Lynk Inc., a company that provides cable television connections to the

Question

Lynk Inc., a company that provides cable television connections to the city of Playtesburgh, has asked the city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service. This is surprising especially given that the population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider, leading to a waiting list for those who desire the connection.

Which of the following would, if true, most logically help explain why Lynk is asking the authorities to restrict the types of residences that can use its service?

Which of the following would, if true, most logically help explain why Lynk is asking the authorities to restrict the types of residences that can use its service?

A. Lynk has its headquarters in Playtesburgh and many of its employees live there.
B. The executives at Lynk believe that the city council of Playtesburgh will eventually call for restrictions and that it would be better to know as soon as possible what the regulation will entail.
C. Besides Lynk, the only other cable television provider in Playtesburgh is a much smaller company that serves fewer than 8% of the residences in the town.
D. City planners in Playtesburgh expect that the increase in the town’s population will likely slow and eventually stop within four years.
E. None of the three largest apartment complexes in Playtesburgh use Lynk’s service to provide a cable television connection.

EMPOWER  gmat    CR Question Pack 2

Question 83: Lynk Inc.

48 Hour Answer & Explanation Window  
 Earn KUDOS!  Have your explanations evaluated to help boost your learning. Post your reasoning why the answer you chose is correct, and why the other 4 options are incorrect within 48 hours of this post.

Scroll Down For Official Explanation

◀ Question 82 
 ▶ Question 84 
 ⏏ CR Library Pack 2 Home

rishi02 · Answer

Lynk Inc., a company that provides cable television connections to the city of Playtesburgh, has asked the city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service. This is surprising especially given that the population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider, leading to a waiting list for those who desire the connection.

Which of the following would, if true, most logically help explain why Lynk is asking the authorities to restrict the types of residences that can use its service?

Which of the following would, if true, most logically help explain why Lynk is asking the authorities to restrict the types of residences that can use its service?

Info 1: Lynk has asked the Playtesburgh city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service.
Info 2: The population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider.

Can test the options by placing them as connectors and seeing if the argument is logical. Info 1 does not have to necessarily precede Info 2 in the argument so keep an open mind to swapping the order. In fact, in this question, its easier to rewrite the argument with Info 2 first:

The population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider.  (Missing connector).  Lynk has asked the Playtesburgh city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service.

A.  Lynk has its headquarters in Playtesburgh and many of its employees live there.

The population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider.  Lynk has its headquarters in Playtesburgh and many of its employees live there.   Therefore, Lynk has asked the Playtesburgh city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service.

The option fails to connect the two pieces of information since it does not provide any rationale for Lynk asking the government to restrict the types of residences that use Lynk's service.

B.  The executives at Lynk believe that the city council of Playtesburgh will eventually call for restrictions and that it would be better to know as soon as possible what the regulation will entail.

The population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider.  The executives at Lynk believe that the city council of Playtesburgh will eventually call for restrictions and that it would be better to know as soon as possible what the regulation will entail.  Therefore, Lynk has asked the Playtesburgh city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service.

This makes sense. Lynk believes that future regulation will impose restriction. It is proactively trying to reduce future uncertainty (and perhaps costs) by asking the Playtesburgh city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service

C.  Besides Lynk, the only other cable television provider in Playtesburgh is a much smaller company that serves fewer than 8% of the residences in the town.

The population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider.  Besides Lynk, the only other cable television provider in Playtesburgh is a much smaller company that serves fewer than 8% of the residences in the town.   Therefore, Lynk has asked the Playtesburgh city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service.

This option contains unrelated information. It tells us that the cable television provider market in Playtesburgh is a duopoly but in such a scenario, why would Lynk want to restrict the clientele it serves? The option can be eliminated

D.  City planners in Playtesburgh expect that the increase in the town’s population will likely slow and eventually stop within four years.

The population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider.  City planners in Playtesburgh expect that the increase in the town’s population will likely slow and eventually stop within four years.   Therefore, Lynk has asked the Playtesburgh city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service.

Again, this option contains unrelated information. Another easy out

E.  None of the three largest apartment complexes in Playtesburgh use Lynk’s service to provide a cable television connection.

The population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider.  None of the three largest apartment complexes in Playtesburgh use Lynk’s service to provide a cable television connection.   Therefore, Lynk has asked the Playtesburgh city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service.

Based on the prompt, we know nothing about whether Lynk plans to suggest including the three largest apartment complexes in the list of types of residences it can serve or not. Essentially, this option also does not provide any rationale in support of what Lynk is asking for.

IMO B

winterschool · Answer

Lynk Inc., a company that provides cable television connections to the city of Playtesburgh, has asked the city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service. This is surprising especially given that the population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider, leading to a waiting list for those who desire the connection.

Which of the following would, if true, most logically help explain why Lynk is asking the authorities to restrict the types of residences that can use its service?

Which of the following would, if true, most logically help explain why Lynk is asking the authorities to restrict the types of residences that can use its service?

A. Lynk has its headquarters in Playtesburgh and many of its employees live there.  Incorrect

this cant explain about Lynk's position

B.  The executives at Lynk believe that the city council of Playtesburgh will eventually call for restrictions and that it would be better to know as soon as possible what the regulation will entail.   Correct

it already assume city council will implement new regulations, so it want to know as soon as possible about regulations

C. Besides Lynk, the only other cable television provider in Playtesburgh is a much smaller company that serves fewer than 8% of the residences in the town.  Incorrect

than why it asked to city government about restrictions?

