Among people who experience migraine headaches, some experience what

Question

Among people who experience migraine headaches, some experience what doctors call "common" migraines, whereas others experience "classical" migraines. Siblings and spouses of common migraine sufferers are themselves twice as likely as the general population to experience common migraines. Siblings of classical migraine sufferers are four times more likely than the general population to experience classical migraines, whereas spouses of classical migraine sufferers are no more likely than the general population to experience such headaches.

The information above provides the most support for which of the following hypotheses?

(A) Susceptibility to classical migraines is more dependent on hereditary factors than is susceptibility to common migraines.

(B) Unmarried adults are more likely to suffer from classical migraines than they are to suffer from common migraines.

(C) People who do not experience migraine headaches are unlikely to have spouses who are migraine headache sufferers.

(D) Children of people who suffer from common migraines are more likely than the general population to experience a common migraine.

(E) Between one-quarter and one-half of the general population suffer from either common or classical migraine headaches.

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Official Answer

A

atey2010 · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A. Here is why:

When I started to read this stimulus, I can tell that the author wants you to make distinction between siblings and spouse. The first sentence doesn't really help but the key to this question is the last sentence. There's a distinction and comparison between siblings of classical migraine sufferers and spouse of classical migraine sufferers. Author posits that siblings of classical migraine sufferers are four times more likely than general population to experience classical migraine. On the other hand, spouse of classical migraine sufferers are no more likely than general population to experience classical migraine. If you understand this then it should be clear why A is correct. A is synonymous to the last sentence of the passage, the author just puts it in a different or perhaps more convoluted way to catch the test takers.

Why D is incorrect? The prompt only talks about siblings (brother & sister) and spouses (husband/wives) of the migraine sufferers. The author never talk about children of migraine sufferers, therefore choice D could be true but not must be true. We need more information. However, answer choice A must be true, this is why A is correct.

esledge · Answer

This is a "Draw a Conclusion" question. For such a question, you want to draw a  safe  conclusion that is supported by the facts given in the argument and that relies on no additional info or assumptions. Ask yourself "Which of the following can I  prove  using the argument?"

The argument in a nutshell 
Two types of migraines: Common and Classical
Common Migraine sufferers: Siblings and Spouses twice as likely to also have.
Classical migraine sufferers: Siblings four times as likely to also have. Spouses--> no difference.

(A) CORRECT. Classical migraines affect only siblings, not spouses, as common migraines do. Also, the numbers given support this statement (4x for classical migraine siblings, 2x for common migraine siblings).

(B) Unmarried people are not specifically mentioned by the argument.

(C) People who do NOT suffer from migraines are not mentioned by the argument.

(D) Children of migraine sufferers are not mentioned by the argument, only spouses and siblings. Omission of a mention of the children does not imply that they aren't affected by migraines!

(E) To prove this, you would have to make assumptions about not only the % of the population affected by migraines, but also the % of the population that is married or has a sibling.

geraldineclub · Answer

I was doubting between A and D.
Finally I choose D....the wrong one!
Can anybody explain why this one cannot be the right answer?

Testluv · Answer

Hi,

We can use the Kaplan denial test to prove that A must be true (and therefore correct) and that D could be false (and therefore incorrect):

If A were untrue--if susceptibility to classical migraines WAS NOT more dependent on hereditary factors--then there would be no available explanation for the discrepany in likelihood of genetic transmission, and thus that discrepancy could not exist, and thus a part of the passage would become falsified. But in an inference question every part of passage is necessarily true. Thus, choice A must be true.

On the other hand, choice D could be false without falsifying any part of the passage (primarily because the passage did not establish anything that had to be true about "children"--"children" are outside the scope).

TAKEAWAYS:
--we can use the Kaplan denial test in inference questions (many people think it can only be used in necessary assumption questions).
--the correct answer will always be very CLOSE to the passage (notice that every idea of choice A is discussed in the passage either explicitly or implicitly); converesely, facts about "children" cannot be inferred from the text of the passage.

gmatbull · Answer

Let x be a number of counts of migraine

General populace: x

Common migraine: Sib=2x; Spouse=2x

Classical migraine: Sib=4x; Spouse=x

From above statistics, we can infer that 
brothers & sisters of classical sufferers have 4x chances whereas
brothers & sisters of common sufferers have 2x chances 
Because brothers & sisters (siblings) are related by blood, we can 
say that hereditary factor play a major role in acquiring classical migraine 
than in common migraine.
This is the position of option A.

On the other hand, spouses of common migraine have 2x chances whereas
spouses of classical migraine have x chance
From the statistics, Spouses of common migraine are more prone than are 
those of classical migraine.
However, this is not discussed in any of the options.

Do I make any sense or am I over stating what is meant in the stem?

petrifiedbutstanding · Answer

Quite straightforward. It's A. My reasons for choosing this is as follows:

(A) Susceptibility to classical migraines is more dependent on hereditary factors than is susceptibility to common migraines.    
(B) Unmarried adults are more likely to suffer from classical migraines than they are to suffer from common migraines.    
(C) People who do not experience migraine headaches are unlikely to have spouses who are migraine headache sufferers.   
(D) Children of people who suffer from common migraines are more likely than the general population to experience a common migraine.   
(E) Between one-quarter and one-half of the general population suffer from either common or classical migraine headaches.

