percentage for the time duration of the deposit.

Fixed deposit, in fact, gives you a fixed interest either annually or on a cumulative basis. What's important to note is that this interest income is taxed on accrual basis. This means irrespective of when you receive it, you will have to pay tax at the end of the financial year. Even if it is not taxable, you still have to show it in your I-T returns.

There is no doubt that bank fixed deposits (FDs) are considered safe in that you will most likely get your money back. But did you know that bank FDs can negatively affect your savings over the long term?

Let’s try to answer this question,

Most FDs only give you about 8.50 % interest before tax and around 7 % after tax. This means, you are effectively losing money every year you invest your money in a FD.

In correlation with equity mutual funds, long term returns from which are tax free, FD interest is taxable at your current tax slab. The higher your income, the lower your FD return will be.

Now, another question ensued from these above answers. If FDs are pricey enough taking a long term perspective then where one should invest. Mutual Funds might be the answer. But let’s stick to the subject on which we are discussing.

Another aspect of the FD which is subtle is TDS. TDS or Tax Deducted at Source is the Income Tax department’s way of automating tax collection, to an extent. The tax on interest from any FD is paid partially via TDS deducted by the bank and the rest is paid as Self-Assessment Tax by the individual.

Banks deduct TDS on interest only if the interest amount for an F.D is greater than Rs.10, 000 per year. The rate of TDS deducted by banks is 10% on interest income, provided your PAN number is available with the bank. If the bank doesn’t have your PAN in its records, TDS is deducted at 20% on interest income.

If your total income is below the minimum tax slab (10%), the TDS on FD interest that is deducted by banks can be recovered by claiming a refund for the TDS amount at the time of tax filing. 

Alternately, You can submit the “Form 15G” to the bank declaring that since your taxable income for the year will be below the minimum tax slab, the bank shouldn’t deduct TDS on your FD Interest.

Senior Citizens are also exempt from paying TDS on FD interest as a special concession by the IT department. They need to submit Form 15H to ensure they aren’t charged TDS on their F.Ds. 

On the whole, one of the major benefits of FD is its liquidity. For any immediate requirement, it can be broken and the money is credited you're your account within a short span of time. With higher interest rates it is surely a good investment opportunity. Senior citizens, who generally get higher interest rates, will benefit if they fall in a lower tax slab. In a nutshell, one should invest in FDs, if one finds difficulty in comprehending the most elusive and volatile stock market.

Confident People vs Insecure People..!!

Confidence takes many forms, from the arrogance to the quiet self-assurance. True confidence—as opposed to the false confidence people project to mask their insecurities—has a look all its own.

When it comes to confidence, one thing is certain: truly confident people always have the upper hand over the doubtful and the skittish because they inspire others and they make things happen.

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right." -Henry Ford

Ford’s notion that your mentality has a powerful effect on your ability to succeed, which means that confident people went on to aim higher things in life and achieve success more quickly than anyone else.

Learning to be confident is clearly important, but what is it that truly confident people do that sets them apart from everyone else?

1. They Get Their Happiness from Within

Happiness is a critical element of confidence, because in order to be confident in what you do, you have to be happy with who you are.

People who brim with confidence derive their sense of pleasure and satisfaction from their own accomplishments, as opposed to what other people think of their accomplishments. They know that no matter what anyone says, you’re never as good or as bad as people say you are.

2. They Don’t Pass Judgment

Confident people don’t pass judgment on others because they know that everyone has something to offer, and they don’t need to take other people down a notch in order to feel good about themselves. Comparing yourself to other people is limiting. Confident people don’t waste time sizing people up and worrying about whether or not they measure up to everyone they meet.

3. They Don’t Say Yes Unless They Really Want To

The more difficulty that you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression. Confident people know that saying no is healthy, and they have the self-esteem to make their nos clear. When it’s time to say no, confident people avoid phrases such as “I don’t think I can” or “I’m not certain.” They say no with confidence because they know that saying no to a new commitment honors their existing commitments and gives them the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.

4. They Listen More than They Speak

People with confidence listen more than they speak because they don’t feel as though they have anything to prove. Confident people know that by actively listening and paying attention to others, they are much more likely to learn and grow. Instead of seeing interactions as opportunities to prove themselves to others, they focus on the interaction itself, because they know that this is a far more enjoyable and productive approach to people.

5. They Speak with Certainty

It’s rare to hear the truly confident utter phrases such as “Um,” “I’m not sure,” and “I think.” Confident people speak assertively because they know that it’s difficult to get people to listen to you if you can’t deliver your ideas with conviction.

