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Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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11 Jul 2012, 10:00
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104
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D
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45% (medium)
Question Stats:
70% (02:19) correct 30% (02:36) wrong based on 4688 sessions
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Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.
The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?
(A) It takes for granted that the manufacturing division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month.
(B) It takes for granted that if a certain average of amount of overtime is worked each month by each employee of the Haglut Corporation, then approximately the same amount of overtime must be worked each month by each employee of the manufacturing division.
(C) It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.
(D) It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
(E) It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime.
Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked
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11 Jul 2012, 15:58
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Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.
The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?
Simplifying the Argument: Average overtime for employee in manufacturing is 14 hours. Most employees work in manufacturing. Therefore most employees work at least some overtime.
Attacking the Argument: Here we are dealing with the average number of hours. In general, average equals total divided by number of elements, in this case workers. If you had 5 workers each working 14 hours overtime a month, you end up with the same number of overtime hours as four lazy workers and one uber-industrious worker who clocks 70 hours of overtime a month. However, the scenario is very different: all workers working overtime vs. one out of five working overtime. In much the same way, this logic can be extrapolated to Halgut Corporation. The debater's conclusion that MOST employees work at least some over time is not valid if a few workers work an inordinate amount of overtime while the rest of the company works no over time.
(A) It takes for granted that the manufacturing division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month.
This does not quite get at the scenario I illustrated above.
(B) It takes for granted that if a certain average of amount of overtime is worked each month by each employee of the Haglut Corporation, then approximately the same amount of overtime must be worked each month by each employee of the manufacturing division.
This answer does not touch on the idea of a few working overtime, accounting for the 14 hour average.
(C) It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.
I think there is just a lot of confusing verbiage going on here. In such cases, move on to another answer choice to find a more clearly stated that answer vs. getting tangled up in all the words.
(D) It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
This answer choice directly speaks to the fact that if many work no overtime at all, the average can still be 14 hours, as long as a few members are working much more than 14 hours of a overtime a month.
(E) It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, any one corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime.
This answer is close but not quite. We want an answer that is more direct and speaks to many, not just one, workers working no overtime, thus rendering the conclusion that most work overtime invalid.
A tough question indeed . Hope that helps!
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Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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28 Jan 2013, 13:02
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Sorry for beating a dead horse, but this is a very important concept. The concept of majority versus average.
Most employees working in the Manufacturing division means that at least 51% of the employees of the company work in the Manufacturing department.
The only way to conclude that "most employees in the company work some overtime, is to conclude that "everyone in the division" would have to work overtime.
Yet, the evidence merely says average, so hypothetically, employees who work over time could work 28 hours of overtime a month, meaning one employee for every 2.
The answer, D, paints that well by indicating potentially maybe many members of the group don't work overtime.
Takeaway: Understand the average versus majority concept, and how to break down "wholes"
Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked
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11 Jul 2012, 11:10
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betterscore wrote:
Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.
The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?
(A) It takes for granted that the manufacturing division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month.
(B) It takes for granted that if a certain average of amount of overtime is worked each month by each employee of the Haglut Corporation, then approximately the same amount of overtime must be worked each month by each employee of the manufacturing division.
(C) It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.
(D) It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
(E) It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime.
D because we care about a group that is the major part of the company employees that work overtime.
Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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23 Aug 2012, 06:47
guitarstrings wrote:
How can we consider Option D as correct if its only talking about "some group" but not the whole organization? Would be great if somebody can explain.
Above statement is a generic statement not specific to that organization. This statement is applicable for manufacturing group where if on average there is overtime of 14 hrs/ month doesnt mean that everyone in the manufacturing group is doing the overtime.
Thanks, Sankalp
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Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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27 Jan 2013, 01:57
though I understand the argument and prethink the relevant assumption and , then, weakener correctly in the same way as expert dose, it takes me 4 minute to go to D.
Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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16 Apr 2013, 12:46
Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.
The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?
Average No Overtime for per months =14 hrs/month = (Total sum of hrs of only those employees who actually put extra overtime hours in a year )/12 * Total no of employees in the Org , this include the sleeping one also
Also from question , there is no fluctuation in per month , so the variable parameters in above equation are , employee who actually work overtime and and rest others
suppose total 10 employees , 7 belongs to manufacturing division (As most belongs to it ) whose overtime is 14 hrs and now from the second gp we can have 1 person putting 42 hrs overtime and rest two sleeping but still giving the avg of 14hrs /month (42/3)
The same is justified by the option D , My Funda Making CR more mathematical and Logical _________________
Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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09 Feb 2015, 06:01
betterscore wrote:
Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.
