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12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 9: A city government plans

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Invincible_147

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27 Dec 2024, 02:34

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Hi All,

IMO the answer is D as,

it attacks the assumption by the city govt that if they remove free parking ,customers will be encouraged to take public transport. This option tells us that if paid parking is implemented then its less likely the customers will visit down town.

So the customer wont even opt for pulic transport. This directly support the concern of the downtown businesses.

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Conclusion: Customer traffic would decrease significantly leading to reduced sales
Eliminating options one by one by negating the options, whichever weakens the conclusion after negation should be the answer -

A. Other incentives or conveniences are sufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses - The number isn't the concern but the same customers & amount of sales is the concern - ELIMINATE

B. Downtown businesses DO NOT depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales - If they do not solely depend on these customers for majority of sales, then they might be depending on them for a few of their sales. So sales reducing & significant reduction is customer traffic is still possible - ELIMINATE

C. The primary reason for removing free parking is NOT to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces - This has nothing to do with the conclusion - ELIMINATE

D. Customers who currently use the free parking are NOT likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking - If this is the case, then there won't be significant decrease in customer traffic & sales - CORRECT

E. The city should NOT provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces - This has nothing to do with the downtown business and customers - ELIMINATE

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A city government plans to remove the free parking spaces in downtown areas to encourage the use of public transportation. If this change is implemented, drivers who currently park downtown for free would have to pay for parking. Consequently, many downtown businesses are concerned that their customer traffic would decrease significantly, leading to reduced sales.

The argument above assumes which of the following?

A. Other incentives or conveniences are insufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses.
B. Downtown businesses depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales.
C. The primary reason for removing free parking is to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces.
D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking.
E. The city should provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces.

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Suyash1331

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27 Dec 2024, 03:00

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The customer traffic would decrease significantly only if
1. the people do not use public transport to go to downtown
2. people using free parking stop using paid parking that will come into effect

A: INCORRECT
B: even if they do not depend solely on those customers, then also the sales will be impacted. extreme statement
C: out of scope, irrelevant
D: Correct, if the customers who used free parking will visit less often then the sales will reduce.
E: its more like a suggestion than assumption

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jkkamau

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A. Incorrect. We have no idea about the reliability of the new incentives in keeping the customers around
B. Correct. If that is the case the businesses have a reason to be worried.
C. Incorrect. This choice is irrelevant since we do not care about the reason for removing the parking lot
D. Incorrect. While this is quite tempting we may argue that visiting the business does not necessarily mean buying and not visiting quite often does not mean not buying
E. Incorrect. While this is a good suggestion it does not

Bunuel

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The argument assumes that the cost of parking (i.e., the need to pay) will lead to fewer customers visiting downtown businesses, thereby reducing sales. The assumption is about how people will respond to paying for parking instead of parking for free.

A. Other incentives or conveniences are insufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses.
This would mean that, even if the city provides other reasons or incentives to visit downtown (e.g., improved public transportation or discounts for customers), these wouldn’t be enough to offset the loss in customers due to the removal of free parking. This option seems plausible, as it addresses the concern that free parking might be a crucial factor, and other incentives might not compensate for the loss of that benefit. This option is a reasonable assumption but not the most direct one. INCORRECT

B. Downtown businesses depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales.
This suggests that businesses rely exclusively on customers who drive and park downtown. The argument doesn’t necessarily assume these businesses may still have customers who use public transportation, walk, or use other means of transportation. The argument is more about the effect of paying for parking on those who currently park for free. This assumption is too extreme and not directly implied by the argument. INCORRECT

C. The primary reason for removing free parking is to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces.
This is a possible reason for the city's plan but doesn’t reflect the core assumption behind the concern of downtown businesses. The argument is more focused on the impact on customer behavior (how the removal of free parking will affect sales), not the city's motivation for the policy. INCORRECT

D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking.
This directly addresses the assumption behind the businesses' concern. The argument assumes that if customers who currently park for free are required to pay for parking, they will visit downtown less often. This assumption is critical to the argument because if customers do reduce their visits, sales would indeed decrease. CORRECT

E. The city should provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces.
This is an opinion or recommendation rather than an assumption. The argument does not require this to be true for the concern about reduced sales to be valid. INCORRECT

IMO D

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27 Dec 2024, 05:23

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A city government plans to remove the free parking spaces in downtown areas to encourage the use of public transportation. If this change is implemented, drivers who currently park downtown for free would have to pay for parking. Consequently, many downtown businesses are concerned that their customer traffic would decrease significantly, leading to reduced sales.

