Most authors who write novels also write short stories, and

Question

Most authors who write novels also write short stories, and most authors who write novels are represented by agents. Furthermore, all authors who are represented by agents are paid well for their work.

Which of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above?

A. Most authors who are well paid for their work write short stories
B. Some authors who write short stories are paid well for their work
C. All authors who are well paid for their work write novels
D. Some authors who do not write short stories are represented by agents
E. All authors who write novels are well paid for their work

jamifahad · Answer

A.

karthikp1211 · Answer

I suppose its B. Tried the diagrammatic approach (Venn diagram)

dimri10 · Answer

i go with B.
we can deny C and E for using ALL which is absolutely wrong.
A is not true because there is a gap between Novels and Short stories.means: if most NOVELS are paid well it does not mean that most SHORT are paid well (i.e 51 NOVELS who write SHORTS. 51 NOVELS that are represented by AGENTS and hence PAID WELL. but it can conclude 49 Novels that not write Short and only 2 that write short, so there are some SHORT who are paid well (at least 2) but you can't say that it MOST.)
hope i was clear with the example

LalaB · Answer

+1 for B

agdimple333 · Answer

not sure of B because i think there is a gap between short stories.. and authors who are paid well.

what is OA?

fluke · Answer

Most in general terms represents at least little more than 50%.

Let's take a scenario:

Most authors who write novels also write short stories.
100 Authors write Novel. 
Of those:
 51: Write short stories. 
 49: Don't write short stories.

Overall:
1000000: Write short stories

most authors who write novels are represented by agents
 51: Represented by agent 
 49: Not Represented by agent.

all authors who are represented by agents are paid well for their work
 51: Paid Well.

Since most novelists are represented by agents, it is bound to touch at least 2 people who write short stories.

I've taken the above scenario to rule out D. D is highly likely but not must be true.

Ans: "B"

OptimusPrimea1 · Answer

Great exlpanation..Just one question.Do you actually go about making numerical assumptions during the exam? Since you have only 2 min to solve a question.Half the time goes in understanding the passage and question. The rest goes in understanding the answer choices. How do you manage to make numerical calculations for these types in 2 min?

fluke · Answer

Venn Diagramming is the answer. I've written the numbers only to make readers understand how D could be ruled out and the subtleties of interpreting "most of" phrase.

I spent about 45 secs to interpret and diagram.
15 secs to rule out A,C,E using that diagram and some thinking.
30 secs to rule out D using various possible diagramming with different possible intersection.
30 secs to confirm B should be it by using venn and interpreting the best and worst scenarios in my mind.

I did think about numbers in terms of more than half and less than half. Not too time consuming.

I'd have made some venn if it hadn't been so tedious to draw.

Bottom line, 
1. venn 
2. thinking for best scenarios to rule out possible contender
3. thinking about worst scenarios to confirm the correct choice.

raghavakumar85 · Answer

Well, these kind of questions can be easily solved with venn diagrams. Below is my interpretation and hence reached answer B.

bschool83 · Answer

Evidence: Most authors who write novels also write short stories
Evidence: Most authors who write novels are represented by an agent

Assumption: more than 1 authors who write both novels and short stories are represented by an agent

You may infer that more than 1 authors who write short stories are represented by an agent.

If all authors represented by an agent get paid well, then more than 1  (some) authors who write short stories get paid well.

avi84 · Answer

+1 for B

nishtil · Answer

goog explaination

Most authors who write novels also write short stories, and

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