A recent Atlantic exploration found four vacuum tubes in the middle of

Meaning Derived -
Facts - (100 % Acceptable as per passage - No debate )
1) 4 vacuum tubes in the middle of the ocean
2) Vacuum tubes similar to used in industrial and commercial radios.
3) Radiology Dating -> Estimated Vacuum tubes belong to the 1910's (1910 - 1919)

Conclusion by Historians - Vacuum tubes belonged to a plane involved in the war in the 1910s.


Okay so now we need to support the above conclusion

Lets look at D and E first, those options are playing with your existing history knowledge


Now if you see closely, can you see GREAT. What on earth is great doing here. I think the answer options are trying to play with you by making you remember from your existing history knowledge - First World War. But remmeber guys, 1st WW was from (1914-19) and here we are saying 1910's, which includes 1910, 1911,1912 and 1913 also when there may be smaller wars but no Great War. Such options we should be very careful with and should be eliminated as soon as detected

Hence D and E are straight out.

Next, lets look at A. It is again talking about a time period and I can see a 1914 there as well. Oh man, this is getting interesting. The answers are mostly build around the World War


Okay so, 1914 - 1926, but again as per above stated facts, we are considering 1910's, which inlcudes 1910 to 1913 as well.
Maybe the planes were carrying vacuum tubes uptil 1913 and post that, because of some technical or requiremental or even war specific issues, the planes stopped carrying these vacuum tubes. But till 1913, which is part of 1910's, they we were carrying these tubes and one of them crashed or dropped these in the oceans. Who knows
Now only two options left (Phew !!!)
Now lets look at Option C. I admit this was a close one to the correct answer B


Okay. Now this option gives us a 50-50 % chance. Why you ask.
Because, the plane having the discovered blackbox, which is definetely from a plane of 1910's, could be a plane either carrying these vacuum boxes or maybe not. It could also be a earlier plane that was not capable of carrying these tubes, let alone 4.

Hence this answer choice, although does not oppose, does not strenghten our conclusion.

Hence by POE, we can see only B remains and it also is the best strengthener out of the lot.

Hope this post is helpful

I was able to eliminate A and E but couldn't eliminate others. Can someone please help me with that?
B - so planes can carry more than 3 vacuum tubes. But does it mean that they did carry? And also they flew over the Atlantic? How is this strengthening?
C - those shows that a plane did end up in the Atlantic. However, again so what if a plane did end up in the Atlantic? What if it was not capable to carry vacuum tubes?
D - Again same as C. Confirms that a plane did end up there but this doesn't imply that the plane has tubes.
I know that strengtheners don't have to be necessarily true but if they are true then they should make the conclusion stronger. In this case, either of the above choices is making the conclusion strong (and leaving few gaps as well). How can we eliminate C & D and choose B as the answer?

Also, is it wrong to consider the Great war referring to the war mentioned in the stimulus? (I guess so but need expert advise)

Thanks in advance for your help!

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