A greater number of cars are sold in Town P than in Town Q. Therefore

Question

A greater number of cars are sold in Town P than in Town Q. Therefore, the citizens of Town P spend more time driving their cars, per capita, than do the citizens of Town Q.

Each of the following, if true, weakens the conclusion above EXCEPT:

A. Town P has a larger population than Town Q.

B. Most citizens of Town Q work in Town P and buy their cars there.

C. Many residents of Town P purchase second cars that they use only rarely.

D. Most drivers from Town P tend to drive only during the day, and only within the city limits of Town P.

E. The average price of cars sold in Town P is lower than the average price of cars sold in Town Q.

pqhai · Accepted Answer

Fact:  A greater number of cars are sold in Town P than in Town Q. 
 Conclusion: The citizens of Town P spend more time driving their cars, per capita, than do the citizens of Town Q.

Each of the following, if true, weakens the conclusion above   EXCEPT:

Town P has a larger population than Town Q.
 Wrong. It will weaken the conclusion: P has a larger population than Q ==> the number of cars sell in P increase DOES NOT mean citizens of P spend more time driving.
 
Most citizens of Town Q work in Town P and buy their cars there.
 Wrong. It will weaken the conclusion: The number of cars sell in P increase because citizens of Q buy cars in P.
 
Many residents of Town P purchase second cars that they use only rarely.
 Wrong. It will weaken the conclusion: If citizens of P use care rarely ==> cannot say they spend more time driving.
 
Most drivers from Town P tend to drive only during the day, and only within the city limits of Town P.
 Wrong. It will weaken the conclusion: Because citizens of P drive only during the day and in limited distance ==> cannot say they spend more time driving.
 
The average price of cars sold in Town P is lower than the average price of cars sold in Town Q.
   Correct.    There's no information about price of cars

doe007 · Answer

Point to note: The evidence shown here on total number of cars sold and the conclusion is made on per capita.

A) This statement weakens the conclusion as we cannot even assert that per capita ownership of car is more in town P than that in town Q.
B) If many of cars sold in P are driven in Q, we cannot asset that per capita driving time for P is more than that of Q. This statement weakens the conclusion.
C) If number of cars is not linked to driving time, we cannot say that per capita driving time for P is more than that of Q. This statement weakens the conclusion.
D) Though we have no information on the usage of cars in town Q, this statement says that residents of town P does not drive the car much and thus the statement weakens the conclusion.
E) Price has no relation on the driving time per capita. This statement does not weaken the conclusion and thus this is the correct answer.

Correct answer is E.

Archit143 · Answer

A must remember on CR question is to attack the conclusion and not the fact presented in the question. Option E attacks the fact or the only premise of the question, hence cannot be the correct answer.

Consider kudos if my post helps!!!!!!!!

Consider kudos if my post helps!!!!!!!!

mohnish104 · Answer

pqhai: i understand there has been no mention of the prices. but if the average price per car is low in p than in q, wouldn't it be like an incentive for people to buy more cars and hence spend more time driving.
On the other hand C indicates that many people buy second hand cars (irrelevant- second hand or brand new, they are still sold). But importantly it has been mentioned that many people buy those second hand cars and rarely drive which brings us to the conclusion that although more cars are sold in p people don't spend more time driving. I know its ambiguous but it seems less ambiguous than the two.

abhishek263 · Answer

The 1st statement is self explanatory and claims that number of cars sold in Town P is more than that of Town Q. However, based only on this statement it can't be concluded that residents of Town P spend more time driving their cars, per capita, than those of Town Q.

Please Note: 'per capita' here refers to 'income per person' (mean/avg income of the people of Town P & Town Q separately)

Based on the question we have to strengthen the conclusion whatsoever.
A. One way to infer this statement and conclude is that larger population = more number of cars = more people spending time in driving their cars (as compared to Town Q, but the income factor is still missing) - eliminate
B. Town Q people buy in Town P because they work there. How is that related? It doesn't strengthen our argument still - eliminate
C. Many Town P people buy 2nd cars and use them rarely - it weakens the argument, thus failing the conclusion that Town P residents spend more time driving their cars - eliminate
D. Not at all a required or related information - eliminate
E. Avg price of cars sold in Town P is less than that of Town Q, ere-go people in Town P buy more cars = spend more time driving them = increased affordability of cars as compared to Town Q residents - correct

Please give kudos (+1) if you think I might have helped.
I solved this and have tried to explain it in the most simplest way I thought it could have been done.
Thank You :snipersmile:

RK84 · Answer

While attempting questions from ***** I always wonder, should I be wasting my time on these questions? This one is again a classic example of wasted time.
Option D & E both require an assumption (in D, we need to assume that town P is not substantially bigger/smaller in area than town Q, also we need to assume the driving habits of town Q drivers whether they prefer driving in day or night or 24*7...in E we have to assume that less price of the car is resulting in more number of car purchase)
Though if this kind of question comes in GMAT, I wonder if flipping a coin would help?

A greater number of cars are sold in Town P than in Town Q. Therefore

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

A greater number of cars are sold in Town P than in Town Q. Therefore

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