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

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Bunuel

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Updated on: 10 Jul 2024, 09:29

Originally posted by Bunuel on 09 Jul 2024, 07:00.
Last edited by bb on 10 Jul 2024, 09:29, edited 1 time in total.

Question was revised to specify diesel-only air polution

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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 generated by diesel vehicles 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.

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Bunuel

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09 Jul 2024, 08:15

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Bunuel

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.

This question was provided by GMAT Club
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GMAT Club Official Explanation:

Correct Answer: B. The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.

For the plan to work, the number of diesel vehicles within the city has to decline, significantly decline and the city council expects the fine will do exactly just that. The correct answer will basically say that the fine proposal will hold/work. This choice is that one assumption that for environmental officer needs for their claim to hold - that the number of diesel vehicles will not increase. Otherwise, if the number of diesel vehicles were to increase, it would offset the intended effects of the fine, and not reduce the polution. Note that this may not be the most comfy answer that makes you fuzzy such as "The environmental officer assumes that the fine plan works" but this is the best answer and for a hard question, esp if you consider the alternatives.

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

We do not care about funding allocated to air quality. This is irrelevant. This choice does not make a difference when it comes to the reduction in air pollution and diesel vehicles, which is our focus. We are not sure how air quality is monitored or how it is funded so we cannot even evaluate this answer choice. Eliminate.

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

The officer's claim specifically talks about reducing pollution through the control of diesel vehicles, not industrial emissions. Irrelevant. Nobody is assuming this. We are only concerned with diesel vehicles and polution reduction from these specific vehicles within teh specific geography. Eliminate.

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

This is a trap answer. It is a weaker version of the correct answer choice with a fatal flaw. First problem with this choice is that it does not talk about diesel vehicles specifically. It talks about All vehicles. We are not concrned with all but only the diesel vehicle polution. With this choice, we do not know how many diesel vehicles would be entering from nearby areas so we can’t evaluate the impact of this answer choice. Second problem is that this answer is that it is a much weaker/limited version of B. B says - diesel vehicles form all sources will not increase. This choice says vehicles from one source (nearby areas) will not increase. What if there is a diesel truck stop for far-away vehicles built in the city? It would not cover that situation. Eliminate for 2 reasons.

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

The argument is about the impact of fining diesel vehicles, not managing overall traffic volume. This answer choice is too broad - we again are not concerned with traffic or any other vehicles except diesel, and this answer choice does not address diesel vehicles. Eliminate.

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09 Jul 2024, 07:10

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If people shift from diesel to petrol vehicles, then there might not be reduction in pollution as number of cars are same or more.
So, baseline consideration is: The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.

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09 Jul 2024, 07:17

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By enforcing a fine on diesel vehicle entering the city limits the E.O is expecting a significant reduction in the air pollution level in the city within one year.
Since it is a heavy fine, we can assume that the number of diesel vehicle entering the city will reduce and there by reducing the pollution caused by diesel vehicles. However for the overall air pollution level in the city to reduce significantly there should not be any increase in pollution in the city from a source other than diesel vehicle. Looking at the answer choices, the correct answer is C

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09 Jul 2024, 07:18

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

IF the industrial pollution increases then the claim will not hold true because no action is taken against industrial pollution assuming it is not a major contributing factor to the pollution

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09 Jul 2024, 07:21

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Quote:

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.

a) the assumption made by the officer in making the claim has nothing to do with the fund allocated to monitoring. incorrect.

b) correct. the officer assumes that if taxes on the diesel vehicles currently running within the city are the major cause of the air pollution, then increasing taxes would discourage the use of such vehicles. however, if the number increases the claim would not stand.

c) the officer doesnt talk about industrial pollution hence wrong.

d) the officer specifically holds the diesel vehicles as the culprit for causing air pollution, hence the number of vehicles increasing/decreasing isnt related to his claim

e) similar to option D hence wrong

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09 Jul 2024, 07:27

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We're given a claim that imposing a heavy fine on diesel vehicles will significantly reduce air pollution within one year. We need to identify an assumption that this claim relies on.

Let's look at each option now:(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level.
The fine could work regardless of monitoring so this is not directly related to the effectiveness of the fine. We can ignore A.

(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level.
This is relevant, but the fine itself is expected to reduce the use of diesel vehicles. I don't think this classifies as an assumption but rather a consequence or an effect of the fine. We can eliminate B.

(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
Let's say the pollution increases from industries which further affects overall air quality. This still isn't related to the fine on diesel vehicles. C is out.

(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
If there's a significant increase in vehicles and let's say (I might assume that some of them could be diesel vehicles)from outside the city, it could offset the reduction achieved by the fine within the city. If you reverse this assumption to see if the conclusion holds, it breaks. D sounds pretty good.

(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level.
The overall traffic volume affects air quality. But again, the claim is about the effect of the fine on diesel vehicles, not overall traffic. We can eliminate E.

