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Decision Making - Beginner-Intermediate Level: decision criteria BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE

Quick intensive drill ★ session: 20 beginner-intermediate-level decision making questions. Worksheet 7 of 30 - Focus: decision criteria. Practice decision criteria, logical choices, decision puzzles with instant feedback. Great for developing students needing building on fundamentals with moderate challenges practice.

📝 Worksheet 7 of 30 • 20 questions • ⏱️ Estimated time: 20 minutes • 🎯 Beginner-intermediate level

What you'll learn in this worksheet:
Your progress through Decision Making
Worksheet 7 of 30 (23% complete)

Question 1

Situation: During a riot, you must decide whether to deploy tear gas on a crowd of 500 protesters (risk of injury to 50, but stop violence) or let them protest (risk of 100 injuries from violence). What is the best decision in this emergency situation?
Risk assessment: 50 injuries from tear gas vs 100 injuries from violence. Immediate deployment minimizes total harm despite short-term side effects.
decision, emergency, crisis, time-critical

Question 2

Decision: Pharmaceutical company setting price for life-saving drug Considering all stakeholder impacts, what is the most ethical and practical approach?
Balances profit motive with access to medicine. Differentiated pricing maximizes revenue while ensuring affordability in developing nations. This approach balances competing interests while prioritizing overall welfare.
decision, stakeholders, ethics, corporate

Question 3

Decision: Launch new product now or wait 6 months for more market research? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
Launch now: 40% success → expected value = 0.4×1000 = 400. Wait: 70% success after research → expected value = 0.7×900 = 630 (accounting for 100 research cost). Higher EV makes waiting optimal.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 4

Decision: University deciding on tuition policy amid financial pressures Considering all stakeholder impacts, what is the most ethical and practical approach?
Balances financial sustainability with accessibility. Small increase with aid protects vulnerable students while generating needed revenue. This approach balances competing interests while prioritizing overall welfare.
decision, stakeholders, ethics, corporate

Question 5

Situation: A student needs to choose between two summer programs: Program A costs $2000, lasts 6 weeks, and provides college credit. Program B costs $1200, lasts 4 weeks, and offers internship experience. What should be the primary criterion for this decision?
This addresses the fundamental value proposition of each program's outcomes. College credit provides long-term academic value, while internship offers immediate practical experience. The choice depends on career goals, making this the primary criterion.
decision, criteria, priorities

Question 6

Situation: A family needs to choose between buying a house in Suburb A (good schools, long commute) or Suburb B (shorter commute, average schools). What should be the primary criterion for this decision?
For a family decision, children's long-term development typically takes priority over convenience factors. Education quality has lasting impact on children's future opportunities.
decision, criteria, priorities

Question 7

Decision: Expand to international market or focus on domestic growth? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
International: 25% chance of 1000 profit, 75% chance of 100 loss → EV=250-75=175. Domestic: 60% chance of 400 profit, 40% chance of 50 loss → EV=240-20=220. Domestic focus has higher expected value.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 8

Scenario: Selecting employee benefits package Criteria weights: Employee satisfaction (35%), Cost to company (30%), Retention impact (25%), Administrative ease (10%) Scores: Health focus: 9/5/8/7, Retirement focus: 6/8/7/8, Work-life balance: 8/7/9/6 Based on weighted multi-criteria evaluation, which option should be selected?
Health=3.15+1.5+2.0+0.7=7.35; Retirement=2.1+2.4+1.75+0.8=7.05; Work-life=2.8+2.1+2.25+0.6=7.75. Work-life package optimizes across criteria.
decision, matrix, weighted-evaluation

Question 9

Situation: Medical treatment decision for 75-year-old patient with heart condition Considering risk assessment, what is the most appropriate decision?
For an elderly patient, balancing success rate with mortality risk is key. Medication offers reasonable success (60%) with low mortality (5%), avoiding surgical risks while providing meaningful improvement.
decision, risk, uncertainty, investment

Question 10

Scenario: Choosing a marketing strategy for product launch Criteria weights: Reach (30%), Engagement (30%), Cost (25%), Speed (15%) Scores: Digital: 9/8/7/9, Traditional: 6/7/8/5, Hybrid: 8/9/6/8 Based on weighted multi-criteria evaluation, which option should be selected?
Digital weighted=2.7+2.4+1.75+1.35=8.2; Traditional=1.8+2.1+2.0+0.75=6.65; Hybrid=2.4+2.7+1.5+1.2=7.8. Digital scores highest, but Hybrid balances all factors.
decision, matrix, weighted-evaluation

