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Standard contemporary system: The most energy-efficient of the three database systems
Innovative, cutting-edge system: Costs Agro, on average, less per year to operate than either of the other systems
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44% (02:32) correct
56%
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Agro Enterprises currently uses an antiquated database system. Upgrading to a standard contemporary system would cost a moderate amount, whereas upgrading to an innovative, cutting-edge system would cost much more. A standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years, but no sooner, as compared to the cost of keeping the current system. The annual savings in operational costs offered by the innovative system would cause such a system to pay for its purchase and installation in 5 years, but it would be no more energy-efficient than the current system. Or the company could just keep the current system. Any of the three systems would be able to function for the next 20 years.
Select Standard contemporary system for the option that the passage most strongly suggests is true of the standard contemporary system, and select Innovative, cutting-edge system for the option that the passage most strongly suggests is true of the innovative cutting-edge system. Make only two selections, one in each column.
Select Standard contemporary system for the option that the passage most strongly suggests is true of the standard contemporary system, and select Innovative, cutting-edge system for the option that the passage most strongly suggests is true of the innovative cutting-edge system. Make only two selections, one in each column.
| Standard contemporary system | Innovative, cutting-edge system | |
| Costs Agro the greatest total amount of money during 11 years of operation | ||
| Less energy-efficient than either of the other two database systems | ||
| The most energy-efficient of the three database systems | ||
| Costs Agro, on average, less per year to operate than either of the other systems | ||
| Costs Agro, on average, more per year to operate than either of the other systems |
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Official Answer
Standard contemporary system: The most energy-efficient of the three database systems
Innovative, cutting-edge system: Costs Agro, on average, less per year to operate than either of the other systems
05 Nov 2023, 17:03
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Agro Enterprises currently uses an antiquated database system. Upgrading to a standard contemporary system would cost a moderate amount, whereas upgrading to an innovative, cutting-edge system would cost much more. A standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years, but no sooner, as compared to the cost of keeping the current system. The annual savings in operational costs offered by the innovative system would cause such a system to pay for its purchase and installation in 5 years, but it would be no more energy-efficient than the current system. Or the company could just keep the current system. Any of the three systems would be able to function for the next 20 years.
We see that Agro Enterprises has a choice of three systems:
Antiquated: the current system; would be able to function for the next 20 years
Standard contemporary: sufficiently energy efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years, in other words, more energy efficient than the antiquated system
Innovative, cutting-edge: savings in operational costs pay for it in 5 years; no more energy efficient than the antiquated system (Notice that we don't know whether it's less energy efficient than the antiquated system.)
Select Standard contemporary system for the option that the passage most strongly suggests is true of the standard contemporary system, and select Innovative, cutting-edge system for the option that the passage most strongly suggests is true of the innovative cutting-edge system. Make only two selections, one in each column.
Costs Agro the greatest total amount of money during 11 years of operation
Since the passage says that the standard contemporary system would pay for itself in 10 years because it's energy efficient, we can infer that, in the 11th year of operation of the standard contemporary system, it will cost less to operate than the antiquated system. So, for the standard contemporary system, we have the costs being the same for 10 years and less for the 11th year, meaning that the standard contemporary system would cost less than the antiquated system to operate for 11 years.
Since that passage says that the innovative, cutting-edge system system would pay for itself in 5 years, because of annual savings in operational costs it offers, we can infer that in years 6 through 11, the innovative system will cost less to operate than the antiquated system after costing the same in the first 5 years as the antiquated system.
So, both new systems would cost less to operate for 11 years than the antiquated system, and thus this choice does not describe either new system.
Eliminate.
Less energy-efficient than either of the other two database systems
Since the passage says that "a standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years," we can infer that a standard contemporary system is more energy efficient than the antiquated system.
Regarding an innovative, cutting-edge system, the passage says it is "no more energy-efficient than the current system." Since "no more energy-efficient than the current system" does not mean "less energy-efficient than the current system," the passage does not support the idea that the innovative system is "less energy-efficient than either of the other two database systems." After all, it may be just as energy-efficient as the antiquated system.
So, the passage does not support this choice for either new system.
Eliminate.
The most energy-efficient of the three database systems
Since the passage says that "a standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years," we can infer that a standard contemporary system is more energy efficient than the antiquated system.
Since the passage says that an innovative, cutting-edge system is "no more energy-efficient than the current system," the innovative system must also be less energy-efficient than the standard contemporary system.
So, this choice is correct for the standard contemporary system.
Costs Agro, on average, less per year to operate than either of the other systems
Since the passage says that "a standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years," we can infer that the standard contemporary system costs less per year to operate than the antiquated system.
Since the passage says that "the annual savings in operational costs offered by the innovative system would cause such a system to pay for its purchase and installation in 5 years, we can see that the innovative system would cost even less per year to operate than the standard contemporary system. After all, a system that pays for itself in 5 years must cost less to operate than a system that pays for itself in 10 years.
