Last month OCF Inc, announced what it described as a unique new

Question

Last month OCF Inc, announced what it described as a unique new product: an adjustable computer workstation. Three days later Ergotech unveiled an almost identical product. The two companies claim that the similarities are coincidental and occurred because the designers independently reached the same solution to the same problem. The similarities are too fundamental to be mere coincidence, however. The two products not only look alike, but they also work alike. Both are oddly shaped with identically placed control panels with the same types of controls. Both allow the same types of adjustments and the same types of optional enhancements.

The main point of the argument is

(A) the two products have many characteristics in common
(B) ErgoTech must have copied the design of its new product from OCF’s design
(C) the similarities between the two products are not coincidental
(D) product designers sometimes reach the same solution to a given problem without consulting each other
(E) new products that at first appear to be unique are sometimes simply variations of other products

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The correct answer choice is (C).

Like the majority of Main Point question stimuli, the argument does not contain a traditional conclusion indicator. Thus, you must look at the pieces of the argument in order to determine the point the author is making. In this case, the conclusion is “The similarities are too fundamental to be mere coincidence.” Use the Conclusion Identification Methodology to help establish that point if you are unsure. The argument uses the fact that the two workstations are similar and were released in the same time-span to assume that the similarity is not caused by coincidence.

Answer choice (A): This is a repeat of a premise of the argument, not the main point. As mentioned in the discussion, in Main Point questions you should expect to see incorrect answers that repeat premises from the argument.

Answer choice (B): The statement does not pass the Fact Test. The scenario could be reversed: OCF could have copied Ergotech. Regardless, this is not the main point.

Answer choice (C): This correct answer is a paraphrase of the conclusion.

Answer choice (D): This would undermine the argument and thus it cannot be the main point.

Answer choice (E): Although the author would likely agree with this statement, this does not capture the main point, which addresses the two named products.

AR15J · Answer

Since the question asks about main point, choice A can not be correct

If the question is--

If all the above listed statements are correct, which one of the following can be inferred ?

Will the choice A be correct?

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

let us read the paragraph.

the first sentence states a fact/gives context. the second sentence also does the same.

the next sentence talks about what the companies claimed - 
 "the similarities are coincidental and occurred because the designers independently reached the same solution to the same problem."

the next sentence talks about the what the author thinks about this/the author's opinion. Note that the conclusion of the argument IS the author's final opinion. Hence, the main conclusion is - 
 "The similarities are too fundamental to be mere coincidence, however."

The "however" indicates that the author disagrees with the claims made by the two companies. The next two sentences support the author's conclusion by stating that the two products not only look alike but also function in a similar manner.

We have been asked to find the main conclusion of the argument. Any option that is a restatement of the author's opinion is the correct answer.
Which answer option does this? Option C.

Option A - Incorrect.
True. But this is not the main point of the argument. The author uses this data to support his main conclusion that the similarities are not a coincidence.

Option B - Incorrect.
Not necessarily. Might be that OCF copied it from Ergotech or that both of them copied the design from some external source.

Option D - Incorrect.
this is claim made by the two companies, not the author.

Option E - Incorrect.
this is too generic to be the main point. The author talks about specific products unveiled by Ergotech and OCF.
Moreover, this option says - "new products that at first appear to be unique ..." --- the companies claimed the products to be unique.
We do not know whether these products "first appeared" to be unique to the author and then she revised her decision.

RMD007 · Answer

If the question is an inference question then I think option A as well as option D can be correct.

D - product designers sometimes reach the same solution to a given problem without consulting each other

As argument mentions -  The two companies claim that the similarities are coincidental and occurred because the designers independently reached the same solution to the same problem

Please correct if it is wrong..

AR15J · Answer

Choice D can not be correct choice as this is what(similarities are coincidental) two companies claim, not the author. In the stem, it is not mentioned that author agrees with what these companies are claiming. Moreover, the way author put the facts afterward shows that he disagrees that these similarities are coincidental. If the similarities are intentional then two companies might have consulted each other(this part we don't know).What we know is that it is not necessary that they reach to the same solution without consulting each other. If this is not certain, we can not infer it. Hope it helps.. +1 Kudos if you like the post

aaba · Answer

this is actually an inference question, the question comes from bible powerscore.
C is indeed the correct answer.

AkshdeepS · Answer

(A) the two products have many characteristics in common   It can be inferred, but it is not the main point

(B) ErgoTech must have  copied the design  of its new product from OCF’s design

(C) the similarities between the two products are not coincidental  Correct.  Author says similarities are not coincidental

(D) product designers sometimes reach the same solution to a given problem without consulting each other   Not the main point

(E) new products that at first appear to be unique are sometimes simply variations of other products   Not the main point

Hence (C)

GMATYoda · Answer

Like the majority of Main Point question stimuli, the argument does not contain a traditional conclusion indicator. Thus, you must look at the pieces of the argument in order to determine the point the author is making. In this case, the conclusion is “The similarities are too fundamental to be mere coincidence.” Use the Conclusion Identification Methodology to help establish that point if you are unsure.

The argument uses the fact that the two workstations are similar and were released in the same time-span to assume that the similarity is not caused by coincidence.

Answer choice (A): This is a repeat of a premise of the argument, not the main point. As mentioned in the discussion, in Main Point questions you should expect to see incorrect answers that repeat premises from the argument. 
 
Answer choice (B): The statement does not pass the Fact Test. The scenario could be reversed: OCF could have copied Ergotech. Regardless, this is not the main point. 
 
Answer choice (C): This correct answer is a paraphrase of the conclusion. 
 
Answer choice (D): This would undermine the argument and thus it cannot be the main point. 
 
Answer choice (E): Although the author would likely agree with this statement, this does not capture the main point, which addresses the two named products.

VerbalBot · Answer

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