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25 Dec 2024, 09:00
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E
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Difficulty:
65%
(hard)
Question Stats:
61% (02:11) correct
39%
(02:21)
wrong
based on 320
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12 Days of Christmas 2024 - 2025 Competition with $40,000 of Prizes
IT Consultant: In the late 2000s, surveys indicated that many small businesses were not updating their software regularly due to high costs. Consequently, software companies began offering affordable subscriptions that had new version updates included into them. By the late 2010s, IT support companies reported a higher frequency of calls from small businesses related to software updates. Therefore, despite the potential ongoing cost concerns, the rate of software updates among small businesses must have increased significantly over the decade.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
(A) Most of the IT support calls related to software issues occurred during business hours when the volume of software use was highest.
(B) The affordable update subscriptions were offered equally to all business sectors, including both small and large companies.
(C) IT support companies noted that calls about software integration issues were more frequent during major software release cycles.
(D) Throughout the 2010s, regulatory requirements for data security in software were more strictly enforced than policies on software update compliance.
(E) The number of small businesses in the region increased significantly during the 2010s.
IT Consultant: In the late 2000s, surveys indicated that many small businesses were not updating their software regularly due to high costs. Consequently, software companies began offering affordable subscriptions that had new version updates included into them. By the late 2010s, IT support companies reported a higher frequency of calls from small businesses related to software updates. Therefore, despite the potential ongoing cost concerns, the rate of software updates among small businesses must have increased significantly over the decade.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
(A) Most of the IT support calls related to software issues occurred during business hours when the volume of software use was highest.
(B) The affordable update subscriptions were offered equally to all business sectors, including both small and large companies.
(C) IT support companies noted that calls about software integration issues were more frequent during major software release cycles.
(D) Throughout the 2010s, regulatory requirements for data security in software were more strictly enforced than policies on software update compliance.
(E) The number of small businesses in the region increased significantly during the 2010s.
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25 Dec 2024, 10:00
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Bunuel
GMAT Club's Official Explanation:
The argument states that since there are now more support calls from small businesses about updates and that is the reason the argument concludes there are more updates being installed, and thus more small businesses are updating their software. There are a few assumptions here, one is that there are consistent rates of support needed; two, that the number of companies has not increased. If we can deny one of these assumptions, the argument would be seriously weakened.
(A) Incorrect. The timing of support calls doesn't help undermine the argument about increased rate of software updates; quite the opposite; it supports the argument and makes it stronger. Eliminate.
(B) Incorrect. This answer choice does hint a bit about a possible conflict in case the small and big businesses generate a different rate of call volume, but the text tells us that the call volume from small businesses has gone up about updates, so we can ignore this answer choice - it does not help us in weakening the conclusion.
(C) Incorrect: This strengthens the argument, opposite of what we need, by stating that the updates were driving up the call volume.
(D) Incorrect: The enforcement of data security does not address the frequency or reasons behind software update-related support calls.Irrelevant. Eliminate.
(E) Correct Answer: This answer choice provides an alternative explanation for the increase in IT support calls related to software updates.. A higher number of small businesses overall could lead to more support calls even if individual businesses did not update their software more frequently.
General Discussion
25 Dec 2024, 09:06
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IMO E
To determine which option most seriously weakens the argument, we need to focus on the core claim: the rate of software updates among small businesses must have increased significantly over the decade due to the higher frequency of IT support calls related to software updates.
Let's analyze each option:
(A) Most of the IT support calls related to software issues occurred during business hours when the volume of software use was highest.
This option provides context on when the calls occurred but does not address the frequency or reasons behind the increase in calls. It does not weaken the argument.
(B) The affordable update subscriptions were offered equally to all business sectors, including both small and large companies.
This option indicates that the subscriptions were available to all businesses, but it does not provide information that would weaken the argument about the increase in software updates among small businesses specifically.
(C) IT support companies noted that calls about software integration issues were more frequent during major software release cycles.
This option suggests that the increase in IT support calls could be due to issues with software integration during major release cycles, rather than an overall increase in the rate of software updates. This weakens the argument by providing an alternative explanation for the increase in calls.
(D) Throughout the 2010s, regulatory requirements for data security in software were more strictly enforced than policies on software update compliance.
This option discusses regulatory requirements but does not directly address the frequency of software updates or the reasons for the increase in IT support calls. It does not weaken the argument.
(E) The number of small businesses in the region increased significantly during the 2010s.
This option suggests that the increase in IT support calls could be due to the overall increase in the number of small businesses, rather than an increase in the rate of software updates. This weakens the argument by providing an alternative explanation for the increase in calls.
Between options (C) and (E), both provide alternative explanations for the increase in IT support calls. However, option (E) directly addresses the increase in the number of small businesses, which could naturally lead to more IT support calls regardless of the rate of software updates. This makes option (E) the most compelling choice to weaken the argument.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
(E) The number of small businesses in the region increased significantly during the 2010s.
To determine which option most seriously weakens the argument, we need to focus on the core claim: the rate of software updates among small businesses must have increased significantly over the decade due to the higher frequency of IT support calls related to software updates.
Let's analyze each option:
(A) Most of the IT support calls related to software issues occurred during business hours when the volume of software use was highest.
This option provides context on when the calls occurred but does not address the frequency or reasons behind the increase in calls. It does not weaken the argument.
(B) The affordable update subscriptions were offered equally to all business sectors, including both small and large companies.
This option indicates that the subscriptions were available to all businesses, but it does not provide information that would weaken the argument about the increase in software updates among small businesses specifically.
(C) IT support companies noted that calls about software integration issues were more frequent during major software release cycles.
This option suggests that the increase in IT support calls could be due to issues with software integration during major release cycles, rather than an overall increase in the rate of software updates. This weakens the argument by providing an alternative explanation for the increase in calls.
(D) Throughout the 2010s, regulatory requirements for data security in software were more strictly enforced than policies on software update compliance.
This option discusses regulatory requirements but does not directly address the frequency of software updates or the reasons for the increase in IT support calls. It does not weaken the argument.
(E) The number of small businesses in the region increased significantly during the 2010s.
This option suggests that the increase in IT support calls could be due to the overall increase in the number of small businesses, rather than an increase in the rate of software updates. This weakens the argument by providing an alternative explanation for the increase in calls.
Between options (C) and (E), both provide alternative explanations for the increase in IT support calls. However, option (E) directly addresses the increase in the number of small businesses, which could naturally lead to more IT support calls regardless of the rate of software updates. This makes option (E) the most compelling choice to weaken the argument.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
(E) The number of small businesses in the region increased significantly during the 2010s.