The argument above assumes which of the following?

A. Other incentives or conveniences are insufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses.
Sufficiency or otherwise of other incentives or conveniences is an additional factor; though to be considered within scope of the argument, it can't be taken as necessary assumption

B. Downtown businesses depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales.
whether such customers will still come, despite parking charges' levy, is not known; so, can't be taken as an assumption

C. The primary reason for removing free parking is to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces.
additional piece of information --> not a necessary assumption

D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking.
Let's negate the argument ie, Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses 'in a similar frequency' if they have to pay for parking --> customer traffic will not decrease significantly; thus, it invalidates the argument----> so, clearly, this stimulus is an assumption for the argument

E. The city should provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces.
didactic tone of the stimulus; an advice for authorities--> not a necessary assumption for the argument

(D) is the CORRECT answer

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27 Dec 2024, 06:23

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Answer: D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking.
Explanation in Simple Terms:

Argument Summary:
The city wants to remove free parking to promote public transport. Downtown businesses worry this will make fewer customers visit, hurting their sales.
What the Argument Assumes:
For businesses to believe that removing free parking will reduce their sales, they must believe that people who currently park for free will come less if they have to pay.
Why Option D Fits:
Option D directly states that if parking becomes paid, those who used to park for free will likely visit less often, which supports the businesses' concern about reduced customer traffic.
Why Other Options Don't Fit as Well:
- A: Talks about other incentives, which isn't the main point.
- B: Claims businesses rely only on drivers, which is too extreme.
- C: Focuses on the city's motive, not the assumption about customer behavior.
- E: Suggests a solution, not an underlying assumption.

Therefore, Option D is the assumption the argument relies on.

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27 Dec 2024, 06:42

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IMO D

To determine which assumption the argument relies on, we need to identify the statement that must be true for the argument to hold. The argument is that removing free parking spaces will lead to a significant decrease in customer traffic and reduced sales for downtown businesses.

Let's analyze each option:

A. Other incentives or conveniences are insufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses.

This suggests that without free parking, other factors won't be enough to maintain current customer levels. This is a reasonable assumption, but it is not the most direct assumption underlying the argument.
B. Downtown businesses depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales.

This is an extreme statement and not necessarily true. The argument does not claim that all customers drive and park downtown, only that a significant number do.
C. The primary reason for removing free parking is to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces.

This statement addresses the city's motivation for removing free parking but does not directly support the argument about the impact on customer traffic and sales.
D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking.

This directly supports the argument. If customers who currently use free parking are less likely to visit if they have to pay, it explains why businesses are concerned about reduced customer traffic and sales.
E. The city should provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces.

This statement suggests a solution to the problem but does not directly address the assumption underlying the argument about the impact of removing free parking.
The correct answer is:

D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking.

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Bunuel

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A: Since no impact of the incentive and Convenience is being addressed in the passage, this point cannot be assumed. Rejected
B: "Depend Solely" is very subjective to infer. It might be an important factor but just the only factor is very extreme to infer. Rejected.
C: We are not being provided any reason why the free parking has been removed. Rejected
D: This is the key assumption in the argument. For the businesses to be concerned that sales will decrease, the argument must assume that paying for parking will discourage customers from visiting. Accepted
E: This can be an alternative option but cannot be the assumption made by the argument in order for its conclusion to follow. Rejected

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27 Dec 2024, 07:28

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QS: Assumption
Argument:
Premise: Free parking---> public transportation.
Then--->pay for parking.
Conclusion: Consequently, many downtown businesses are concerned that their customer traffic would decrease significantly, leading to reduced sales.

A. Other incentives or conveniences are insufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses.---> Other things doesn't prove the thing. OUT.
B. Downtown businesses depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales.---> Ok so what? Out.
C. The primary reason for removing free parking is to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces.---> Describing the reasoning of implementing. Not leading to the conclusion. OUT.
D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking.----> Aha this fills the gap. Keep it.
E. The city should provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces.----> OUT since it is about suggestion.
D is correct

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A. Other incentives or conveniences are insufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses.
This option suggests that the city may offer other incentives to maintain customer traffic. However, the argument doesn't depend on whether other incentives are insufficient. Rather, it depends on the assumption that the removal of free parking will reduce customer visits.

