Critical Thinking
You disagree with someone in authority. What is a mature way to handle the disagreement?
Respectfully communicate your perspective, listen to theirs, and work toward a solution.
You earn $15/hour and work 20 hours. Before taxes, how much do you earn?
$300
Which branch of the U.S. government interprets federal laws?
Judicial branch
What is Earth's atmosphere mostly made of?
Nitrogen (about 78%) and oxygen (about 21%)
What is the purpose of an interview?
For the employer and candidate to determine whether the opportunity is a good fit.
A student says, "Everyone in our school hates this teacher because three people told me they do." What type of reasoning problem might this be?
Overgeneralization / hasty generalization
An item costs $80 and increases in price by 25%. What is the new price?
$100
Why did the Founders create three branches of government?
To divide power and create checks and balances.
What happens to most solid materials when they are heated?
They expand.
What is the difference between a primary and secondary source?
A primary source provides firsthand/original evidence; a secondary source analyzes or interprets it.
A website makes a claim but provides no evidence and says, "Trust us—we're experts." What should you look for next?
Credible evidence, sources, methodology, and qualifications.
You have $1,000 in savings. Inflation is 4% over a year. If your money earns no interest, does your purchasing power increase, decrease, or stay the same?
Decrease
What is the difference between a constitutional amendment and an ordinary federal law?
An amendment changes the Constitution; an ordinary law operates under the Constitution.
Why is antibiotic resistance a major public-health concern?
Bacteria can evolve resistance, making some infections harder to treat.
A headline says: "Scientists PROVE This Food Makes You Smarter!" What should immediately make you skeptical?
The absolute language and need to examine the actual study and evidence.
Someone says, "You either agree with me or you don't care about the issue." What logical fallacy is this?
False dilemma / false dichotomy
What is compound interest, and why can it work in your favor when saving money?
Interest is earned on both the original amount and accumulated interest, allowing savings to grow faster over time.
Why was the Civil Rights Act of 1964 historically significant?
It prohibited discrimination in important areas of public life, including employment and public accommodations.
Why can two people receive different results from the same algorithm or AI system?
The system may use different inputs, data, settings, context, or probabilistic processes.
What is satire?
Using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to criticize or comment on people, ideas, or society.
A study finds that students who drink more water tend to earn higher grades. Can we conclude that drinking water causes higher grades? Why or why not?
No. The relationship may be correlational, and other factors could explain it.
Person A earns $50,000 but spends $49,500. Person B earns $40,000 but spends $30,000. Who has more money available to save, and what lesson does this demonstrate?
Person B; income alone doesn't determine financial stability, spending and saving habits matter too.
Why can studying history from only one source create an incomplete understanding of an event?
Sources can reflect different perspectives, biases, experiences, and purposes; multiple sources allow comparison and corroboration.
An AI produces a confident answer containing information that isn't true. What is this commonly called, and why should users verify important information?
An AI hallucination; AI can generate plausible-sounding but inaccurate information.
Explain the difference between misinformation and disinformation
Misinformation is false or inaccurate information shared without necessarily intending to deceive; disinformation is deliberately created or spread to deceive or manipulate.