Over the past 6 years, prices of peripheral computer equipment in

Question

Over the past 6 years, prices of peripheral computer equipment in Country X, such as printers, mice, and keyboards, have dropped significantly. However, the revenues of computer stores in Country X have increased over the same period.

Which of the following, if true, contributes most to reconciling the seeming discrepancy described above?

A. Prices of personal computers have also decreased over the past 6 years.

B. Over the past 6 years, the prices of peripheral computer equipment in Country Y have soared.

C. Over the past 6 years, the prices of peripheral computer equipment in Country Y have decreased.

D. Sales of computers in Country X have increased by more than 200% over the past 6 years.

E. The number of computer stores in Country X has more than doubled over the past 6 years.

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dhart · Answer

Prices have decreased and revenues have gobe up then may be the sales of computer peripherals have soared from the outlets , d may be

ZEST · Answer

I think the correct option for the question, is option E as the number of stores in the country X has doubled this will obvioulsy show a increased revenue (i.e increase in figure , if statistically not considering the data , and drawing the conclusion in general )

Minka99 · Answer

The easiest question to ask is: why is there more revenue for tech stores in country X despite prices for tech equipment being lower?
The only answer that explains this is  D , stating that sales have risen 200%. This means more of those items have been sold. Higher sales = higher revenue. 
A) this would make revenues even smaller, no relevant information here
B) this comes close to answering IF we assume that county Y is a neighbouring country and customers come to country X to purchase those items since they are cheaper there. The problem is that we don't know the relation between X and Y, and without this information, this answer works as a trap. NEVER ASSUME WITHOUT PROOF.
C) same as B but much weaker as this would also not explain an increase in revenue. Country Y is completely irrelevant.
E) if there were more computer stores, the natural result would be more competition and thus, less revenues. Makes no sense for what we are looking for.

Vivek1707 · Answer

A. Incorrect Lower PC prices don't explain the increase in store revenues. If anything, they could put downward pressure on revenue per sale.
B. Incorrect : Country Y's prices have no relevance to the revenues of computer stores in Country X.
C. Incorrect Same issue. Changes in Country Y don't explain what happened in Country X.
D. Correct If computer sales increased by more than 200%, the huge increase in the number of units sold can more than offset the drop in peripheral prices. So stores can generate higher total revenue despite lower prices.
E. Incorrect More stores don't necessarily mean higher revenue for the stores collectively. The same customers could simply be spread across more stores, so this doesn't explain the increase in total revenue.

Parinpatel · Answer

Actually By increase in revenue of computer stores , they are implying each Store experienced increase in revenue,not the total revenue of all stores

TheAdmissionHub · Answer

Over the past 6 years, prices of peripheral computer equipment in Country X, such as printers, mice, and keyboards, have dropped significantly. However, the revenues of computer stores in Country X have increased over the same period.

Which of the following, if true, contributes most to reconciling the seeming discrepancy described above?

A. Prices of personal computers have also decreased over the past 6 years.
 Wrong:  adding something like that would make the contradiction still more paradoxical, because then we are left wondering but then why revenues are increasing?
B. Over the past 6 years, the prices of peripheral computer equipment in Country Y have soared.
 Wrong:  country y in not a concern and is not linked to what's happening in country x
C. Over the past 6 years, the prices of peripheral computer equipment in Country Y have decreased.
 wrong : this doesn't explain why revenues increased. it's about country Y
D. Sales of computers in Country X have increased by more than 200% over the past 6 years.
 Correct:  more sales brings more revenues
E. The number of computer stores in Country X has more than doubled over the past 6 years.
 Wrong:  more stores would mean more stores competing for selling the same products --> less revenues, not more

Groot2076 · Answer

I dont think so,  Prices have decreased and revenues have gobe up then may be the sales of computer peripherals have soared from the outlets , d it is

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The manifesto of a non-profit organization claims that its founders' sole purpose is to help people quit smoking cigarettes. The organization's activities are in the form of seminars which are conducted by volunteers in outdoor public areas. Although the seminars carry no expenses, participants are required to pay a fee. It is clear that the organization's members are not acting according to their own manifesto.

The answer to which of the following would be most useful in evaluating the argument?

The answer to which of the following would be most useful in evaluating the argument?

(A) In the event that a participant is not satisfied with the seminar, can that participant receive a refund?

Incorrect.

To solve this Investigation question, first break down the argument. The first three sentences provide data so they are premises. The last sentence uses the conclusion phrase  It is clear  which tells us it's the argument's conclusion.

Premise A: a non-profit organization claims that its sole purpose is to help people quit smoking
 +
Premise B: the organization holds seminars in public areas
 +
Premise C: the seminars cost money but the organization does not spend anything on holding them (revenues>0 and expenses=0, so profit>0)
 
Conclusion: the members of the organization are going against its original values

Vital factor: ?

You are required to find the factor which is most crucial to the author's conclusion. The correct answer is a question which could support or weaken the conclusion depeneding on its answer.

This question deals with an exception and is therefore not useful in determining whether the conclusion is true. The argument is based on the fact that asking for a fee in the first place is not in accord with the organization's beliefs.

(B) Does the manifesto make any mention of the actual methods used by the volunteers to assist people with their addiction?

Incorrect.

This question is beside the point. What happens in the actual seminar is not important since it can't explain why people must pay for something that costs nothing.

(C) Is the fee paid by the participants in the seminar lower than what regular companies would charge for participation in a seminar of a similar nature?

Incorrect.

Answering this question would make no difference. Even if the fees for the seminar are really low, since there are no expenses, it seems that the organization is making a profit off the participants, while it claims to be a non-profit organization.

(D) Does the payment of a fee contribute in any way to the process of quitting smoking?

Answering this question would either weaken or strengthen the conclusion. If paying the fee does not help people quit smoking in some way, then the demand of such a payment does go against the manifesto. If, however, paying the fee in some way helps the participants reach their goal, then the manifesto has not been contradicted.

(E) What percentage of the members of the organization are ex-smokers?

Incorrect.

To solve this Investigation question, first break down the argument. The first three sentences provide data so they are premises. The last sentence uses the conclusion phrase  It is clear  which tells us it's the argument's conclusion.

Premise A: a non-profit organization claims that its sole purpose is to help people quit smoking
 +
Premise B: the organization holds seminars in public areas
 +
Premise C: the seminars cost money but the organization does not spend anything on holding them (revenues>0 and expenses=0, so profit>0)
 
Conclusion: the members of the organization are going against its original values

Vital factor: ?

You are required to find the factor which is most crucial to the author's conclusion. The correct answer is a question which could support or weaken the conclusion depeneding on its answer.

The answer to this question wouldn't really change anything. Although ex-smokers might have better experience, the effectiveness of the seminars is not in question. Focus on the conclusion - it's the organization's non-profit status that is under examination.

Groot2076 · Answer

The only answer that explains this is  D , stating that sales have risen 200%. This means more of those items have been sold. Higher sales = higher revenue.

Over the past 6 years, prices of peripheral computer equipment in

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Over the past 6 years, prices of peripheral computer equipment in

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