Skywalker18 · Answer

Among people experience migraine headaches, some experience what doctors call"common" migraines, whereas others experience "classical" migraines. Siblings and spouses of common migraine sufferers are themselves twice as likely as the general population to experience common migraines. Siblings of classical migraine sufferers are four times more likely than the general population to experience classical migraines, whereas spouses of classical migraine suferers are no more likely than the general population to experience such headaches.

Type - Inference
Boil it down - Common migraine - Siblings and spouses have 2x probability of suffering 
Classical migraine -Siblings have 4x probability of suffering
Pre-Thinking - the hereditary link is an important factor in classical migraine

The information above provides the most support for which of the following hypotheses?

(A) Susceptibility to classical migraines is more dependent on hereditary factors than is susceptibility to common migraines. Correct answer
(B) Unmarried adults are more likely to suffer from classical migraines than they are to suffer from common migraines. May or may not be true
(C) People who do not experience migraine headaches are unlikely to have spouses who are migraine headache sufferers. Out of scope
(D) Children of people who suffer from common migraines are more likely than the general population to experience a common migraine. May or may not be true as children have not been talked in the argument
(E) Between one-quarter and one-half of the general population suffer from either common or classical migraine headaches. Out of scope

Shivikaa · Answer

Hi, 
I was confused between A and E. I chose E over A because I thought that the argument gave a number of people suffering from migraine. 
Please explain.

Thanks in Advance.

GMATNinja · Answer

Let's review what we're given:

Siblings of common migraine sufferers are twice as likely as the GP to experience common migraines. (hereditary factor) 
 Spouses of common migraine sufferers are also twice as likely as the GP to experience common migraines. (non-hereditary factor) 
 Siblings of CLASSICAL migraine sufferers are FOUR TIMES more likely than the GP to experience classical migraines. (STRONGER hereditary factor) 
 Spouses of CLASSICAL migraine sufferers are no more likely than the GP to experience classical migraines. (no non-hereditary factor)

If we have a group of people who suffer from common migraines and another group of people who suffer from classical migraines, we can use the information in the passage to discuss how likely it is that their siblings and spouses will also have common or classical migraines.

But the information in the passage does not give us any information to determine the PROPORTION of the GP that actually suffers from one of those types of migraines. Maybe 10% of the GP suffer from common migraines and 15% suffer from classical? Maybe half of the GP suffer from one or the other? Maybe only 1% suffer from each? We have no idea, so (E) must be eliminated.

Looking at the bullets above, it seems that susceptibility to classical migraines is more dependent on hereditary factors than is susceptibility to common migraines.

(A) is the best choice.

Nina1987 · Answer

GMATNinja ,  ThatDudeKnows ,  DmitryFarber ,  GMATNinjaTwo ,  IanStewart ,  MartyTargetTestPrep ,  RonPurewal ,  KarishmaB ,  MarkSullivan ,  AjiteshArun ,  EMPOWERgmatRichC ,  mikemcgarry ,  sayantanc2k ,  TommyWallach ,  Testluv ,  Bunuel

is the 1st sentence in the passage grammatically correct? does it need 'who'? this is an official question

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

The first sentence of the passage does require "who." It appears that the person who posted this question mistakenly left out that word.

Nina1987 · Answer

Bunuel , other moderators: could u pls edit the question accordingly? thanks

Bunuel · Answer

Fixed the issue. Thank you for reporting. That's really very helpful!

KarishmaB · Answer

Premises: Among people who experience migraine headaches, some experience what doctors call "common" migraines, whereas others experience "classical" migraines. Siblings and spouses of common migraine sufferers are themselves twice as likely as the general population to experience common migraines. Siblings of classical migraine sufferers are four times more likely than the general population to experience classical migraines, whereas spouses of classical migraine sufferers are no more likely than the general population to experience such headaches.   We are given the following: "common" migraines – Siblings and spouses of sufferers are twice as likely to suffer (looks like something to do with vicinity of sufferer) "classical" migraines – Siblings are four times more likely to suffer, spouses are no more likely (so it seems to be hereditary) What can we conclude? (A) Susceptibility to classical migraines is more dependent on hereditary factors than is susceptibility to common migraines.  Siblings of classical migraine sufferers are four times more likely than the general population to experience classical migraines whereas siblings of common migraine sufferers are twice as likely. Also spouses of common migraine sufferers are twice as likely whereas spouses of classical migraine sufferers are no more likely than general population. So, it seems that classical migraine is mainly hereditary while common migraine has mainly some other connection. Correct.    (B) Unmarried adults are more likely to suffer from classical migraines than they are to suffer from common migraines.   We only know about siblings and spouses of people who get migraines. We don’t know the likelihood of unmarried people getting either type of migraine.   (C) People who do not experience migraine headaches are unlikely to have spouses who are migraine headache sufferers.   What is the cause and what is the effect, we don’t know. Does marrying someone who gets migraines increases your susceptibility or do people who get migraines not marry those who do not get migraines, we do not know.    (D) Children of people who suffer from common migraines are more likely than the general population to experience a common migraine.   We don’t know whether common migraine has a hereditary factor. Classical migraine seems to have.   (E) Between one-quarter and one-half of the general population suffer from either common or classical migraine headaches. We don’t know what percentage of population gets migraines. Answer (A) Discussion on Inference Questions: https://youtu.be/PMnU9ULdSfs

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Among people who experience migraine headaches, some experience what

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Among people who experience migraine headaches, some experience what

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