A hardware store generally sells roughly equal numbers of

Nowhere in the argument it is mentioned that styron hammers are superior in quality. In the argument only given thing is(A hardware store generally sells roughly equal numbers of Maxlast brand hammers and Styron brand hammers)

(B) Most of the hardware store's customers are attracted by quality and service rather than low prices. Option B is irrelevan. Maybe maxblast are more superior in quality than styron but that doesn't help.


Hope it helps.

Question Type: Resolve the Paradox

Premise 1: The hardware store sells, roughly equal number of Hammer M & Hammer S. Last week Hammer M is put on sale & displayed in a special case near the store entrance.

Premise 2: Hammer S outsold Hammer M

It comes down to Answer choice A & B.

We can reject B, since it doesn't specifically mention Hammer S is of better quality than Hammer M.

Answer A, is very straight & points out that the location of the display is somewhat unnoticed & hence customers simply walk in the stores, probably unaware of the Sale on Hammer M. This could be the possible reason for sale of Hammer M less than that of Hammer S.

Moreover choice A follows a pattern of answers that i have noticed on GMAT & GMAT type questions from other sources that the correct answer choice is usually the one that is more REAL LIFE based & practical to imagine. Ron Purewal says that you should be able explain the argument to a 10 year old & i add to that that you should also expect an answer that a 10 year old will most probably give.

The above is not a rule, just a trick you can use when stuck with two answer choices, by just keeping it simple.


Answer A.


Thanks,
GyM

I wasted a good 3:30 on this because to me, A isn't that convincing. On the surface it seems to do the job, but why can't we rule out the possibility that AFTER the first few seconds they take detailed notice. A) doesn't preclude that possibility.

I would agree that A is not the answer we would look for. However, the others options are not even close.

Plus A mentions "several" seconds. That is different from the "first few" seconds as you said. Option A provides a possible answer to the paradox, and hence is the answer.