Question:
‘Senthil goes to Ambala for the first time in his life. On the way from the railway station to his hotel, he sees twelve people, all of them male. He concludes that there are no women in Ambala. As a matter of fact, there are many thousands of women in Ambala.’
Which of the following best describes Senthil’s error?
‘Senthil goes to Ambala for the first time in his life. On the way from the railway station to his hotel, he sees twelve people, all of them male. He concludes that there are no women in Ambala. As a matter of fact, there are many thousands of women in Ambala.’
Which of the following best describes Senthil’s error?
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Hasty generalization occurs when someone draws a conclusion from a small sample size — always check the sample size before generalizing.
Updated On: Aug 11, 2025
- Senthil was misled by irrelevant details.
- Senthil generalized on the basis of insufficient evidence.
- Senthil was biased against women.
- Senthil was bad at counting.
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understand the nature of Senthil's reasoning
Senthil saw only 12 men and concluded there are no women in an entire city.
This is a classic example of hasty generalization — making a broad conclusion from a small or unrepresentative sample.
Step 2: Analyze the options
(a) Irrelevant details are not the issue here; Senthil's problem is with generalizing, not distraction.
(b) Correct. His conclusion is based on observing just 12 people — insufficient evidence.
(c) No indication of bias against women — just faulty reasoning.
(d) Counting was not the problem — he counted correctly, but interpreted it wrongly.
% Final Answer \[ \boxed{\text{Senthil generalized on the basis of insufficient evidence.}} \]
(a) Irrelevant details are not the issue here; Senthil's problem is with generalizing, not distraction.
(b) Correct. His conclusion is based on observing just 12 people — insufficient evidence.
(c) No indication of bias against women — just faulty reasoning.
(d) Counting was not the problem — he counted correctly, but interpreted it wrongly.
% Final Answer \[ \boxed{\text{Senthil generalized on the basis of insufficient evidence.}} \]
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