Commissioner: Budget forecasters project a revenue shortfall

Reasoning is perfect.
Conclusion is flawed. Hence look for the option which mentions about the flaw in conclusion.

B perfectly fits and mentions this flaw.

B in 1:08 min , this is as simple as it gets. i dont think gmat will throw questions which are this easy.

Since there is no feasible way to increase the available funds,

SO it is stated that there is no feasible way to increase available funds, choice E is not right. We cannot select what is already stated, and so not a flaw.

our only choice is to decrease expenditures. The plan before you outlines feasible cuts that would yield savings of a billion dollars

So the only way is to decrease expenditures. There can be various plans to decrease expenditure and one of them (adequate plan) was presented by him.

We will be able to solve the problem we face, therefore, only if we adopt this plan.

Here is the problem, flaw is in this sentence. This plan is not the only plan, there can be many other plans that can lead to a saving of billion dollar. SO B is correct.

I thought it was A because the Q ask's how is the argument flawed, and well A could be a possible solution because the commissioner is basing his solution on information that is forecasted that is not necessarily 100% true. I mean I guess i could see B being the answer sorta....... I dunno, anytime I come here to the forums and read the solution I sorta understand it but the material doesn't really sink in unless its SC or Quant.

IMO B......

I couldn't rule out be other all options can be proved to be wrong

I solved it right, but used different reasoning than the one proposed here. I wasn't thinking that he is ruling out all the other ways by using the word "only". In my opinion, the B) isn't hinged on that fact, E) is somehow more.

Instead, I asked who said that the whole one billion has to be recovered? This is the difference which the B) tells us about - the difference between an adequate solution (regaining the whole one billion which would be just perfect) and the required solution (maybe it would be enough to recoup 50% of the shortfall next year? If YES, the whole argument falls apart).

Why not E)? I think that because E) reads "there is no way to increase...", and the Commissioner says that "there is no feasible way to increase...". Besides, the flaw appointed in B) trumps the one in E), as with E) true, the argument remains valid (the problem still exists), and with B) true, it does not.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

@HumptyDumpty
Interesting way of thinking. Your approach is Out Of The Box. I like it.

Commissioner: Budget forecasters project a revenue shortfall of a billion dollars in the coming fiscal year. Since there is no feasible way to increase the available funds, our only choice is to decrease expenditures. The plan before you outlines feasible cuts that would yield savings of a billion dollars over the coming fiscal year. We will be able to solve the problem we face, therefore, only if we adopt this plan.

This reasoning in the commissioner's argument is flawed because this argument

(A) relies on information that is far from certain. the information has some credibility
(B) confuses being an adequate solution with being a required solution. By reducing expenditure the revenue may plummet. it is not addressed
(C) inappropriately relies on the opinions of experts. it relies but often we rely on experts opinion, and the reasoning is sound to some extent
(D) inappropriately employs language that is vague. language is clear
(E) takes for granted that there is no way to increase available funds. looks alike a possible answer, but option B is more precise.

We will be able to solve the problem we face, therefore, only if we adopt this plan.

The word "only" was the trigger for me to choose b.

Since there is no feasible way to increase the available funds, our only choice is to decrease expenditures. The plan before you outlines feasible cuts that would yield savings of a billion dollars over the coming fiscal year.

Notice the use of feasible twice. So cant it be safely assumed that requisite feasibility studies have been conducted and it is not taking for granted that that there is no way to raise the funds? Thereby making it easy to rule out e?

A) relies on information that is far from certain no proof in the passage rearding this
(B) confuses being an adequate solution with being a required solution.
(C) inappropriately relies on the opinions of experts.no proof that reliance is inappropriate
(D) inappropriately employs language that is vague. can never be a reason of flaw
(E) takes for granted that there is no way to increase available funds. Its a fact that is mentioend, cant challenge the premise

only left is B, very confusing though otherwise.

B for me as well.
E is already made as a fact by the Commissioner.

B for me.

Explanation: Here the forecast is a Billion Dollar shortfall and the plan outlined is for expenditure cuts that would yield exactly billion dollars, where either of those might differ. The assumption is that the cuts are absolutely necessary to overcome the shortfall. Hence, the commissioner is confused for the expenditure cuts as a definitely required solution rather than being an adequate solution.

So we all agree to have the choices down to B & E.
Thought process
Revenue forecast drop of billion dollars
Cuts will yield savings to offset the problem
This is one plan , other plans may involve finding root cause of forecast of a drop and solve the problem.
without ruling out other possibilities , author says this is the only solution

E is wrong . Commissioner is saying that there is only one way to get it done. that is using the provided plan.
E is says, Commissioner is saying THERE IS NO WAY TO GET AWAY FROM THIS LOSS.

Hope you get it.

GMATNinja VeritasKarishma GMATNinjaTwo

what is the flaw here? How do I handle this question?? What should i focus on the conclusion or the structure of the argument??

Please explain why B is right and all other options are wrong??

Thank You

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