D. City planners in Playtesburgh expect that the increase in the town’s population will likely slow and eventually stop within four years.  Incorrect

new information, but it is not helpful; it can make profit from increasing population

E. None of the three largest apartment complexes in Playtesburgh use Lynk’s service to provide a cable television connection.  Incorrect

that cant be a reason

EMPOWERgmatVerbal · Answer

Official Explanation:

Lynk Inc., a company that provides cable television connections to the city of Playtesburgh, has asked the city government to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service. This is surprising especially given that the population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years and most new residents have chosen Lynk as their provider, leading to a waiting list for those who desire the connection.
 
 Which of the following would, if true, most logically help explain why Lynk is asking the authorities to restrict the types of residences that can use its service? 
 
 A. Lynk has its headquarters in Playtesburgh and many of its employees live there. 
 B. The executives at Lynk believe that the city council of Playtesburgh will eventually call for restrictions and that it would be better to know as soon as possible what the regulation will entail. 
 C. Besides Lynk, the only other cable television provider in Playtesburgh is a much smaller company that serves fewer than 8% of the residences in the town.
D. City planners in Playtesburgh expect that the increase in the town’s population will likely slow and eventually stop within four years.
E. None of the three largest apartment complexes in Playtesburgh use Lynk’s service to provide a cable television connection.

Question Type:   Resolve Paradox / Explain
  Boil It Down:   Lynk Inc. is asking Playtesburgh’s city government to restrict who can/cannot use their services, even though the city is growing and most new residents want to use Lynk Inc.’s service.
  Goal:    Use the following question to evaluate each answer choice: Why would Lynk want their business restricted (statement 1) given there is such a demand (statement 2)? The correct answer choice will provide a plausible answer to that question.

Analysis:

General comments about helps explain/paradox/puzzling fact questions:  
 
Resolving a puzzle/paradox type questions involve trying to resolve a surprising fact or to reconcile two statements that seem to be incompatible. Your first task in answering these question types is to identify the puzzling fact or paradox. The correct answer choice will show the surprising fact is not so surprising after all or will show how it is possible that both statements that are seemingly at odds can be simultaneously true.

In order to explain a puzzling fact or paradox, the correct answer choice must work on the first statement and show that it is compatible with the second, work on the second statement and show that it is compatible with the first, or introduce a piece of information that shows how the two statements are compatible. Answer choices that deal with neither of the two statements will be irrelevant.
 
 Identify the Puzzling Fact: 
 
Statement 1: Lynk has asked the city government of Playtesburgh to restrict the types of residences that can use Lynk’s service.
 
Statement 2: The population of Playtesburgh has increased substantially in recent years leading to an increase in demand
 
The Puzzling Fact: We are left to wonder, why Lynk would want their business restricted (statement 1) given there is such a demand (statement 2)? We can use this question to evaluate the relevance of each answer choice. An answer choice that explains the puzzling fact will answer that question.
 
A. Lynk has its headquarters in Playtesburgh and many of its employees live there.
 Incorrect. This answer choice provides no information regarding our question. The fact that Lynk’s headquarters are in Playtesburgh and that many of its employees live there provides no reason why Lynk would want their business restricted, given the increase in demand.

B. The executives at Lynk believe that the city council of Playtesburgh will eventually call for restrictions and that it would be better to know as soon as possible what the regulation will entail.
 Correct. This answer choice provides a reason why Lynk would want their business restricted (statement 1) given there is such a demand (statement 2). Restricting their business is compatible with an increase in demand, because they know that they will be restricted in the future. By requesting restriction now, they can get ahead of the game and plan accordingly. 
 
C. Besides Lynk, the only other cable television provider in Playtesburgh is a much smaller company that serves fewer than 8% of the residences in the town.
 Incorrect. This answer choice heightens the problem. If Lynk is the only major player in town, then there would be little reason for them to want to be restricted. The greater the market share, the better for business. 
 
D. City planners in Playtesburgh expect that the increase in the town’s population will likely slow and eventually stop within four years.
 Incorrect. This answer choice provides no information regarding why Lynk would want their business restricted, given the increase in demand. The plateauing of the city’s population in the future does not provide a reason why Lynk would want restrictions now. 
 
E. None of the three largest apartment complexes in Playtesburgh use Lynk’s service to provide a cable television connection.
 Incorrect. This answer choice provides no information regarding our question. The fact that these complexes do not use Lynk provides no reason why Lynk would want to be restricted, given the increase demand. 
 
 Key Takeaway: 
For these kinds of questions (paradox/puzzling fact) identifying the key question can help evaluate the answer choices. For this scenario, the key question was why would Lynk want their business restricted (statement 1) given there is such a demand (statement 2). By identifying the key question, evaluating the answer choices becomes much easier and quicker.

Don’t study for the GMAT. Train for it.

EMPOWERgmatVerbal · Answer

Great job rishi02 and winterschool ! You both cracked the code on this one - kudos to you!

The next question was just posted, so head on over to try it out!

Lynk Inc., a company that provides cable television connections to the

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Lynk Inc., a company that provides cable television connections to the

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards