Which term describes the cognitive process that narrows possible solutions to identify the correct one?

• A. Convergent Thinking
• B. Creativity
• C. Divergent Thinking
• D. Algorithm

Answer: (A)

Convergent thinking is the cognitive process that moves from many possible solutions toward one correct answer by applying logic, rules, and known facts. In problems like this, you start with a broad set of potential solutions and systematically eliminate options that don’t fit, narrowing down to the single best solution. Divergent thinking, by contrast, focuses on generating a wide range of ideas rather than selecting the correct one. Creativity involves producing original and novel ideas, which isn’t the same as narrowing to a single right answer. An algorithm is a fixed, step-by-step procedure for solving a problem; it’s a method, not the mental process of filtering possibilities. So the process described—narrowing to the correct solution through logical reduction—fits convergent thinking.