Modern navigation systems, which are found in most of todays

Question

Modern navigation systems, which are found in most of today’s commercial aircraft, are made with low-power circuitry, which is more susceptible to interference than the vacuum-tube circuitry found in older planes. During landing, navigation systems receive radio signals from the airport to guide the plane to the runway. Recently, one plane with low-power circuitry veered off course during landing, its dials dimming, when a passenger turned on a laptop computer. Clearly, modern aircraft navigation systems are being put at risk by the electronic devices that passengers carry on board, such as cassette players and laptop computers.

Which one of the following, if true, LEAST strengthens the argument above?

A. After the laptop computer was turned off, the plane regained course and its navigation instruments and dials returned to normal.

B. When in use all electronic devices emit electromagnetic radiation, which is known to interfere with circuitry.

C. No problems with navigational equipment or instrument dials have been reported on flights with no passenger-owned electronic devices on board.

D. Significant electromagnetic radiation from portable electronic devices can travel up to eight meters, and some passenger seats on modern aircraft are located within four meters of the navigation systems.

E. Planes were first equipped with low-power circuitry at about the same time portable electronic devices became popular.

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siddhantvarma · Answer

Argument: Electronic devices -> interference with navigation systems that use low-power circuitry. It bases this on one incident where a plane veered off course when a laptop was turned on.

We need to find an answer choice that  LEAST  strengthens the argument.

A. After the laptop was turned off, the plane regained course and instruments returned to normal.
This strongly supports the argument by showing a direct cause-effect relationship between the laptop and the navigation issues.

B. Electronic devices emit electromagnetic radiation known to interfere with circuitry.
This strengthens the argument by explaining the mechanism of interference.

C. No problems reported on flights without passenger electronic devices.
This strengthens the argument by suggesting electronic devices are necessary for the problems to occur.

D. Electromagnetic radiation can travel up to 8 meters, and some passenger seats are within 4 meters of navigation systems.
This strengthens the argument by showing how passenger devices could physically affect the navigation systems.

E. Planes were first equipped with low-power circuitry at about the same time portable electronic devices became popular.
This shows these technologies emerged simultaneously but don't directly link electronic devices to navigation interference.

The answer choice that LEAST strengthens the argument is E.

Abhiswarup · Answer

E should be the answer.

A. After the laptop computer was turned off, the plane regained course and its navigation instruments and dials returned to normal.

This strengthens the argument because it directly shows that the interference from the laptop was responsible for the deviation, and the system recovered once the interference stopped.

B. When in use all electronic devices emit electromagnetic radiation, which is known to interfere with circuitry. Supports the argument. Eliminate.

C. No problems with navigational equipment or instrument dials have been reported on flights with no passenger-owned electronic devices on board. No electronic device no interference, supports the argument. Eliminate

D. Significant electromagnetic radiation from portable electronic devices can travel up to eight meters, and some passenger seats on modern aircraft are located within four meters of the navigation systems.

E. Planes were first equipped with low-power circuitry at about the same time portable electronic devices became popular. It doesn't clarify whether it can cause interference. Thus it least strengthens the argument.

Dereno · Answer

The correct answer is  E. Planes were first equipped with low-power circuitry at about the same time portable electronic devices became popular.
  
 Explanation:
 
 The argument suggests that modern aircraft with low-power circuitry are more susceptible to interference from electronic devices carried by passengers. The plane's deviation from course when a laptop was turned on is used as evidence of this interference.
 
 Let's examine each option:

A. After the laptop computer was turned off, the plane regained course and its navigation instruments and dials returned to normal.

This strengthens the argument because it directly shows that the interference from the laptop was responsible for the deviation, and the system recovered once the interference stopped.   
 
   B. When in use, all electronic devices emit electromagnetic radiation, which is known to interfere with circuitry.

This supports the argument by explaining that electronic devices emit radiation that can interfere with the low-power circuitry in navigation systems.   
 
   C. No problems with navigational equipment or instrument dials have been reported on flights with no passenger-owned electronic devices on board.

This also strengthens the argument by suggesting that when no electronic devices are present, there are no issues with the navigation systems, supporting the claim that the interference is related to passenger devices.   
 
   D. Significant electromagnetic radiation from portable electronic devices can travel up to eight meters, and some passenger seats on modern aircraft are located within four meters of the navigation systems.

This strengthens the argument by showing that portable electronic devices can emit radiation that could reach the navigation systems, especially given the proximity of seats to the systems.   
 
   E. Planes were first equipped with low-power circuitry at about the same time portable electronic devices became popular.

This  least strengthens  the argument because it suggests a correlation between the introduction of low-power circuitry and the popularity of portable electronic devices, but it does not establish a direct causal connection between the two. This fact does not directly support the idea that the electronic devices are responsible for the interference with the navigation systems, as it doesn't prove that the devices are causing the problem, just that the two trends occurred around the same time.   
  
Thus,  E  is the best answer because it provides the least support for the argument.

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION The conclusion of the argument is based on the causal assumption that electronic devices cause a disturbance in low-power circuitry, creating an obvious danger: https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?id=61082 The question stem is a Strengthen (remember, Least works like Except in question stems) and thus the four incorrect answers will each strengthen the argument. As you attack the answer choices, look for the five causal strengthening answer types discussed earlier. Answer choice (A): This answer choice strengthens the argument by showing that when the cause is absent, the effect does not occur (Type C). Once the laptop was turned off, the cause disappeared, and according to the author’s beliefs, the effect should then disappear as well. Answer choice (B): This answer strengthens the argument by showing that the data used to make the conclusion is accurate (Type E). By stating that all electronic devices emit radiation, the answer choice closes a hole in the argument. Answer choice (C): This answer choice strengthens the argument by showing that when the cause is absent, the effect does not occur (Type C). Answer choice (D): This answer strengthens the argument by showing that the data used to make the conclusion is accurate (Type E). By showing that radiation can travel far enough to reach the cockpit, the cause is confirmed as possible. Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer. The fact that the circuitry and electronic devices became popular at the same time does not offer any supporting evidence to the contention that the electronic devices cause the interference with the low power circuitry. This answer has no effect on the argument and is therefore correct. 2021-03-29_02-46-42.png

Modern navigation systems, which are found in most of todays

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Modern navigation systems, which are found in most of todays

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