bigoyal wrote:
Since the deregulation of airlines, delays at the nation's increasingly busy airports have increased by 25 percent. To combat this problem, more of the takeoff and landing slots at the busiest airports must be allocated to commercial airlines.
Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the effectiveness of the solution proposed above?
(A) The major causes of delays at the nation's busiest airports are bad weather and overtaxed air traffic control equipment.
(B) Since airline deregulation began, the number of airplanes in operation has increased by 25 percent.
(C) Over 60 percent of the takeoff and landing slots at the nation's busiest airports are reserved for commercial airlines.
(D) After a small mid western airport doubled its allocation of takeoff and landing slots, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent.
(E) Since deregulation the average length of delay at the nation's busiest airports has doubled.
Since the deregulation, delays have increased by 25 percent. (We don't know what deregulation entails. We are not given what changed. We are also not given that deregulation is the reason for increase in delays. It has just been observed that since that time, delays have increased.)
To combat this problem, more of the takeoff and landing slots at the busiest airports must be allocated to commercial airlines.
Solution is that more slots should be given to commercial airlines.
What will weaken that this will fix the problem? If we get to know that the reason for delays is something else - say weather phenomena - then will giving more slots help? Probably no.
Only if the reason for increased delays is that the airlines have fewer slots than needed, then giving more slots will help.
(A) The major causes of delays at the nation's busiest airports are bad weather and overtaxed air traffic control equipment.
Correct. The reason for delays are different. More slots may not help. This weakens our conclusion.
(B) Since airline deregulation began, the number of airplanes in operation has increased by 25 percent.
If more planes are deployed now, more slots may actually help. Doesn't weaken our conclusion.
(C) Over 60 percent of the takeoff and landing slots at the nation's busiest airports are reserved for commercial airlines.
Irrelevant. Is 60% a high number or a low number, we don't know. If commercial airlines are responsible for 90% of the flights, then 60% seems low. If commercial airlines are responsible for 40% of the flights, then 60% seems high.
(D) After a small mid western airport doubled its allocation of takeoff and landing slots, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent.
What happened at a small airport is irrelevant. The nation's busiest airports are our concern.
(E) Since deregulation the average length of delay at the nation's busiest airports has doubled.
We already know the delays have increased. Doesn't weaken conclusion.
Answer (A)
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