How do I make logical conclusions?

Logical conclusions are made from two types of thinking. Working on a puzzle is similar to the first type of thinking. When you connect the pieces of a puzzle together, you end up with a picture. Likewise, when you add the facts or details together, you get an answer or conclusion to a question or a problem. You get the “big picture.” This type of thinking is called inductive reasoning.

Example   If you read a cook book, if you take a cooking course, if you buy quality ingredients, if you practice cooking simple meals, then you will be able to cook a gourmet meal.

The second type of thinking is called deductive thinking. Deductive thinking involves taking the “whole,” a finished puzzle for example, and dividing it into its pieces. This allows a person to answer a question or to solve a problem about a specific part of a puzzle.