B. Downtown businesses depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales.
This choice would suggest that businesses only rely on customers who park in downtown areas. While it seems related to the concern that customers who park for free will no longer come, the argument doesn't state that businesses rely only on these customers. It simply suggests that parking fees could reduce customer visits, but does not make the claim that businesses depend exclusively on such customers.

C. The primary reason for removing free parking is to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces.
The reasoning behind the city's decision (to generate revenue) is not directly addressed in the argument, which assumes a reduction in customer traffic due to the parking charge.

D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking. CORRECT
This is the key assumption in the argument. The argument hinges on the idea that when customers who currently park for free are forced to pay for parking, they will reduce their visits to downtown businesses, leading to decreased sales. The argument doesn't directly prove this, but it assumes that such a behavior will occur.

E. The city should provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces.
This choice talks about a potential solution to the problem but is not an assumption of the argument itself.

Answer D

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Argument : Downtown customer traffic will reduce significantly due to new changes

Options -

A - Irrelevant - no mention of other initiatives mentioned or implied
B - Irrelevant, this is a conclusion not an assumption made by the argument
C - Irrelevant - not mentioned in the question
D - Customers will reduce visiting downtown due to new changes
E - irrelevant - not mentioned in the question

OPTION D

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A. Other incentives or conveniences are insufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses.
This might weaken the argument but does not address its core assumption, which links the removal of free parking directly to decreased customer traffic.

B. Downtown businesses depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales.
The argument does not require such a strong dependence on parking customers, only enough of them stop visiting to impact sales.

C. The primary reason for removing free parking is to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces.
This is irrelevant to the argument's concern about reduced sales for businesses. The motivation for removing free parking does not affect the assumption about its impact on customer behavior.

D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking.
This directly supports the argument, as it assumes that making parking less convenient or more expensive will discourage visits to downtown businesses, leading to reduced sales. This assumption is required

E. The city should provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces.
While this could be a solution to mitigate reduced customer traffic, the argument does not depend on this assumption.

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Answer
(D) is correct because it directly assumes that the imposition of parking fees will cause a decrease in customer visits.

(A) is incorrect because the argument does not focus on other incentives or conveniences but on the impact of parking fees.
(B) is incorrect because the argument does not claim that businesses depend solely on customers who drive, just that they are concerned about a decrease in customer traffic.
(C) is incorrect because the primary focus of the argument is on the effect of the parking fee on business, not on the city's motivation for revenue generation.
(E) is incorrect because the argument doesn't discuss additional public transportation options, but rather the impact of removing free parking.

Bunuel

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A - The argument doesn't explicitly state this.
B - This is a stronger assumption than the argument requires.
C - The argument focuses on the impact on businesses, not the city's motivations.
D - The core concern of the downtown businesses is that paid parking will deter customers. This assumption is crucial to their argument.
E - This is a potential solution, not an assumption within the argument.

Bunuel

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A. Other incentives or conveniences are insufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses.
B. Downtown businesses depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales.
C. The primary reason for removing free parking is to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces.
D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking. This is key here, if this isn't assumed then the argument falls apart.
E. The city should provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces.

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Bunuel

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Remove free parking => need to pay for parking => customer traffic decrease => something happen => reduce sales

(A) insufficient to keep same number of customer is the consequence, not assumption (x)
(B) It is a factor, not assumption (x)
(C) Generate additional revenue is an motive, not assumption (x)
(D) Less often to visit if required payment for parking aligns closely with the concern raised by downtown businesses about reduced sales. (v)
(E) The compensation is a potential solution, not assumption (x)

Therefore the answer is D

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The argument above assumes which of the following?

A. Other incentives or conveniences are insufficient to keep the same number of customers visiting downtown businesses.
B. Downtown businesses depend solely on customers who drive and park downtown for the majority of their sales.
C. The primary reason for removing free parking is to generate additional revenue from paid parking spaces.
D. Customers who currently use the free parking are likely to visit downtown businesses less often if they have to pay for parking.
E. The city should provide additional public transportation options to compensate for the removal of free parking spaces.

Answer D is correct since it's the main point behind the argument, wether customers continue purchasing and consuming downtown even having to pay for parking is the main concern of the statement, this answer was driven after having a clear mental map of the question and predicting an answer, didn't have to personally go through them all.