6. They Seek Out Small Victories

Confident people like to challenge themselves and compete, even when their efforts yield small victories. Small victories build new androgen receptors in the areas of the brain responsible for reward and motivation. The increase in androgen receptors increases the influence of testosterone, which further increases their confidence and eagerness to tackle future challenges. When you have a series of small victories, the boost in your confidence can last for months.

7. They Exercise

People who exercise twice a week for 10 weeks are more competent socially, academically, and athletically. They also rated their body image and self-esteem higher. Best of all, rather than the physical changes in their bodies being responsible for the uptick in confidence, it was the immediate, endorphin-fueled positivity from exercise that made all the difference.

8. They Don’t Seek Attention

People are turned off by those who are desperate for attention. Confident people know that being yourself is much more effective than trying to prove that you’re important. People catch on to your attitude quickly and are more attracted to the right attitude than what, or how many, people you know. Confident people always seem to bring the right attitude.

Confident people are masters of attention diffusion. When they’re receiving attention for an accomplishment, they quickly shift the focus to all the people who worked hard to help get them there. They don’t crave approval or praise because they draw their self-worth from within.

9. They Aren’t Afraid to Be Wrong

Confident people aren’t afraid to be proven wrong. They like putting their opinions out there to see if they hold up because they learn a lot from the times they are wrong and other people learn from them when they’re right. Self-assured people know what they are capable of and don’t treat being wrong as a personal slight.

10. They Stick Their Necks Out

When confident people see an opportunity, they take it. Instead of worrying about what could go wrong, they ask themselves, “What’s stopping me? Why can’t I do that?” and they go for it. Fear doesn’t hold them back because they know that if they never try, they will never succeed.

11. They Celebrate Other People

Insecure people constantly doubt their relevance, and because of this, they try to steal the spotlight and criticize others in order to prove their worth. Confident people, on the other hand, aren’t worried about their relevance because they draw their self-worth from within. Instead of insecurely focusing inward, confident people focus outward, which allows them to see all the wonderful things that other people bring to the table. Praising people for their contributions is a natural result of this.

12. They Aren’t Afraid to Ask for Help

Confident people know that asking other people for help won’t make them seem weak or unintelligent. They know their strengths and weaknesses, and they look to others to fill the gaps. They also know that learning from someone with more expertise is a great way to improve.

Building confidence is a journey, not a destination!!!

Quiz on Current Affairs: 31 May 2015

1) Siddhivinayak temple which recently received ISO 9001-2008 certification for best quality practices is in which city?

(A) Chennai

(B) Kolkata

(C) Hyderabad

(D) Mumbai

2) International Day of Families was observed on?

(A) May 15

(B) May 14

(C) May 13

(D) May 12 

3) V Shanmuganathan was on 20 May 2015 sworn-in as the Governor of which state?

(A) Mizoram

(B) Sikkim

(C) Meghalaya

(D) Tripura

4) Who was recently appointed new defence secretary?

(A) G Mohan Kumar

(B) J Varghese

(C) Pradeep Kumar Sinha

(D) Jiji Thomson

5) Golden jubilee of which poets works viz.'Sanskriti ke Chaar Adhyaye' and 'Parshuram ki Pratiksha' was recently inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi?

(A) Mohan Rakesh

(B) Ramdhari Singh Dinkar

(C) Sumithranandan Pant

(D) Harivansh Rai Bachchan

6) Which state government and Chinese software firm ZTEsoft have recently entered into an agreement for smartcity projects?

(A) Maharashtra

(B) Andhra Pradesh

(C) Odisha

(D) Gujarat

7) Which bank on 21 May 2015 tied-up with two of the biggest online retail and payment solution companies, Snapdeal and PayPal?

(A) Kotak Mahindra Bank

(B) Punjab National Bank

(C) ICICI

(D) State Bank of India

8) India was recently ranked ___th out of 70 countries in the first Environmental Democracy Index?

(A) 64

(B) 44

(C) 24

(D) 4

9) International Day for Biological Diversity was observed on?

(A) May 14

(B) May 21

(C) May 28

(D) May 22

10) Who was recently named sixth most marketable athlete in the world as per report released by British Sports business magazine 'SportsPro'?

