Decision Making

What you need to understand

The criteria are stated with exact thresholds, so test each condition against the case rather than judging it roughly.

Note both how many conditions fail and which ones. The rule depends on the count and on the identity.

A rule that applies when exactly one condition fails does not apply when two fail, however close the case may be.

Conditions are independent, so passing one says nothing about any other.

Read the referral rules carefully, because different single failures can lead to different places.

The case always gives a value for every condition, so nothing has to be assumed.

How to work through these questions

List the conditions and write the threshold for each one beside it.

Test the case against each condition in turn and mark it met or missed.

Count the conditions missed, and note which they are.

With none missed, apply the selection rule. With exactly one missed, find the rule that names that condition.

With more than one missed, apply the rejection rule.

Check the wording of the option you chose against the rule you used.

Mistakes that cost marks

Applying the rule for a single failure when two conditions actually failed.
Mixing up which single failure leads to which referral.
Reading the threshold as an approximate target rather than an exact minimum.
Assuming a candidate who nearly qualifies should be referred, when referral is reserved for one named condition.
Missing that a condition failed by a narrow margin. The rules use the exact values given.
Choosing the action that seems fairest rather than the one the rules state.

Worked example

A company recruits candidates who satisfy all of the following: (i) the candidate is at least 23 years old; (ii) the candidate has scored at least 60% in graduation; (iii) the candidate has at least 4 years of work experience. A candidate who meets every condition is to be selected. A candidate who fails only condition (i) is to be referred to the Director, and a candidate who fails only condition (ii) is to be referred to the Managing Director. A candidate who fails condition (iii), or who fails more than one condition, is to be rejected. Candidate Arun is 21 years old, scored 67% in graduation, and has 5 years of work experience. What action should be taken?

Condition (i) needs at least 23 years and Arun is 21, so (i) is missed.
Condition (ii) needs at least 60% and he scored 67%, so (ii) is met.
Condition (iii) needs at least 4 years and he has 5, so (iii) is met.
Exactly one condition is missed and it is (i), and the rule refers a candidate who fails only (i) to the Director.

Answer: The case should be referred to the Director

Practice questions with answers

A few Decision Making questions with the full solution shown, so you can see how the method is applied before you attempt the timed set.

Question 1

A The case should be referred to the Managing Director
B The candidate should be rejected
C The candidate should be selected
D The case should be referred to the Director

Answer: Option D — with explanation

Testing the case against the criteria: (ii) at least 60% in graduation; (iii) at least 4 years of work experience - met. (i) at least 23 years old - missed. Since the only condition not met is (i) at least 23 years old, and the rules say what to do when that one condition alone fails. Common mistakes - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The case should be referred to the Managing Director - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The candidate should be rejected - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The candidate should be selected

Question 2

A company recruits candidates who satisfy all of the following: (i) the candidate is at least 27 years old; (ii) the candidate has scored at least 55% in graduation; (iii) the candidate has at least 2 years of work experience. A candidate who meets every condition is to be selected. A candidate who fails only condition (i) is to be referred to the Director, and a candidate who fails only condition (ii) is to be referred to the Managing Director. A candidate who fails condition (iii), or who fails more than one condition, is to be rejected. Candidate Farhan is 26 years old, scored 44% in graduation, and has 0 years of work experience. What action should be taken?

A The case should be referred to the Director
B The candidate should be rejected
C The candidate should be selected
D The case should be referred to the Managing Director

Answer: Option B — with explanation

Testing the case against the criteria: no condition is met - met. (i) at least 27 years old; (ii) at least 55% in graduation; (iii) at least 2 years of work experience - missed. Since more than one condition is not met ((i) at least 27 years old, (ii) at least 55% in graduation, (iii) at least 2 years of work experience), and the rules reject a candidate who fails more than one. Common mistakes - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The case should be referred to the Managing Director - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The candidate should be selected - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The case should be referred to the Director

Question 3

A company recruits candidates who satisfy all of the following: (i) the candidate is at least 22 years old; (ii) the candidate has scored at least 60% in graduation; (iii) the candidate has at least 2 years of work experience. A candidate who meets every condition is to be selected. A candidate who fails only condition (i) is to be referred to the Director, and a candidate who fails only condition (ii) is to be referred to the Managing Director. A candidate who fails condition (iii), or who fails more than one condition, is to be rejected. Candidate Farhan is 18 years old, scored 64% in graduation, and has 2 years of work experience. What action should be taken?

A The candidate should be rejected
B The candidate should be selected
C The case should be referred to the Director
D The case should be referred to the Managing Director

Answer: Option C — with explanation

Testing the case against the criteria: (ii) at least 60% in graduation; (iii) at least 2 years of work experience - met. (i) at least 22 years old - missed. Since the only condition not met is (i) at least 22 years old, and the rules say what to do when that one condition alone fails. Common mistakes - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The candidate should be rejected - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The case should be referred to the Managing Director - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The candidate should be selected

Question 4

A company recruits candidates who satisfy all of the following: (i) the candidate is at least 27 years old; (ii) the candidate has scored at least 60% in graduation; (iii) the candidate has at least 3 years of work experience. A candidate who meets every condition is to be selected. A candidate who fails only condition (i) is to be referred to the Director, and a candidate who fails only condition (ii) is to be referred to the Managing Director. A candidate who fails condition (iii), or who fails more than one condition, is to be rejected. Candidate Kavya is 30 years old, scored 72% in graduation, and has 4 years of work experience. What action should be taken?

A The case should be referred to the Director
B The candidate should be selected
C The candidate should be rejected
D The case should be referred to the Managing Director

Answer: Option B — with explanation

Testing the case against the criteria: (i) at least 27 years old; (ii) at least 60% in graduation; (iii) at least 3 years of work experience - met. no condition is missed - missed. Since every condition is met, so the candidate is to be selected. Common mistakes - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The candidate should be rejected - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The case should be referred to the Director - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The case should be referred to the Managing Director

Question 5

A company recruits candidates who satisfy all of the following: (i) the candidate is at least 21 years old; (ii) the candidate has scored at least 65% in graduation; (iii) the candidate has at least 2 years of work experience. A candidate who meets every condition is to be selected. A candidate who fails only condition (i) is to be referred to the Director, and a candidate who fails only condition (ii) is to be referred to the Managing Director. A candidate who fails condition (iii), or who fails more than one condition, is to be rejected. Candidate Divya is 25 years old, scored 78% in graduation, and has 4 years of work experience. What action should be taken?

A The candidate should be selected
B The case should be referred to the Managing Director
C The case should be referred to the Director
D The candidate should be rejected

Answer: Option A — with explanation

Testing the case against the criteria: (i) at least 21 years old; (ii) at least 65% in graduation; (iii) at least 2 years of work experience - met. no condition is missed - missed. Since every condition is met, so the candidate is to be selected. Common mistakes - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The case should be referred to the Managing Director - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The case should be referred to the Director - applied the wrong rule to the conditions that were not met: The candidate should be rejected

Frequently asked questions

What if the candidate fails two conditions?

The case is rejected. Every rule for a single failure, including the referral rules, applies only when that is the sole condition missed.

Should I use my own judgement about who deserves a referral?

No. The rules name the exact situations, and the answer is whatever the rules state, even where you would have decided differently.

What if a value is exactly equal to the threshold?

The criteria are stated as minimums, so a value equal to the threshold satisfies the condition. An age of exactly 23 meets a requirement of at least 23 years.

Do I need to work out a total score?

No. Each condition is tested on its own against its own threshold, and the conditions do not combine.

What if the case does not mention one of the conditions?

It always does. Every value needed is given, because otherwise the answer would not be determined by the rules.