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My approach of understanding this ambiguous question:

Sewing Machine (SM)
Installing Sewing Machine (ISM)
Working Overtime (WO)
Jacket Contract (JC)
Dress Shirt Contract (DS)
Sweat Shirt Contract (SS)

Accountant :
WO causes No Money
JC needs SM

This week - ISM needs WO, money problem.
Next week - JC
presumably 3rd week (2weeks later) or earlier - DS
(doesn't say when or how long exactly to make DS but looks like the question is fixed that workers can only do one job at a time per 1 week which also make Choice A intriguing)

Executive :
This week - blank
Next week - blank
3rd week (2weeks later) - SS

Subconsciously, anyone new to this question (type of people like me) will think that overtime means workers can work on 2 or more contracts at the same time, which could derail someone such as me.
Somehow the question implies that overtme work only applies to installing sewing machine and it doesn't apply to working 2 contracts at the same time.
Though Executive says "any overtime" but the only overtime the question concerns is "Installing the Machine Overtime"
I tried to think that the executive is competent here LOL but the question wants him to be incompetent and irrational.

Choice C :
This week - ISM don't need WO, no money problem.
Next week - JC
3rd week (2weeks later) - SS­
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AjiteshArun can you explain why not D and also negation of D
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Kavicogsci
AjiteshArun can you explain why not D and also negation of D
Hi Kavicogsci,

The negation of D is "Workers cannot sew sweatshirts faster on the new machines than on the old ones". D is not correct because the executive's plan doesn't need workers to to sew sweatshirts faster on the new machines. He or she just wants to postpone the start of work for the contract.
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In reference to option E, I would like to highlight why I thought that E is the right option.
If I assume that whether it is dress shirts or sweetshirts, the contract is of 100 pieces and there is a deadline to deliver the contract, then in that case if a sweatshirt takes longer to sew than a dress shirt, then the deadline for the contracts for the sweatshirt can not be met. Please clarify where my thought process is wrong.


MartyMurray
­Accountant: We need the new sewing machines for the jacket contract, which will not be finished in time for us to make dress shirts unless we start the jackets next week. To install the machines this week, we must pay workers overtime—for which there is no money.

Executive: We can contract for sweatshirts instead of dress shirts. The contract will be as profitable but can be started two weeks later—that way we can avoid any overtime work.


The executive has concluded that they can avoid overtime work by contracting for sweatshirts instead of dress shirts because the sweatshirt contract can be started two weeks later.

Given what the accountant says about finishing the jacket contract in time for making dress shirts, we can see that reason the executive's plan could work is that it would allow the jacket contract to be started later than it would have to be if they contracted for dress shirts. Thus, switching to sweatshirts would serve to eliminate the need for paying workers overtime to install the machines "this week."

If the sweatshirt contract can be started two weeks later, then presumably, the jacket contract can be started two weeks later, in which case they will have two additional weeks to install the machines.

For the executive’s plan to succeed in avoiding the need for overtime, which of the following must be true?

Since the correct answer must state something that must be true for the plan to succeed, this question is a type of Assumption question. So, we can handle it as an Assumption question and look for a choice such that, if it's not true, the plan won't succeed.

A. Workers who sew jackets and shirts will know how to install industrial sewing machines.

This choice does not have to be true for the plan to succeed since they didn't say that they would rely on the workers who sew to install the machines.

Eliminate.

B. The new sewing machines can be installed by the end of next week without overtime work.

This choice does not have to be true for the plan to succeed.

The accountant mentions installing new sewing machines "this week."

Then, as discussed above, the executive says that, by contracting for sweatshirts instead of dress shirts, they can start to make shirts "two weeks later."

"Two weeks later" than "this week" is not "next week." Rather, two weeks later than this week is the week after next week.

So, the executive's plan does not involve installing the new machines "by the end of next week." It involves installing them by the week after next week.

Thus, the plan can work even if it's NOT true that the new machines can be installed by the end of next week without overtime work.

Eliminate.

C. If the new sewing machines are installed without overtime work, the jacket contract can be completed on time without overtime work.

This choice is tricky because we could get the impression that, since they don't mention overtime in discussing the contracts, they're not concerned with overtime involved in completing the contracts.

At the same time, none of the other choices work. So, this is the only possible answer.

So, we can go back to the passage to confirm that they don't say anything about the jacket contract that indicates that this choice doesn't have to be true for the plan to succeed.