Question 11

Decision: City council deciding on new affordable housing project location Considering all stakeholder impacts, what is the most ethical and practical approach?
Distributes impact across neighborhoods, reduces concentrated opposition, provides better integration with existing communities. This approach balances competing interests while prioritizing overall welfare.
decision, stakeholders, ethics, corporate

Question 12

Decision: Expand to international market or focus on domestic growth? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
International: 25% chance of 1000 profit, 75% chance of 100 loss → EV=250-75=175. Domestic: 60% chance of 400 profit, 40% chance of 50 loss → EV=240-20=220. Domestic focus has higher expected value.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 13

Situation: Factory fire with 50 workers inside. You can either: try to extinguish fire (30% success, 10 minutes, saves all) or evacuate (100% success, 5 minutes, saves 40 workers). What is the best decision in this emergency situation?
Expected value: Extinguish = 50×0.3 = 15 expected saved; Evacuate = 40 guaranteed saved. Guarantee of 40 saved is better than 15 expected.
decision, emergency, crisis, time-critical

Question 14

Decision: Accept job offer immediately or negotiate with current employer? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
Accept: guaranteed 25% raise. Negotiate: 50% chance of 15% raise, 50% chance of 0% raise → expected = 7.5% raise. Guaranteed 25% > expected 7.5%.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 15

Scenario: Choosing a location for new factory Criteria weights: Labor costs (25%), Logistics (25%), Tax incentives (20%), Skilled workforce (20%), Energy costs (10%) Scores: Location X: 8/7/9/6/8, Location Y: 6/8/7/9/7, Location Z: 7/9/6/8/9 Based on weighted multi-criteria evaluation, which option should be selected?
X=2.0+1.75+1.8+1.2+0.8=7.55; Y=1.5+2.0+1.4+1.8+0.7=7.4; Z=1.75+2.25+1.2+1.6+0.9=7.7. Location Z scores highest.
decision, matrix, weighted-evaluation

Question 16

Scenario: Selecting employee benefits package Criteria weights: Employee satisfaction (35%), Cost to company (30%), Retention impact (25%), Administrative ease (10%) Scores: Health focus: 9/5/8/7, Retirement focus: 6/8/7/8, Work-life balance: 8/7/9/6 Based on weighted multi-criteria evaluation, which option should be selected?
Health=3.15+1.5+2.0+0.7=7.35; Retirement=2.1+2.4+1.75+0.8=7.05; Work-life=2.8+2.1+2.25+0.6=7.75. Work-life package optimizes across criteria.
decision, matrix, weighted-evaluation

Question 17

Situation: Emergency room with one ventilator left. Four patients need it: 20-year-old (90% survival), 40-year-old (70% survival), 60-year-old (50% survival), 80-year-old (30% survival). What is the best decision in this emergency situation?
Utilitarian approach - maximizing total life years saved. Youngest patient has highest potential remaining lifespan and good survival probability.
decision, emergency, crisis, time-critical

Question 18

Decision: Invest in R&D for new product or improve existing product? Based on expected value analysis, what is the optimal strategy?
New product: 30% success → 500 profit, 70% failure → -200 loss = EV = 150-140=10. Improve existing: 80% success → 200 profit, 20% no gain = EV=160. Existing product improvement has higher EV.
decision, sequential, probability, expected-value

Question 19

Situation: Business expansion decision for cash-strapped startup with limited runway (6 months of cash left) Considering risk assessment, what is the most appropriate decision?
With only 6 months runway, survival is priority. Maintaining current operations gives 90% survival chance with minimal investment, avoiding overextension risk.
decision, risk, uncertainty, investment

Question 20

Situation: A farmer with limited land can either: grow wheat (guaranteed $5000 profit), grow organic vegetables (potential $8000 profit, 40% crop failure risk), or lease land to solar company (guaranteed $6000) Considering opportunity costs, what is the best choice?
Expected value of vegetables = $8000 × 0.6 = $4800, which is less than guaranteed $5000 from wheat. Solar lease gives $6000 guaranteed, making it optimal considering risk.
decision, opportunity-cost, trade-offs
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