Bart: A mathematical problem that defied solution for hundreds of years has finally yielded to a supercomputer. The process by which the supercomputer derived the result is so complex, however, that no one can fully comprehend it. Consequently, the result is unacceptable.
Conditionality:
Premise: Super computer complex -> No one could comprehend it
Conclusion: No one could comprehend it -> The result is unacceptable
Contrapositive of the conclusion: The result is acceptable -> Someone could comprehend it
logical chain: Complex -> incomprehensible -> Unacceptable
Bart’s argument requires which one of the following assumptions?
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(A) The mathematical result in question is unacceptable because it was derived with the use of a supercomputer.
This is the reversed version. It is that Complex -> Unacceptable, not the other way around.
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(B) For the mathematical result in question to be acceptable, there must be someone who can fully comprehend the process by which it was derived.
This is the contrapositive of the conclusion. Hang on to it.
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(C) To be acceptable, the mathematical result in question must be reproduced on another supercomputer.
"Must be": this is too extreme. The reasoning is only talking about whether the mathematical result derived from the supercomputer is acceptable. It does not say that the result MUST BE reproduced in order to be acceptable. For that reason, (C) is out.
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(D) Making the mathematical result in question less complex would guarantee its acceptability.
This negation is incorrect: less complex -> acceptable — the chain is that complex -> unacceptable or acceptable -> not complex; let alone the word "guarantee", which is too extreme within the argument's scope. (D) is out.
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(E) The supercomputer cannot derive an acceptable solution to the mathematical problem in question.
The reason that the solution is acceptable is because no one could comprehend it, not that the supercomputer CANNOT derive an acceptable solution. If the word CANNOT is changed to MIGHT or MIGHT NOT, then this answer choice is likely to be correct.
Only B is left. B is the correct answer.