Doing so, we that the accountant says the following about the jacket contract:

We need the new sewing machines for the jacket contract, which will not be finished in time for us to make dress shirts unless we start the jackets next week.

Meanwhile, the executive says nothing about the jacket contract.

Thus, when the executive says, "that way we can avoid any overtime work," the executive must be assuming that the contracts, including the jacket contract, can be completed without any overtime work. After all, if this choice is not true, then even if the machines are installed without overtime work, they'll still end up with overtime work.

So, we can see that, for the plan to succeed, it must be true that the jacket contract can be completed on time without any overtime work.

Keep.

D. Workers can sew sweatshirts faster on the new machines than on the old ones.

This choice doesn't have to be true for the plan to succeed since the way the plan succeeds is by pushing back when they need to start working on shirts, not by having the workers sew faster.

Eliminate.

E. A sweatshirt does not take longer to sew than a dress shirt.

The executive states as fact that the sweatshirt contract can be started two weeks later. In doing so, the executive must be taking into account how long it takes to make a sweatshirt. So, there's no reason to believe that it must be true that a sweatshirt does not take longer to sew because, even if it does, the sweatshirt contract can be started later, apparently.

Eliminate.

Correct answer:
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Understanding the Argument

Problem: Installing machines THIS week requires overtime (no money)
Solution: Switch to sweatshirts → Can start 2 weeks later → Install NEXT week → Avoid overtime

The Critical Gap

The stimulus tells us installing THIS week needs overtime. But does installing NEXT week avoid overtime?

This is never stated! That's what the correct answer must confirm.

Why B is Correct

(B) The new sewing machines can be installed by the end of next week without overtime work

If they cannot install next week without overtime, the 2-week buffer is worthless. The plan fails.

Addressing the E Trap - Where Your Reasoning Went Wrong

Your thinking: "If sweatshirts take longer to sew and there's a deadline, they can't meet it."

The problem: You added information not in the stimulus:
• You assumed: Same contract size
• You assumed: Same absolute deadline
• You assumed: Sewing time determines plan success

What the stimulus actually says:

"The contract will be as profitable but can be started two weeks later"

This phrase is critical! The executive isn't saying "start the same deadline work 2 weeks late." He's saying the sweatshirt contract ITSELF has a timeline that allows starting later.

Think of it this way:

Dress shirts: Must start Week 3 → Deadline Week 6
Sweatshirts: Can start Week 5 → Deadline Week 8+

The sweatshirt's deadline is already built into "can be started 2 weeks later." Sewing time is factored in.

The Real Issue

The overtime problem is about MACHINE INSTALLATION, not sewing speed.

• Installing THIS week = Overtime (problem!)
• Installing NEXT week = ??? (B answers this)

Even if sweatshirts took twice as long to sew, the contract deadline would be later. The executive found a contract whose timing works - that's what "can be started 2 weeks later" means.

Bottom Line

You were solving: "Can they finish sewing on time?"
The question asks: "Can they avoid installation overtime?"

Different problems!

Answer: B

Takeaway: When evaluating plans, identify exactly which problem the plan is solving. Here, the problem was installation overtime - not sewing deadlines. Don't let trap answers pull you toward related-but-different issues.

kartickdey
In reference to option E, I would like to highlight why I thought that E is the right option.
If I assume that whether it is dress shirts or sweetshirts, the contract is of 100 pieces and there is a deadline to deliver the contract, then in that case if a sweatshirt takes longer to sew than a dress shirt, then the deadline for the contracts for the sweatshirt can not be met. Please clarify where my thought process is wrong.



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as per you, option B is the right answer but here it is showing C is the right answer.
egmat
Understanding the Argument

Problem: Installing machines THIS week requires overtime (no money)
Solution: Switch to sweatshirts → Can start 2 weeks later → Install NEXT week → Avoid overtime

The Critical Gap

The stimulus tells us installing THIS week needs overtime. But does installing NEXT week avoid overtime?

This is never stated! That's what the correct answer must confirm.

Why B is Correct

(B) The new sewing machines can be installed by the end of next week without overtime work

If they cannot install next week without overtime, the 2-week buffer is worthless. The plan fails.

Addressing the E Trap - Where Your Reasoning Went Wrong

Your thinking: "If sweatshirts take longer to sew and there's a deadline, they can't meet it."

The problem: You added information not in the stimulus:
• You assumed: Same contract size
• You assumed: Same absolute deadline
• You assumed: Sewing time determines plan success

What the stimulus actually says:

"The contract will be as profitable but can be started two weeks later"

This phrase is critical! The executive isn't saying "start the same deadline work 2 weeks late." He's saying the sweatshirt contract ITSELF has a timeline that allows starting later.

