Fresh potatoes generally cost about $2 for a 10-pound bag, whereas deh

I was just about to post this problem from one of the paper tests I took. I thought it was a great problem. Here was my analysis that I posted into excel.

C: irrelevant. D: irrelevant. E: irrelevant. For AB do the math! 1lb of dehydrated=5lbs fresh. 2$ for 10lb 3$*10 dehydrated lb =30$. So it would seem that 30/2=15 times more. But b/c 1lb=5lbs of fresh. Its actually 6$ for 2lbs of dehydrated which is 10lbs of fresh, which is actually only 3 times more expensive. So this is why B is correct. A: the weight of the bag is irrelevatn here.

Agree!

At first, I choose C because the most epensive must be the most convinient and because I dont know what is the peeled. After reading this, B surely correct my misleading! Thanks

can someone please explain what is the type of the question ??

"Which of the following, if true, indicates that there is a major flaw in the argument above?"

whether it is weaken , strengthen , vulnerable to criticism ??

this is a weaken question. You have to weaken the conclusion i.e. "It can be concluded that some consumers will pay 15 times as much for convenience, since sales of this convenience food continue to rise" by stating an alternating reasoning that might be responsible for customer buying behaviour

diljeetsingh dreamofbest2020 This is not weaken question but a logical flaw type question. Let me explain the approach.

Fresh potatoes generally cost about $2 for a 10-pound bag, whereas dehydrated instant potatoes cost, on average, about $3 per pound. It can be concluded that some consumers will pay 15 times as much for convenience, since sales of this convenience food continue to rise.

The author concludes that customers will be willing to pay as much as 15 times more for convenience.

But do we know 1 pound dehydrated potatoes is equal to 1 pound fresh potatoes? No right!
So, such a comparison may be flawed.

We are given fresh potatoes--> 2$ for 10 Pounds --> 1$ for 5 pounds ( Basically we paying 1$ for 5 pounds)

Option B--> Since fresh potatoes are 80 percent water, one pound of dehydrated potatoes is the equivalent of 5 pounds of fresh potatoes.

Option B implies --> 3$ for 5 pounds( As per pound is 3$ and 1 pound dehydrated potato = 5 pound fresh potato).

Definitely, we can determine that we are not paying anywhere close to 15 times for the convenience.
This the major flaw or leap of faith in the author's argument.

For these questions--> Always think along the lines what possible assumptions the author makes when he draws the conclusion.

Hi,

Even in option A, essentially dehydrated bags are 6x more expensive than fresh potatoes. In that case, this opton also weakens the argument as B does. Can you please correct if I am wrong?

Thanks,
Rishov

(A) Fresh potatoes bought in convenient 2-pound bags are about $1 a bag, or 2 1/2 times more expensive than fresh potatoes bought in 10-pound bags.
Rishovnits
Here, the comparison is between 2pound bag Vs 10-pound bag, and in both cases the price of fresh potatoes.

You can't infer something unless it is stated explicitly.

Kudos will be appreciated if you liked my prompt response.
Please, refer to my answer in case of further doubt.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that some consumers will pay "15 times" as much for convenience, since sales of this convenience food continue to rise.
Flaw: NOT "15 times"

Conclusion says that,
Fresh: $2/10P
Dehydrated: $3/P -> $30/10P
Therefore, $30/$2 = 15 times more expensive!


(B) Since fresh potatoes are 80 percent water, one pound of dehydrated potatoes is the equivalent of 5 pounds of fresh potatoes.
However, 1P Dehydrated : 15P Fresh

Let's recalculate based on the information in B,
Fresh: $2/10P
Dehydrated: $30/10*5 -> $30/50P -> $3/5P -> $6/10P
Therefore, $6/$2 = 3 times only more expensive NOT 15 times !

It is not 15times, only 3 times. Caught the flaw!



In A,
(A) Fresh potatoes bought in convenient 2-pound bags are about $1 a bag, or 2 1/2 times more expensive than fresh potatoes bought in 10-pound bags.

