CCAT Practice Test Prep – Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Exam Study Guide & Questions

To understand why the scenario cannot have only three statements as correct, we need to analyze the implications of the other answer choices in conjunction with the overall logic of the statements made by the friends.

If only one statement were correct, it would mean that the remaining three statements contradict that single true statement, thereby leading to inconsistency among the statements. This reinforces the notion that it's possible for only one or two statements to be correct without contradicting the nature of outcomes relative to the others.

If all four statements were correct, this would present a contradiction because it suggests that there's no space for any of the statements to diverge in correctness. Essentially, if they are all true, then some cannot be limited in truthfulness.

Therefore, the only configuration that leads to logical inconsistency is when three statements are correct. This condition implies that one of the statements must be false, creating a contradiction with the assumption of three being true. Hence, it's impossible for only three statements to be correct, as the dynamics of true and false within the given group do not allow for such a scenario to hold up under scrutiny.