Thus, the innovative system costs the least per year to operate.
So, this choice is correct for the innovative, cutting-edge system.
Costs Agro, on average, more per year to operate than either of the other systems
As we saw in our analysis for the previous choice, both new systems cost less to operate than the antiquated system. So, this choice correctly describes the antiquated system rather than either of the two new systems.
Eliminate.
Correct Answer
We see that Agro Enterprises has a choice of three systems:
Antiquated: the current system; would be able to function for the next 20 years
Standard contemporary: sufficiently energy efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years, in other words, more energy efficient than the antiquated system
Innovative, cutting-edge: savings in operational costs pay for it in 5 years; no more energy efficient than the antiquated system (Notice that we don't know whether it's less energy efficient than the antiquated system.)
Select Standard contemporary system for the option that the passage most strongly suggests is true of the standard contemporary system, and select Innovative, cutting-edge system for the option that the passage most strongly suggests is true of the innovative cutting-edge system. Make only two selections, one in each column.
Costs Agro the greatest total amount of money during 11 years of operation
Since the passage says that the standard contemporary system would pay for itself in 10 years because it's energy efficient, we can infer that, in the 11th year of operation of the standard contemporary system, it will cost less to operate than the antiquated system. So, for the standard contemporary system, we have the costs being the same for 10 years and less for the 11th year, meaning that the standard contemporary system would cost less than the antiquated system to operate for 11 years.
Since that passage says that the innovative, cutting-edge system system would pay for itself in 5 years, because of annual savings in operational costs it offers, we can infer that in years 6 through 11, the innovative system will cost less to operate than the antiquated system after costing the same in the first 5 years as the antiquated system.
So, both new systems would cost less to operate for 11 years than the antiquated system, and thus this choice does not describe either new system.
Eliminate.
Less energy-efficient than either of the other two database systems
Since the passage says that "a standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years," we can infer that a standard contemporary system is more energy efficient than the antiquated system.
Regarding an innovative, cutting-edge system, the passage says it is "no more energy-efficient than the current system." Since "no more energy-efficient than the current system" does not mean "less energy-efficient than the current system," the passage does not support the idea that the innovative system is "less energy-efficient than either of the other two database systems." After all, it may be just as energy-efficient as the antiquated system.
So, the passage does not support this choice for either new system.
Eliminate.
The most energy-efficient of the three database systems
Since the passage says that "a standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years," we can infer that a standard contemporary system is more energy efficient than the antiquated system.
Since the passage says that an innovative, cutting-edge system is "no more energy-efficient than the current system," the innovative system must also be less energy-efficient than the standard contemporary system.
So, this choice is correct for the standard contemporary system.
Costs Agro, on average, less per year to operate than either of the other systems
Since the passage says that "a standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years," we can infer that the standard contemporary system costs less per year to operate than the antiquated system.
Since the passage says that "the annual savings in operational costs offered by the innovative system would cause such a system to pay for its purchase and installation in 5 years, we can see that the innovative system would cost even less per year to operate than the standard contemporary system. After all, a system that pays for itself in 5 years must cost less to operate than a system that pays for itself in 10 years.
Thus, the innovative system costs the least per year to operate.
So, this choice is correct for the innovative, cutting-edge system.
Costs Agro, on average, more per year to operate than either of the other systems
As we saw in our analysis for the previous choice, both new systems cost less to operate than the antiquated system. So, this choice correctly describes the antiquated system rather than either of the two new systems.
Eliminate.
Correct Answer
The most energy-efficient of the three database systems, Costs Agro, on average, less per year to operate than either of the other systems
19 Jan 2024, 11:04
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jaky_nguyen
Hi MartyMurray,
Could you help explain this part: "Since the passage says that "a standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years," we can infer that the standard contemporary system costs less per year to operate than the antiquated system"?
Based on the information provided, I assume operational costs would include energy cost and cost of others (Ex, system license, maintenance, labor, etc,..). Then, without information of other costs, I think it would be stretched to infer that the standard contemporary system costs less per year to operate than the antiquated system
Here's the thing.Could you help explain this part: "Since the passage says that "a standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years," we can infer that the standard contemporary system costs less per year to operate than the antiquated system"?
Based on the information provided, I assume operational costs would include energy cost and cost of others (Ex, system license, maintenance, labor, etc,..). Then, without information of other costs, I think it would be stretched to infer that the standard contemporary system costs less per year to operate than the antiquated system
The passage says that "a standard contemporary system is sufficiently energy-efficient that it would pay for itself in 10 years."
"Pay for itself" means "save enough money per year to cover the costs of replacing the antiquated system with the standard contemporary system."
The only way that outcome can occur is through the standard contemporary system costing less per year to operate than the antiquated system. So, even though we don't have the information on other costs that you mentioned, we can infer from the fact that the standard contemporary system will pay for itself that it costs less to operate than the current antiquated system.