Conclusion says that,
Fresh : $2/10P
C Fresh: $1/2P -> $5/10P
Dehydrated: $3/P -> $30/10P
Therefore, $30/$5 = 6 times more expensive! yeah the flaw is caught. But why is this Answer choice not better than A?
This answer choice is comparing convenient stores fresh potatoes, not in general of fresh potatoes.

Therefore, B wins. B is better than A.


(C) Peeled potatoes in cans are also more expensive than the less convenient fresh potatoes.
OFS- Seriously, why peeled potatoes?

(D) Retail prices of dehydrated potatoes have declined by 20 percent since 1960 to the current level of about $3 a pound.
OFS
Fresh : $2/10P
Dehydrated: $3/P -> $30/10P
Therefore, $30/$5 = 6 times more expensive! yeah the flaw is caught. But why is this Answer choice not better than A?
OFS


(E) As a consequence of labor and processing costs, all convenience foods cost "more" than the basic foods from which they are derived
OFS- OK. Convenient cost more than basic, but it does not shows the "MORE" means what.

The author concludes that customers will be willing to pay as much as 15 times more for convenience.

But do we know 1 pound dehydrated potatoes is equal to 1 pound fresh potatoes? No right!
So, such a comparison may be flawed.

We are given fresh potatoes--> 2$ for 10 Pounds --> 1$ for 5 pounds ( Basically we paying 1$ for 5 pounds)

Option B--> Since fresh potatoes are 80 percent water, one pound of dehydrated potatoes is the equivalent of 5 pounds of fresh potatoes.

Option B implies --> 3$ for 5 pounds( As per pound is 3$ and 1 pound dehydrated potato = 5 pound fresh potato).

Definitely, we can determine that we are not paying anywhere close to 15 times for the convenience.
This the major flaw or leap of faith in the author's argument.

For these questions--> Always think along the lines what possible assumptions the author makes when he draws the conclusion.

e. even if convenience food costs more than basic food (potatoes), people are still willing to buy convenience food than basic food. Implying that they are willing to pay 15x for convenience. hence, E is wrong.

VeritasKarishma - Can you pls explain why options A, C, D, & E are incorrect ? I tried searching for explanations but couldn't find any.
Below is my analysis of the argument -

Fresh potatoes cost about $2/10-pound;whereas, dehydrated potatoes cost about $3/pound or $30/10-pound. Conclusion is that consumers are willing to pay 15 times for the convenience food i.e. removing all water from fresh potatoes and converting them into dehydrated ones before they are sold to consumers.

Option B says that consumers are not paying 15 times but only 3 times for dehydrated potatoes.

Pls do share your thoughts on other options.

Thanks,
Anshul P

The question asks us to find the answer choice that indicates the logical flaw committed by the author in making the argument.

Facts presented: $2 for 10 pounds of fresh potatoes.

$3 for 1 pound of dehydrated potatoes. The demand for and sales of dehydrated potatoes continues to rise.

Conclusion: some people are willing to pay as much as 15 times the price of a product because it is provided in a “more convenient manner”.


First, where does the author get this 15 times the price figure? If dehydrated potatoes are $3 for 1 pound ——-> then dehydrated potatoes would cost $30 for 10 pounds.

Since 10 pounds of fresh potatoes are $2, he assumes that some people are paying: $30 = (15 times) * ($2) ——> for essentially the same item (potatoes). The author believes people do so for convenience (I.e., the “cause” for this occurrence is that dehydrated potatoes are “more convenient”)

Based on the structure and line of reasoning, what has the author wrongfully assumed?

In the end, the author must believe that for some people to pay 15 times the amount for dehydrated potatoes because of “convenience,” the amounts, quality and any other relevant factors must be essentially the same for dehydrated potatoes as they are for fresh potatoes.

