In a large residential building, there is a rule that no pets are allowed. A group of pet lovers tried to change that rule but failed. The rule-changing procedure outlined in the building’s regulations states that only if a group of tenants can obtain the signatures of 10 percent of the tenants on a petition to change a rule will the proposed change be put to a majority vote of all the tenants in the building. It follows that the pet lovers were voted down on their proposal by the majority of the tenants.
Signatures of 10% -> Proposal
Proposal -> Vote Down
What is the leap here?
The statements starts with a condition that only if signatures of 10% of the tenants are obtained, the proposal will be accepted.
Then it goes on saying that the ON the proposal, the change was voted down.
So, the statement gives us a condition but does not tell us whether that condition holds true or succeed or not. We need to defend that condition in order for the conclusion to be drawn properly.
The argument depends on which one of the following assumptions?
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(A) The pet lovers succeeded in obtaining the signatures of 10 percent of the tenants on their petition.
This protects the condition. Hang on to this.
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(B) The signatures of less than 10 percent of the tenants were obtained on the pet lovers’ petition.
This is the opposite of (A). This actually weakens the argument. (B) is out
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(C) Ninety percent of the tenants are against changing the rule forbidding pets.
This may be true, but does it have to be true? No, 80%, 70%, 60%, or greater than 50% will successfully dismiss the changing request. Also, this does not close the GAP whether the the signatures of 10% of the tenants have been obtained. (C) is out
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(D) The support of 10 percent of the tenants for a rule change ensures that the rule change will be adopted.
This is again does not say anything about whether the signatures have been obtained. This, if anything, repeats the premise.(D) is out.
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(E) The failure of the pet lovers to obtain the signatures of 10 percent of the tenants on their petition for a rule change ensures that the rule change will be voted down by a majority of the tenants.
Original Logical chain: Accepted proposal -> signature of 10%. -> Vote
Question answer's logical chain: No signature of 10% -> no proposal -> vote. Hence, this is an incorrect answer.
Only (A) is left. A is the answer.