The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?
(A) It takes for granted that the manufacturing division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month.
(B) It takes for granted that if a certain average of amount of overtime is worked each month by each employee of the Haglut Corporation, then approximately the same amount of overtime must be worked each month by each employee of the manufacturing division.
(C) It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.
(D) It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
(E) It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime.
I got the answer right but I want to understand what do we mean by option C.? Can anyone explain option C even though it is wrong.
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Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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11 Feb 2015, 16:59
The argument concludes that most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime each month. The basis for this claim is that: 1. the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month 2. The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours 3. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division It must assume that the total overtime amount would be contributed from most employees instead of a group of employees. A - No.It does not necessarily deal with the average amount of overtime worked by any employee. The conclusion only deals with whether the majority works overtime or not. B - Too extreme. Again, not that much to deal with (similar to A) C - Why it is to deal with the conclusion? D - CORRECT. If this happens, the conclusion is wrong. If this does not happen, the conclusion is valid. E - NO, it does not deal with exactly the same ppl to do OT work.
Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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27 Jul 2015, 02:36
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A real tough one! I felt the answer choices were tougher to comprehend than the argument. I felt nice while going through the argument and i was through to the answer choices in ~30 secs. But soon was entangled in the choices and lost all the confidence gained from the argument
I lost about >1 min on choice C alone (had to revisit the passage once and reread the choice multiple times). I felt choice C was strategically placed before the correct answer. Does GMAT play here too?
How do we deal with this kinda situation? Is there a way to know if the choice that seems the toughest to comprehend is not the correct answer?
Btw, i still have little clue about what choice C meant _________________
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Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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29 Jul 2015, 09:55
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arhumsid wrote:
Btw, i still have little clue about what choice C meant
It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.
It confuses a claim ------100%------> argument's conclusion with a claim <------high probability------ argument's conclusion
To put it another way, the third option is trying to say that the argument is vulnerable to the criticism that it (the argument) fails to differentiate between a claim that would definitely lead to the argument's conclusion and a claim that the argument's conclusion would lead to (with a high degree of probability).
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Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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14 Jul 2016, 13:13
betterscore wrote:
Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.
The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?
(A) It takes for granted that the manufacturing division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month.
(B) It takes for granted that if a certain average of amount of overtime is worked each month by each employee of the Haglut Corporation, then approximately the same amount of overtime must be worked each month by each employee of the manufacturing division.
(C) It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.
(D) It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
(E) It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime.
Super easy D
Manufacturing works requires 14 hours of overtime in jan, feb mar, april, may june...etc etc (their average overtime stays constant=14 hr per employee per month. But in january and feb engine specialist work overtime because more engines are produced, In march and april, glass cutters and painters work overtime, in june and july, body makers do overtime) and then we can also have that tyre fitters in the same manufacturing division that never work over time , there overtime is also constant 0 hour per employee per month)
Option D acounts for all such cases D) even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
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Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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12 Aug 2016, 01:31
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Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.
100 employees month -Jan
1 employee of Manufacturing division = 14*12
Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. :- so let say if a employee work 1 hour overtime in a month most of the time it is 1 or nearby.
From this : each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.
There is a huge leap from one employee to every other employee.
The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?
(B) It takes for granted that if a certain average of amount of overtime is worked each month by each employee of the Haglut Corporation, then approximately the same amount of overtime must be worked each month by each employee of the manufacturing division.
why not B????
(C) It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.
(D) It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
(E) It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime. :- it actually restate the conclusion
Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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19 Sep 2016, 21:28
Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.
Type- Weaken Boil it down -Average overtime per month in manufacturing is 14 hours . Most of employees work in Manufacturing division . Therefore , each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime. Standard deviation in such situations provide a better picture .
Pre- Thinking - Average do not give proper picture of the distribution of the overtime hours among employees . Hence , our conclusion is vulnerable to criticism that very few employees may be doing the bulk of overtime work
(D) It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
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Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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21 Feb 2018, 06:48
was somehow able to pre-think the answer, before looking into the answer choices.
After the reading argument, first criticism to my mind is, what if only certain workers work overtime for many many hours and rest of them don't work overtime at all, still overall average could be on the higher side. something like, {1,2,3,10000}. Answer (D) aligned with pre-thought answer exactly
gmatclubot
Re: Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by
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21 Feb 2018, 06:48
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70% (02:19) correct 
. Hope that helps!