(A) M S Dhoni

(B) Virat Kohli

(C) Sania Mirza

(D) Saina Nehwal

Answers

1) Ans. (D) Mumbai

2) Ans. (A) May 15

3) Ans. (C) Meghalaya

4) Ans. (A) G Mohan Kumar

5) Ans. (B) Ramdhari Singh Dinkar

6) Ans. (D) Gujarat

7) Ans. (D) State Bank of India

8) Ans. (C) 24

9) Ans. (D) May 22

10) Ans. (B) Virat Kohli

Daily Current Affairs: 30 May 2015

1) G R Aloria named chief secretary of Gujarat:

--> Gujarat government on 30 May 2015 appointed 1981-batch IAS, G R Aloria as the new chief secretary to the state.

--> Aloria, who is currently serving as the additional chief secretary of Urban Development Department, succeeded the incumbent chief secretary D J Pandian, who retires from the service on May 31.

--> Aloria is the senior most bureaucrat in the state administration and had served in several key positions including heading the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited during the land acquisition for the for canal network.  

2) Sepp Blatter re-elected as FIFA President:

--> Sepp Blatter, 79, was re-elected as global football body’s (FIFA) president in a vote that overshadowed his arrests and corruption allegations.

--> The 2015, elections that was scheduled for the FIFA presidency, Blatter again became the incumbent candidate, running for a fifth consecutive term.

--> Prince Ali bin Hussein was his opponent in the election.

--> He was first elected President of FIFA on 8 June 1998 at the 51st FIFA Congress, succeeding João Havelange who had held the presidency since 1974.

3) AR Rahman documentary 'Jai Ho' screened at White House:

--> "Jai Ho", a documentary based on music maestro AR Rahman's life, was screened at the White House.

--> The film, directed by Umesh Aggarwal, traces the journey of the Oscar and Grammy winning music composer's professional and personal life.

4) Veena Jain named Doordarshan DG:

--> The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry on 29 May 2015 appointed Veena Jain as director general (news) in Doordarshan in place of Akshay Rout and, in an unusual move, directed her to report directly to the ministry.

--> DD DG (news) is one of the most influential positions in the public broadcaster.

--> Both DD and AIR are media wings that function under Prasar Bharati.

5) Alastair Cook becomes England's leading Test run scorer:

--> Alastair Cook has passed Graham Gooch to become England's leading Test run scorer.

--> In reaching 32 on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at Headingley, he overtook Gooch's mark of 8,900, which has stood since 1995.

--> Cook stands 13th on the all-time list of Test run scorers,  and only one current Test player - Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara - is ahead of him on a chart led by India great Sachin Tendulkar with 15,921 runs.

6) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley inaugurated New Bank Note Paper Line unit in Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh:

--> Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley inaugurated the New Bank Note Paper Line unit of 6000 metric ton capacity at Security Paper Mill in Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh.

--> He also flagged off the first consignment of one thousand rupee bank notes made indigenously from this paper mill to the Currency Note Press Nasik.

Daily Current Affairs Updates: 29 May 2015

1) Maharashtra government launched Swachhata Saptapadi scheme:

--> On the lines of Centre government’s ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ the Maharashtra Government launched ‘Swachhata Saptapadi’ scheme.

--> The scheme was launched by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

--> Under the new scheme, debris or waste will not be allowed to dump at dumping grounds and processing of waste will be made mandatory. 

2) Now, apply for SBI loans online:

--> Country's largest lender State Bank of India on 29 May 2015 launched an online customer acquisition solution through which one can apply for home, car, education and personal loans online.

--> SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya launched the application that will help customers gauge their eligibility and get a quote personalised to their requirement, the bank said in a statement.

--> The bank plans to launch a similar application on the mobile platform, soon.

3) Pradeep Kumar Sinha appointed new Cabinet secretary:

--> Power secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha was on 29 May 2015 appointed as the next Cabinet secretary of the government.

--> He will succeed Ajit Seth who has been holding the position for the last four years.

--> Sinha, a 1977-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been asked to take over as officer on special duty (OSD) in Cabinet secretariat, an official release said.

--> He will formally take over the new charge on June 13, it said.

4) 4th North East Youth Festival inaugurated:

--> 4th North East Youth Festival is being held from 29 May to 31 May 2015.

--> The Festival is being organized by the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) on behalf of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

5) US removed Cuba from list of State Sponsor of Terrorism:

--> United States (US) in a landmark decision has removed Cuba from its list of State Sponsor of Terrorism.

--> In this regard US secretary of state John Kerry has signed an  order removing Cuba from the terrorism blacklist.