Re: A fast-food restaurant recently gave customers the option of entering
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09 Mar 2024, 07:54
A fast-food restaurant recently gave customers the option of entering their orders on a computer instead of speaking to an employee. When customers order by computer, it displays a list of additional items and suggests ordering them. During the first month, computer orders contained, on average, 10 percent more items than did orders placed directly with employees. Clearly, therefore, the computer display influences customers to order more items than they otherwise would.
The conclusion of the argument is the following:
the computer display influences customers to order more items than they otherwise would
The support for the conclusion is the following:
During the first month, computer orders contained, on average, 10 percent more items than did orders placed directly with employees.
We see that the reasoning of the argument is basically that, since there is a positive correlation between "more items and "computer orders," it must be that the computer display causes customers to order more items than they otherwise would.
Which of the following would it be most useful to establish for the purpose of evaluating the argument?
This is an Evaluate question. So, the correct answer will be such that different answers to the question it presents will weaken or strengthen the argument.
A. Whether some of the customers who chose to place orders directly with employees did so because they did not feel comfortable placing an order by computer
Neither a yes nor a no answer to the question presented by this choice affects the strength of the argument.
After all, comfort with placing an order and size of orders are two different things. So, even if some customers who placed orders with employees did not feel comfortable placing an order by computer, that fact would not be an alternative explanation for the difference in order sizes. After all, being uncomfortable placing an order by computer would not cause a customer to order less in dealing with an employee.
So, regardless of how we answer the question presented by this choice, the argument is unaffected.
Eliminate.
B. Whether people who planned to order a large number of items were more likely than others to order by computer
Knowing this would help with evaluating the argument.
After all, if the answer is "Yes," then we have an alternative explanation for the fact that "computer orders contained, on average, 10 percent more items than did orders placed directly with employees." In that case, it could be that, rather than the computer display causes people to order more, people who already plan to order more use the computer.
So, a yes answer to the question presented by this choice would weaken the argument by indicating that something other than the display causing people to order more could be going on.
On the other hand, a no answer to this choice would serve to rule out the possibility that the reason why orders made by computer are larger is simply that people who plan to order more use the computer and thus help to confirm the conclusion.
So, knowing whether people who planned to order a large number of items were more likely than others to order by computer would be helpful in evaluating the argument.
Keep.
C. Whether the daily maintenance costs for the computer were less than the daily wages of an employee
The answers to the question presented by this choice affect the case for the wrong conclusion.
The conclusion of the argument we're considering is "the computer display influences customers to order more items than they otherwise would." On the other hand, the answers to the question presented by this choice would help with evaluating a conclusion about the profitability of using the computer.
Since the conclusion whose support we're evaluating is specifically about order size and not about profitability, the answers to the question provided by this choice have no effect on the argument.
Eliminate.
D. Whether kitchen employees could tell whether a food order was placed with the computer or by speaking to an employee
Since what kitchen employees could tell about an order would not affect how much the customer would order, the answers to the question presented by this choice are irrelevant.
Eliminate.
E. Whether the customers enter orders on the computer by pressing keys, by touching a display, or by speaking
The answer to the question presented by this choice might seem relevant since it would provide additional detail on how how ordering using the computer works, which could conceivably be related to the size of orders.
At the same time, we have no reason to believe that pressing keys, touching a display, or speaking would cause customers to order more than they otherwise would, and it remains the case that the orders made by computer are larger. So, regardless of what the answer to the question presented by this choice is, the fact that orders made by computers are larger supports the conclusion that "the computer display influences customers to order more items than they otherwise would."
So, knowing what this choice mentions would not help with evaluating the argument.
Eliminate.
Correct answer: B