Think of it this way:

Dress shirts: Must start Week 3 → Deadline Week 6
Sweatshirts: Can start Week 5 → Deadline Week 8+

The sweatshirt's deadline is already built into "can be started 2 weeks later." Sewing time is factored in.

The Real Issue

The overtime problem is about MACHINE INSTALLATION, not sewing speed.

• Installing THIS week = Overtime (problem!)
• Installing NEXT week = ??? (B answers this)

Even if sweatshirts took twice as long to sew, the contract deadline would be later. The executive found a contract whose timing works - that's what "can be started 2 weeks later" means.

Bottom Line

You were solving: "Can they finish sewing on time?"
The question asks: "Can they avoid installation overtime?"

Different problems!

Answer: B

Takeaway: When evaluating plans, identify exactly which problem the plan is solving. Here, the problem was installation overtime - not sewing deadlines. Don't let trap answers pull you toward related-but-different issues.


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I'm sorry, I just realised I made a critical oversight. My apologies for the confusion!
Honestly, I made the exact trap-mistake that this question is designed to catch. Let me walk through where I went wrong, because it's actually a useful learning moment.

My Mistake:
I zeroed in on the installation overtime problem and thought, "Extra time fixes this - done, answer is B."

But look at what the executive actually says: "avoid any overtime work."

That word "any" is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
There are two places overtime could be needed:
1. Installing the machines
2. Completing the jacket contract itself

I completely missed the second one.

Why (C) is the real answer:
(C) says: IF machines are installed without OT → THEN jackets can be completed without OT

Without (C), you could install machines without overtime... then still need overtime for jackets. Plan fails.

Why (B) falls short:
(B) only covers installation — it says nothing about whether jackets can be finished without overtime.
(B) = "We can install without OT" ✓

But then what? Can we finish jackets without OT? Unknown!

(C) fills that gap. (B) leaves it wide open.
kartickdey
as per you, option B is the right answer but here it is showing C is the right answer.

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I chose D for this question but it's C, I don't understand why C is correct because we know the sweatshirts can be started 2 weeks later so sweatshirts take less time than dress shirts to make right?

Therefore, we don't need the jacket to be completed on time, it just needs to be completed 2 weeks past "on time"?

Do the jackets still have to be finished on time? Or is there a 2 week buffer?
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­Accountant: We need the new sewing machines for the jacket contract, which will not be finished in time for us to make dress shirts unless we start the jackets next week. To install the machines this week, we must pay workers overtime—for which there is no money.

Executive: We can contract for sweatshirts instead of dress shirts. The contract will be as profitable but can be started two weeks later—that way we can avoid any overtime work.

For the executive’s plan to succeed in avoiding the need for overtime, which of the following must be true?


The argument says the company currently would need overtime because the new machines must be installed this week in order to start the jacket contract next week and still be ready in time for the next contract. The executive’s idea is to switch from dress shirts to sweatshirts because the sweatshirt contract can begin two weeks later. The key point is that this extra time must be enough not only to delay installation, but also to let the jacket contract still be completed on time without any overtime at all. That is why my earlier answer was wrong and why C is the necessary assumption.

A. Workers who sew jackets and shirts will know how to install industrial sewing machines.

This does not have to be true. The machines could be installed by different workers or by outside installers. The plan does not depend on the sewing workers knowing how to install them.

B. The new sewing machines can be installed by the end of next week without overtime work.

This is not required. The sweatshirt contract can be started two weeks later than the dress-shirt contract, so the machines may not need to be installed by the end of next week. They could perhaps be installed later than that and the plan could still work. So B is too specific.

C. If the new sewing machines are installed without overtime work, the jacket contract can be completed on time without overtime work.

This must be true. The executive says switching contracts will let the company avoid any overtime work. That can happen only if, once installation is done without overtime, the jacket contract itself can also still be completed on time without overtime. Otherwise overtime would still be needed somewhere in the process, and the plan would fail.

D. Workers can sew sweatshirts faster on the new machines than on the old ones.

This does not have to be true. The executive’s argument depends on the later start date for sweatshirts, not on sweatshirts being faster to sew.

E. A sweatshirt does not take longer to sew than a dress shirt.

This also does not have to be true. The executive already states that the sweatshirt contract can be started two weeks later. The plan depends on that later start, not on a direct comparison of sewing time per garment.

Answer: (C)
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