The environmental officer's claim assumes that other factors won't counteract the effect of the fine. The most relevant factor here is the influx of vehicles from outside the city, which might not be subject to the fine but could still contribute to air pollution.

Therefore, the correct answer is (D). We can also think of it like this - if it were false (i.e., if there was a significant increase in vehicles from nearby areas), it could potentially negate the positive effect of the fine on air quality within the city.

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OA: C
By using negation test. Negating A, B, D, E wouldn't change or effect the conclusion. Whereas negating C will effect the argument.

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09 Jul 2024, 07:33

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(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level.
Accr. to me, this seems to be the answer

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09 Jul 2024, 07:38

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Bunuel

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.

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The city council is blaming diesel vehicles for pollution but there could be other causes. But he also thinks that if other causes of pollution will not increase then placing a heavy fine on diesel vehicles would lower pollution overall so I chose C. The overall traffic volume and other vehicles maybe EV and maybe they don't contribute to pollution in the city but "industrial pollution in the city" does.

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09 Jul 2024, 07:40

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I am confused between B or D. I think B seems a bit logical.

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09 Jul 2024, 07:45

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I think B, because if the number of diesel vehicules does not reduce, then the fine is ineffective.

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09 Jul 2024, 07:51

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Consideration of statistics and make an iteration we can see that the statement is true.

Posted from my mobile device

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Quote:

The city's environmental officer claims that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year.

The officer is assuming that the pollution will not increase because of any other factor apart from diesel vehicles. Using negation technique allows us to eliminate option A, B, D & E.

Why option C is correct (negation)-

Quote:

Removing

Quote:

NOT

from the option proves that amount of industrial pollution will increase from its current level in the city, hence, becoming a factor for increasing pollution.

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09 Jul 2024, 08:01

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To improve air quality, the city council is considering imposing a heavy fine on diesel vehicles within city limits. The environmental officer claims this will reduce air pollution significantly within a year. The claim relies on the assumption that the number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year, ensuring the fine's effectiveness in reducing diesel vehicle pollution within the city.

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09 Jul 2024, 08:03

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Negating the options given will lead us to the answer.
Option B, if the number of diesel vehicle increases in the city the plan won't work.

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09 Jul 2024, 08:07

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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. -> Irrelevant
(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level. -> Good choice
(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level. -> Irrelevant, we are talking about air pollution
(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year. -> Good choice, but which type of vehicles isn't mentioned, it could be diesel, or non-diesal, hence not the answer.
(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level. -> Irrelevant since we are talking about diesel vehicles.

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09 Jul 2024, 08:12

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Again I think D for this one as well,

(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year.
This assumes no increase in incoming vehicles, which could offset any reduction achieved by the fine.
Lets use negation, The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will significantly increase over the next year.
If more vehicles come from nearby areas, the fine within the city won't reduce pollution effectively. This is undermining the argument, making it invalid.

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09 Jul 2024, 08:16

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Bunuel

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.

This question was provided by GMAT Club
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C --> industrial pollution --> fines should deter, no matter the number of vehicles increase or not, funding is out of context

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09 Jul 2024, 08:16

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To improve air quality (Goal), the city council of a metropolitan area is considering imposing a heavy fine on the use of diesel vehicles within city limits (City council's Proposal). The city's environmental officer claims that this fine will significantly reduce the level of air pollution in the city within one year (Enviro. Officer/Author's conclusion). EO assumes that by implementing the proposal the goal can be achieved within 1 year.

(A) The funding allocated to air quality monitoring in the city will not decrease from its current level. - This option states that funding for monitoring of air quality won't reduce, but it does not states anything about actual reduction of pollution because of heavy fine collection. So incorrect.

(B) The number of diesel vehicles currently used within the city will not increase from its current level. - No. of diesel vehicles won't increase but current vehicles will pollute the air till its retirement but the goal will not be achieved in that case. Pollution can be reduced or same if this option implements. If it remains same, then the conclusion crumbles. In addition, this option does not correlate with heavy fine which was the line of reasoning of EO. So wrong.

(C) The amount of industrial pollution in the city will not increase from its current level. - This option seems out of scope because passage says about heavy fines to diesel vehicle users not industry and it does not relates to impact of fine on diesel vehicle users to achieve pollution reduction. So incorrect.

(D) The number of vehicles entering the city from nearby areas will not significantly increase over the next year. -This option is related to no. of (general) vehicles, from nearby localities, won't increase in next year. We don't know how many of them are diesel vehicle. But if we consider the most of them are diesel vehicle, then air quality can be improved. Still let's evaluate E.

(E) The overall traffic volume in the city will not increase from its current level. - This option seems out of scope the same as C because passage says about heavy fines to diesel vehicle users not the alternate cause of pollution and it does not relates to impact of fine on diesel vehicle users to achieve pollution reduction. So incorrect.

After evaluating E, final answer is D.