Question:

In 2022, June Huh was awarded the Fields medal (the highest prize in Mathematics). When he was younger, he was also a poet. He did not win any medals in the International Mathematics Olympiads. He dropped out of college. \medskip Based only on the above information, which of the following statements can be logically inferred with certainty?

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Watch quantifiers: a single verified example proves an existential claim ("some"), but can never prove a universal claim ("all"/"every"). A single counterexample disproves a universal statement.
Updated On: Aug 30, 2025
  • Every Fields medalist has won a medal in an International Mathematics Olympiad.
  • Everyone who has dropped out of college has won the Fields medal.
  • All Fields medalists are part-time poets.
  • Some Fields medalists have dropped out of college.
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Extract the given facts.
June Huh is a Fields medalist; he did not win any IMO medals; he dropped out of college; he was a poet when younger.

Step 2: Test each option against the facts.
(A) "Every Fields medalist has an IMO medal."
Counterexample: June Huh is a Fields medalist with no IMO medals \(\Rightarrow\) (A) is certainly false.
[2mm] (B) "Everyone who dropped out of college has a Fields medal."
We only know one dropout (June Huh) who has a Fields medal; this does not justify a universal claim about all dropouts \(\Rightarrow\) not inferable.
[2mm] (C) "All Fields medalists are part-time poets."
We know only that one Fields medalist (June) was a poet when younger (not even stated 'part-time'). A universal statement about all medalists is unjustified \(\Rightarrow\) not inferable.
[2mm] (D) "Some Fields medalists have dropped out of college."
"Some" means "at least one." June Huh is a Fields medalist who dropped out \(\Rightarrow\) (D) is certainly true.

Final Answer:
\[ \boxed{\text{(D) Some Fields medalists have dropped out of college.}} \]

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