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GMAT Club Olympics 2024 (Day 2): To improve air quality, the city

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09 Jul 2024, 11:11

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Bunuel

This question was provided by GMAT Club
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The correct answer is B imo.

The assumption the officer is making for the decreased level of air pollution is that due to fine, there be less diesel vehicles so the air pollution levels will drop. If there were to be more diesel vehicles, the claim would not stand.

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09 Jul 2024, 11:39

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(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.

Another source of pollution is the industrial pollution, even though diesel automobile pollution decrease because of the fee if the industrial pollution increases the level of air pollution in the city within one year will not be reduced

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09 Jul 2024, 11:45

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Assumption shpuld be that other means by which air pollution inceases remains constant.
Answer is C.

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09 Jul 2024, 11:57

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The conclusion of the passage is : this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year.

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
the funding allocated to air quality management is irrelevant here. and if it increased or stay stable, we still could lower the level of air pollution. False
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
this information is irrelevant, because, if the number of diesel vehicules does not increase, the vehicles could move more that what they are actually doing , thus the increasing the level of air pollution. False
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
Correct answer. because if The amount of industrial pollution in the city will increase from its current level, then for sure the level of air quality will worsen, thus the conclusion will be attacked. Correct answer
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
this information is irrelevant, because, even if their number increase, this does not necessarly lead to an increase in the pollution of the air. we could have a lot of vehicles entering but not greatly moving.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.
this is false, because if the volume in the city increased this not necessarily means that the air quality polution wil also worsen. vehicles could switch to electric and be having a great ampunt of movement. False
Correct answer is C

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09 Jul 2024, 12:02

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Quote:

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level. Incorrect
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level. Incorrect
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level. Incorrect
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year. Correct
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.Incorrect

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09 Jul 2024, 12:07

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To improve air quality, the city council of a metropolitan area is considering imposing a heavy fine on the use of diesel vehicles within city limits. The city's environmental officer claims that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the environmental officer's claim depends?

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

To improve air quality or to reduce air pollution -> fine on USE of diesel vehicles WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
A. We don't know where funding is utilised. Out of scope.
B. If we negate this, then officer can not conclude that air pollution would reduce. CORRECT
C. Industrial pollution is different from diesel vehicles' pollution. Out of scope.
D. Even if it does we don't know whether entering vehicles are diesel because we are imposing fine on only diesel vehicles. Irrelevant.
E. We are not conserned about overall traffic, but specifically air pollution and that too caused by diesel vehicles. Out of scope.

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09 Jul 2024, 12:39

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D. This is the most relevant assumption as if the vehicles entering the city increase than imposing fine will not have effect on them.

A. This is out of scope. The argument is about pollution from vehicles.
B. This is relevant but by imposing the fine it is expected that the number of car will decrease not increase.
C. This is out of scope again the argument is about pollution from vehicle and effect of fine on that.
E. This is out of scope option

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09 Jul 2024, 13:04

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09 Jul 2024, 13:07

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IMO B

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
Irrelevant

(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
This should be an assumption because if the number increases from current level how can we say that fine is working and it reduced the air pollution.

(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
Irrelevant - We care about air pollution not industrial

(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
Okay - Even if the number vehicles inreases, what if these vehicles are ecofriendly vehicles. Incorrect

(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.
Okay - Lets say volume increases, what if there are more bicycles than any motor vehicles. Incorrect

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09 Jul 2024, 13:09

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To improve air quality, the city council of a metropolitan area is considering imposing a heavy fine on the use of diesel vehicles within city limits. The city's environmental officer claims that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the environmental officer's claim depends?

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

Answer is (C) as the officer claims that the fine will significantly reduce the air pollution, and thus, the assumption is that industrial pollution won't increase.

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09 Jul 2024, 13:24

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Let's analyze the answer choices one by one to understand which of them could be an assumption on which the environmental officer's claim depends.
(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
If this statement is negated, we cannot say that the conclusion is falling apart. Conclusion can still hold true.
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
We don't have to assume about the number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city to be able to conclude about significant decrease in air pollution in the city.
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
This option is attacking the malicious variable by saying that air pollution from other sources is not going to increase. (pollution could be caused by variable other than that from the use of diesel vehicles)
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
it could be the case that the majority of these vehicles are non-diesel vehicles.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.
If the overall traffic volume in the city increases from its current level, does it break the argument? no! it could be the case that the overall traffic volume comes from non-diesel vehicles.

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09 Jul 2024, 13:26

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Bunuel

This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the GMAT Club Olympics Competition

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Claim: Fine will significantly reduce level of air pollution in city within one year
given that
council plan is to improve air quality
and it is considering imposing heavy fine on use of diesel vehicles within city limits

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
-- funding for air quality monitoring will not help increase or decrease air pollution so out

(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
-- Do we need to assume they will not increase, even if they stay the same, fine wil not significantly reduce air pollution level if they continue to be used

(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
--we do not know industrial pollution is major source of pollution as had it been the case govt would have acted here. So it is not a must be statement .

(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
-- this option talks about significantly increase over next year. Even though number of vehicles could be EV and small diesel vehicles. This significant increase will not let pollution come down.

