E?

I chose E, but the correct choice according to the test is (C).
Can anyone clarify why (C) is correct and not (E) ?

IMO the key criteria here (and probably in other similar questions) is whether two actions analyzed are related to each other (showing clear cause-effect sequence) or not. In argument itself and in choice C this connection is faulty, in E it really exists. Choice B (which I initially chose) is pretty close to the pattern I suggest, but it doesn't sound parallel in the second part of the sentense.
I'm sure Akamai would explain this better, since imo reasoning in this argument is a subject of all those patterns: if A then B, B if and only if A... and such..

The stimulus is exactly of the form:
if P then Q. (if rain then mall)
Q. (mall)
Conclusion (faulty): P (rain)

(C) follows this exactly pattern.

(E) looks like C, but the fact that you got a Penney's coupon at the mall is not the same as saying "Penney's gave you a 20% coupon" as you could have gotten the coupon from anyone and it could be very old or for a different discount. Hence, of the two, C matches much better and is the best answer.
_________________

Best,

AkamaiBrah
Former Senior Instructor, Manhattan GMAT and VeritasPrep
Vice President, Midtown NYC Investment Bank, Structured Finance IT
MFE, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, Class of 2005
MBA, Anderson School of Management, UCLA, Class of 1993

A does the best job, so that is my pick.
_________________

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Failing to plan is planning to fail.

I would go with C.

It matches the patteren in the argument..all other do not.

Togh choice between B and E. I choose E



Given : Whenever A happens -> B happens. So A must be happening because B is also happenning

(A) Everyone who is crazy about U2 went to the concert. Since Stacy did not go to the concert, she must not be crazy about U2.
>> All A's do B. Since Stacy did not do B, she is not A. - Wrong

(B) Joe's Vinyl shop shows profit whenever the local stadium hires extra workers.Because the stadium has recently hired extra workers, Joe's Vinyl shop will show profit.
>> Whenever A happens -> B happens. Since B has happened, A will happen too.

(C) Cookies To Go has always endured an annual loss whenever the S&P 500 falls more than 15% in the preceding quarter. The company had an annual loss this year. Therefore, the S&P must have fallen more than 15% in the preceding quarter.
>> Whenever A happens -> B happens. A happened, so B must have happenend.

(D)Whenever they eat too much candy, little children become hyper and very hard to control. Since little Cameron is behaving very well, she must not have eaten too much candy.
>> Whenever A happens -> B happens. Since B is not happenening, A must have not happened

(E) Every Thanksgiving, JC Penny gives away 20% discount coupons. I just got JC Penny discount coupons in the mall. Therefore, it must be Thanksgiving
>> Whenever A happens -> B happens. B is happenening so A must also be happenening