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Difficulty:
75%
(hard)
Question Stats:
50% (01:43) correct
50%
(02:02)
wrong
based on 162
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History
Date
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People who regularly use sunscreen are more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer than are people who do not use sunscreen. Therefore, the use of sunscreen is a cause of melanoma.
The questionable pattern of reasoning above is most similar to which of the following?
A. Some non-smokers suffer from emphysema. Therefore, smoking is not a cause of emphysema.
B. Water-resistant sunscreen is more likely to be used by athletes playing outdoor sports in hot weather conditions than by members of the general public. Consequently, most buyers of water-resistant sunscreen are athletes.
C. Because some individuals are genetically inclined to obesity and obesity can result in type 2 diabetes, any individual who is genetically inclined to obesity will inevitably suffer from type 2 diabetes.
D. Reliance on blood pressure medication increases the risk of a heart attack, because those who take such medication are more likely to suffer a heart attack than are those who do not.
E. Melanoma skin cancer can be caused by Ultraviolet A radiation. Therefore, melanoma skin cancer cannot be caused by Ultraviolet B radiation.
The questionable pattern of reasoning above is most similar to which of the following?
A. Some non-smokers suffer from emphysema. Therefore, smoking is not a cause of emphysema.
B. Water-resistant sunscreen is more likely to be used by athletes playing outdoor sports in hot weather conditions than by members of the general public. Consequently, most buyers of water-resistant sunscreen are athletes.
C. Because some individuals are genetically inclined to obesity and obesity can result in type 2 diabetes, any individual who is genetically inclined to obesity will inevitably suffer from type 2 diabetes.
D. Reliance on blood pressure medication increases the risk of a heart attack, because those who take such medication are more likely to suffer a heart attack than are those who do not.
E. Melanoma skin cancer can be caused by Ultraviolet A radiation. Therefore, melanoma skin cancer cannot be caused by Ultraviolet B radiation.
23 Jul 2024, 20:15
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The argument is a correlation=causation fallacy that fails to consider a third factor:
Essentially 'A is correlated with B, therefore A causes B'
A. Some non-smokers suffer from emphysema. Therefore, smoking is not a cause of emphysema
The fallacy here is more along the lines of assuming that because smoking is not always the cause of emphysema, it cannot be A cause of emphysema. Not similar to the argument in the question stem.
B. Water-resistant sunscreen is more likely to be used by athletes playing outdoor sports in hot weather conditions than by members of the general public. Consequently, most buyers of water-resistant sunscreen are athletes.
The fallacy in this one is more along the lines of 'A greater proportion of one group (which has an unknown size) exhibit some behavior than another group (again with an unknown size), therefore most of the people who exhibit this behavior are in group A. This fails to take into account the sizes of the populations. A fallacy, but again not similar to the argument.
C. Because some individuals are genetically inclined to obesity and obesity can result in type 2 diabetes, any individual who is genetically inclined to obesity will inevitably suffer from type 2 diabetes.
The fallacy here is assuming that because X CAN lead to Y, X WILL lead to Y. Not similar to the argument in question.
D. Reliance on blood pressure medication increases the risk of a heart attack, because those who take such medication are more likely to suffer a heart attack than are those who do not.
The fallacy here is concluding that blood pressure causes an increased risk of heart attack, because people who take blood pressure meds are more likely to have heart attacks than are those who do not. This is pointing out a correlation, and claiming one factor causes another while conveniently ignoring other factors which may be causing both, or the fact that they have the causal relationship backwards
D is the correct answer.
E. Melanoma skin cancer can be caused by Ultraviolet A radiation. Therefore, melanoma skin cancer cannot be caused by Ultraviolet B radiation.
This is kind of similar to option C, the fallacy is assuming that because A causes skin cancer, something else CANNOT ALSO cause skin cancer. Unrelated to the argument in the question
Essentially 'A is correlated with B, therefore A causes B'
A. Some non-smokers suffer from emphysema. Therefore, smoking is not a cause of emphysema
The fallacy here is more along the lines of assuming that because smoking is not always the cause of emphysema, it cannot be A cause of emphysema. Not similar to the argument in the question stem.
B. Water-resistant sunscreen is more likely to be used by athletes playing outdoor sports in hot weather conditions than by members of the general public. Consequently, most buyers of water-resistant sunscreen are athletes.
The fallacy in this one is more along the lines of 'A greater proportion of one group (which has an unknown size) exhibit some behavior than another group (again with an unknown size), therefore most of the people who exhibit this behavior are in group A. This fails to take into account the sizes of the populations. A fallacy, but again not similar to the argument.
C. Because some individuals are genetically inclined to obesity and obesity can result in type 2 diabetes, any individual who is genetically inclined to obesity will inevitably suffer from type 2 diabetes.
The fallacy here is assuming that because X CAN lead to Y, X WILL lead to Y. Not similar to the argument in question.
D. Reliance on blood pressure medication increases the risk of a heart attack, because those who take such medication are more likely to suffer a heart attack than are those who do not.
The fallacy here is concluding that blood pressure causes an increased risk of heart attack, because people who take blood pressure meds are more likely to have heart attacks than are those who do not. This is pointing out a correlation, and claiming one factor causes another while conveniently ignoring other factors which may be causing both, or the fact that they have the causal relationship backwards
D is the correct answer.
E. Melanoma skin cancer can be caused by Ultraviolet A radiation. Therefore, melanoma skin cancer cannot be caused by Ultraviolet B radiation.
This is kind of similar to option C, the fallacy is assuming that because A causes skin cancer, something else CANNOT ALSO cause skin cancer. Unrelated to the argument in the question
25 Sep 2025, 22:29
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Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!
Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).
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Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).
Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