In other words, 10 pounds of fresh potatoes is essentially equivalent to 10 pounds of dehydrated potatoes. The only factor separating them is that dehydrated potatoes are more convenient. In the author’s mind, people are willing to pay 15 times the price for the equivalent “weight” of potatoes because dehydrated potatoes are more “convenient.”

Any answer choice that points out or somehow suggests that the two items under review, dehydrated potatoes vs fresh potatoes, are different in a way other than convenience could point out the logical flaw made by the author (that the two items are both essentially the “same potato per pound”).


A: gives us a price point between a “more convenient” fresh potato bag and another fresh potato bag. The answer suggests that people are willing to pay 2 1/2 times more for convenience in this scenario.

The answer could be read as suggesting that some people are only willing to pay 2 1/2 times the price for convenience (and not the 15 times concluded by the author). It would also have to be implied that the price points are valid indications of the demand. In other words, the fact the item is priced at that amount means that people are actually buying the item and willing to pay 2.5 times more for convenience. (This analysis right here is reason enough to be suspect regarding answer choice A).

Just as important, our given argument does not say that ALL people are willing to pay 15 times more for convenience: just “some”

Providing a fact about two price points regarding two items that differ from the argument does not point out the flaw the author has made in his logic.

Answer B is correct because by showing that the dehydrated potatoes are actually providing the consumer with more “actual potato” as measured in pounds, the answer choice makes clear the flaw in the logic made by the author: that the amount of “actual potato” you get in dehydrated potatoes is equivalent to the amount of “actual potato” you receive when you buy fresh potatoes.

Without this above fact, the conclusion regarding the “15 times as much” just doesn’t have any merit.

B points out the logical flaw made by the author: that the two items under review provide the same “real potato value” per pound.

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KarishmaB Ma'am,

From the stem we know that 1 pound of DP = $3, and 1 pound of FP=$0.2.
From option B, we know that 1 pound of DP= $3, and 1 pound of FP=$0.6. So aren't they paying 5 times?
They are getting 5 pounds for $3 so for $0.6/pound.
Just wanted to understand the calculation part of this.

Please evaluate

$30 for 10 pounds - dehyd
now,1 pound dehyd = 5 pound fresh
so 10 pound dehyd = 50 pound fresh
initially 10 pound fresh is 2$
now 50 pound fresh is $30 implying 10 pound fresh is 6 dollar
so you have paid thrice as much
not 15 times as much

Understanding the argument.
Fresh potatoes generally cost about $2 for a 10-pound bag, whereas dehydrated instant potatoes cost, on average, about $3 per pound. - Fact
Fresh Potatoes - $0.2 per pound.
Dehydrated Potatoes - $3 per pound.
It can be concluded that some consumers will pay 15 times as much for convenience, since sales of this convenience food continue to rise. - Conclusion.

Option Elimination - Highlight the flaw

(A) Fresh potatoes bought in convenient 2-pound bags are about $1 a bag, or 2 1/2 times more expensive than fresh potatoes bought in 10-pound bags. - The comparison between 2-pound and 10 pound Fresh Potato bags is out of scope of the argument. Our scope is limited to "some consumers will pay 15 times as much for convenience." This option takes the familer word "convenience" and tries to create a trap. At best this is out of scope.

(B) Since fresh potatoes are 80 percent water, one pound of dehydrated potatoes is the equivalent of 5 pounds of fresh potatoes. - So the actual price of Dehydrated potatoes is $0.6 per pound and not $3. So they are paying 3 times and not 15 times. Moreoover, they arent just paying for "convenience," they are paying because its concentrated as well.

(C) Peeled potatoes in cans are also more expensive than the less convenient fresh potatoes. - "Peeled potatoes in cans" are out of scope.

(D) Retail prices of dehydrated potatoes have declined by 20 percent since 1960 to the current level of about $3 a pound. - The information about their decline is out of scope. What we are concerned about is that at $3 today they pay 15 times.

(E) As a consequence of labor and processing costs, all convenience foods cost more than the basic foods from which they are derived - Reason why the cost is high is out of scope.