In the first half of this year, from January to June, about three mill

Question

In the first half of this year, from January to June, about three million videocassette recorders were sold. This number is only 35 percent of the total number of videocassette recorders sold last year. Therefore, total sales of videocassette recorders will almost certainly be lower for this year than they were for last year.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the conclusion above?

(A) The total number of videocassette recorders sold last year was lower than the total number sold in the year before that.

(B) Most people who are interested in owning a videocassette recorder have already purchased one.

(C) Videocassette recorders are less expensive this year than they were last year.

(D) Of the videocassette recorders sold last year, almost 60 percent were sold in January.

(E) Typically, over 70 percent of the sales of videocassette recorders made in a year occur in the months of November and December.

MohitSorout · Answer

Because argument is comparing last year sale to this year sale and to week the argument option should say something that this year sales are not different than last year.
OPtion E states that clearly

thouhid · Answer

Option A - CORRECT.
This statement has seriously weaken the conclusion of the speaker. The total number of videocassettes recorder sold last year is higher than the number sold this year according to the statement of the speaker which says during the month of January to June this year only 3 million videocassettes recorders was sold which is apparently 35% of videos recorders sold last year. Meaning that, year before may be almost two times of what was sold last year compared to this year sales.

Option B - INCORRECT.
This statement is in accordance with the assumption of the speaker on why there is a low turnout in the number of videocassettes recorder sold during the period of January to June this year.

Option C - INCORRECT.
If video cassettes are less expensive this year than they were last year, then there will be a high turnout maybe this option is to be considered as a reason for the low turnout, because sometimes price has nothing to do with sales increase or decrease. Moreover price was not considered as the reason for poor sales according to the speaker.

Option D - INCORRECT.
This is also a reason to be considered as a result of the sales statistics last year compared to this year sales.

Option E - INCORRECT.
This option does not totally strengthen the assumption of the speaker but also it does not strongly weaken it. Due to the sales statistics of this year it is obvious that last year sales was over 35% during the fist quarter meaning that during the second quarter sales was just a completion of the sales percentage needed to round it up to 100%.

sahilhafnia · Answer

First 6 months of this year, 35 percent of total videocasette recorders of last year were sold. On the basis of this , the author concludes that the sales this year will be less than that of last year.
But my mathematical sense tells me that will happen only if the trend of the first 6 months continues in the upcoming 6 months also . Its like 35x2 , that is, total sales this year will be around 70 % of those from last year. Now is that logically and practically possible ? 
Obviously it is not. What if Christmas and Diwali in the last 6 months accumulate more than 65 % of the total sales from last year... or what if the sales of the next half will increase due to some reason. In such a case, the conclusion will become vulnerable, is it not.

1) Now how come we can make guesses about the present year's sales based upon the trend that was observed in the previous two years. Such a trend has no impact whatsoever on this year's sales. Incorrect option .

2) If most of the people who wish to buy the item have already bought it, and these people only account for 35 % sales , then it seems very likely that in the next months, the remaining people who wish to buy the item will account for less or at max 35 % sales only .The total sales for the year might then be less or equal to 70 % only . Such a situation actually strengthens the conclusion and not weaken it.

3) If the player is cheaper this year, logically the sales should have increased, but as we have been given, the sales have been only 35 % . I feel it suggests that the price this year might not be a major deciding factor. This only adds weight to the conclusion as it can be inferred fairly well that the sales might reach more or less 35 % only . 
Incorrect choice.

4) If we see this statement and relate it to the situation presented in the passage, we will be able to make a guess that perhaps the sales this year have not been upto the mark as one saw last year. Incorrect choice.

5) This option tells about a general sales trend for last two months of the year. It can be inferred that the sales of the second half of this year might be 60% and more. Adding 35 %, we can see that the total figure is reaching close to 100 %. We still have 4 months to account for, so it seems likely that sales will go beyond last year's. Obviously this again can't be a sure understanding but it does act as a weaken statement.

Correct choice should be E.

VerbalBot · Answer

Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.

In the first half of this year, from January to June, about three mill

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

In the first half of this year, from January to June, about three mill

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