(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.
-- does not impact conclusion because traffic volume could be from EV vehicles, other type of vehicles so even if it increases pollution may not be reduced.

D is the best answer

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09 Jul 2024, 13:34

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The mechanics we see are the following:
Desel vehicles are fined -> people don't want to be fined -> there are fewer diesel vehicles -> pollution levels will decrease.
The assumptions underlying this logic are already given above, and they are based on fine effectiveness and the impact of diesel usage decrease.

Quote:

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.

If the air quality is not measured, it can still decrease. Plus, the decrease of funding can be super slight and non-significan. Eliminate.

Quote:

(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.

If the number of diesels grows, it is literally against the author's assumptions, proving the fine doesn't work and the pollution grows. Seems like a correct answer.

Quote:

While it would be nice for indutsrial pollution not to grow, the author has neither an impact nor an interest in this aspect. Eliminate.

Quote:

(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.

Whether the number increases or not, all the vehicles inside the city will be fined - therefore, if the fine is effective, it's effective even against 'outsiders'. Eliminate.

Quote:

(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

Perhaps the traffic will increase, but in the argument we are mainly dealing with diesel pollution - therefore, this is an aspect we aren't concerned with. Eliminate.

Therefore, the correct answer is B.

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09 Jul 2024, 14:25

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Bunuel

This question was provided by GMAT Club
for the GMAT Club Olympics Competition

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(A) is easily eliminated as funding isn't the relevant issue, the claim has to do with reduction in pollution, to say this is an underlying assumption behind the officer's claim is far- fetched.

(B) again the intent of imposing fines was to stop the use of diesel vehicles within city limits, when there are fines, they'd be applicable to all diesel vehicles, including the new ones that will get added that year.

(C) since there are no fines getting imposed on industrial polluters, not any that have been mentioned, this remains a polluter that, if intensifies the next year, can reverse the reduction in pollution in the city. This is what I marked to be the correct option.

(D) The vehicles that are entering the city will also get a fine (see 'city limits'), thus D can be eliminated (whenever there are questions raised on the viability of the fine strategy, such as in B, the option becomes weak as it doesn't attack the claim of reduction in pollution but attacks the viability of the strategy to achieve the same, we need to find the logical flaw in the officer's claim starting from a viable fine strategy as to how it doesn't necessarily lead to reduction in pollution).

(E) Overall traffic volume is again out of scope, the diesel vehicles are anyway getting fined and other vehicles are not seen as polluters in the same sense.

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09 Jul 2024, 14:38

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(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.

This option discusses the monitoring of air quality, but it does not directly impact the effectiveness of the fine on reducing diesel vehicle usage and subsequent air pollution. It's not directly related to the claim.

(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.

This assumption is critical because if the number of diesel vehicles increases despite the fine, the reduction in air pollution might not occur as expected. Therefore, this assumption is relevant to the effectiveness of the fine.

(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.

This option discusses industrial pollution, which is a separate source of pollution from diesel vehicles. It's not directly related to the impact of the fine on diesel vehicles.

(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.

This assumption relates to external factors affecting traffic flow into the city but doesn't directly affect the impact of the fine on diesel vehicles within the city limits.

(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

This assumption is related to the traffic volume in general, not specifically to diesel vehicles. It's not directly relevant to the effectiveness of the fine on diesel vehicles.

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09 Jul 2024, 15:00

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we need to look for something that is necessary for the officers claim

A. Measuring pollution doesn´t impact pollution
B. if diesel vehicles increased from its current level the fine wouldn´t have decreased diesel vehicle usage and the level of air pollution would not have been reduced
C. industrial pollution could increase as long as it doesn´t increase more than the diesel pollution decrease. it´s not necessary
D. it´s could significant increase if the starting number is very low and not have a significant effect on total pollution
E. overall traffic volume could increase but with cleaner cars, there could be a net negative effect on pollution.

the answer is B

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09 Jul 2024, 15:17

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A) Incorrect. This answer tackles monitoring air quality rather than the effect of the heavy fine on air quality but rather talks about monitoring
B) Incorrect. This does not clearly reduce the level of Air pollution as it is still true if the number of vehicles stay the same.
C) Incorrect. This answer is out of the scope of the stem since it talks about the transport pollution coming from diesel vehicles not the industrial pollution.
D) Incorrect. This answer is too specific to vehicles entering the City from nearby areas whereas vehicles can come from anywhere and it talks about an increase over the next year but the proposed plan is to reduce air pollution within this year.
E) Correct. This is a necessary assumption for the argument to be correct. If the overall traffic volume does not increase and diesel vehicles are reduced within the city it would make sense that the air quality within the city would be better.

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09 Jul 2024, 15:23

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(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level => CORRECT

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09 Jul 2024, 15:45

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(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

The author assume that by limiting the diesel cars the pollution will decrease, however if the overall traffic volume increases even if it's principally not due to diesel cars the pollution may increase. So E must be an assumption of the author.

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09 Jul 2024, 18:50

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The assumption in this case had to be based in that no other factor that contributes to air pollution will change, and the only effect that will change is the cars that use diesel. This prediction is matched by answer C

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