The cities of Oldtown and Spoonville are the same in area and size of

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The cities of Oldtown and Spoonville are the same in area and size of population. Since certain health problems that are caused by crowded living conditions are widespread in Oldtown, such problems must be as widespread in Spoonville.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument

(A) presupposes without warrant that the health problems that are widespread in any particular city cannot be caused by the living conditions in that city

(B) fails to distinguish between the size of the total population of a city and the size of the geographic region covered by that city

(C) fails to indicate whether average life expectancy is lowered as a result of living in crowded conditions

(D) fails to distinguish between those health problems that are easily treatable and those are not

(E) fails to take into account that having identical overall population density is consistent with great disparity in living conditions

yashikaaggarwal · Answer

The cities of Oldtown and Spoonville are the same in area and size of population. Since certain health problems that are caused by crowded living conditions are widespread in Oldtown, such problems must be as widespread in Spoonville.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument
(A) presupposes without warrant that the health problems that are widespread in any particular city cannot be caused by the living conditions in that city

A is weakening the argument, whereas rest are acting as a supporting element.

IOC is A
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exc4libur · Answer

argument
= O and S have same pop and area
= thus, O's probs caused by crowded
= must also be probs in S.

wkn
ans (E) if S has greater living conditions than O, maybe they don't have such problems.

randomavoidplease · Answer

I will go with "E" rest don't seem to make much sense, unless I misunderstood "A"

E is the only that talks about the living conditions disparity, rest we know that population and area size is same. Two cities with same population and size can have different living conditions.

lakshya14 · Answer

Isn't (E) strengthener? Saying that both cities are similar?

svasan05 · Answer

Hi Lakshya

Option (E) in fact provides a possible point of difference between the two cities. It states that the argument "fails to take into account that  having identical overall population density  is consistent with  great disparity in living conditions ".

In other words, it states that despite the fact that Oldtown and Spoonville have the same population densities ("same in  area  and  size of population "), they may have  great disparity in living conditions . Since the health problems mentioned are dependent on crowded  living conditions , such disparity may mean that the problems widespread in Oldtown may not be widespread in Spoonville, as concluded in the argument.

Hope this helps.

CEdward · Answer

The cities of Oldtown and Spoonville are the same in area and size of population. Since certain health problems that are caused by crowded living conditions are widespread in Oldtown, such problems must be as widespread in Spoonville.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument

(A)  presupposes without warrant  that the health problems that are widespread in any particular city  cannot be caused by the living conditions in that city  X
This is simply not true at all. The author says the opposite...

(B) fails to distinguish between the  size of the total population of a city and the size of the geographic region  covered by that city X
-no...the author did not fail to distinguish this

(C) fails to indicate whether  average life expectancy  is lowered as a result of living in crowded conditions X
-no...the author did not do this...LE is also irrelevant

(D) fails to distinguish between those health problems that are  easily treatable and those are not  X
-again, no.

(E) fails to take into account that having identical overall population density is consistent with great disparity in living conditions
CORRECT. The key here is "consistent with great disparity in living conditions", i.e. two populations can have the same population density yet vastly different living conditions. So while Oldtown may have crappy conditions, that doesn't imply that Spoonville does too.

Bish0p · Answer

Cx – S have health condition 
Px - O have health condition due to crowded l.c; same size and population
Ax – S=O and no other factor can contribute this
A’’ – They are not same; other factor also there; S might not be correct representative

(A) presupposes without warrant that the health problems that are widespread in any particular city cannot be caused by the living conditions in that city – Questioning the premises, hence out of scope

(B) fails to distinguish between the size of the total population of a city and the size of the geographic region covered by that city - Questioning the premises, hence out of scope

(C) fails to indicate whether average life expectancy is lowered as a result of living in crowded conditions – Out of scope, as in question nothing is mentioned regarding life expectancy

(D) fails to distinguish between those health problems that are easily treatable and those are not – Out of scope, as nothing mentioned in argument

(E) fails to take into account that having identical overall population density is consistent with great disparity in living conditions - weaken the argument

Abhishek009 · Answer

Oldtown and Spoonville are same in terms of Area and Population.
A health problem of crowded Population is there in Oldtown -----> Same problem must exist in Spoonville (Conclusion)

(A) Will keep it for now.
(B) geographic region covered - Out of scope and irrelevant.
(C) average life expectancy - Out of scope
(D) distinguish between health problems that are treatable and not - Out of scope and irrelevant
(E) Will keep for now.

Between (E) and (A)

If (A) living condition is not the issue then what can be then issue, (E) on the other hand bridges that gap...

nikitathegreat · Answer

GMATNinja   KarishmaB

I have confusion between option choice B and E. Sharing my analysis below. Please let me know where did I go wrong.

Option choice B  
(B) fails to distinguish between the size of the total population of a city and the size of the geographic region covered by that city -The argument tells us that the size of the population and the area of the two cities are same. But what if one city has crowded conditions like out of 100sq feet 50 people live in 50sq feet whereas in other city out of 100 sq feet, 50 people live in 90 sq feet - not having crowded conditions. I felt this option choice talks about the same thing that the argument fails to distinguish between the size of the population of the city and the geographic region covered by this population.

Option Choice E  
(E) fails to take into account that having identical overall population density is consistent with great disparity in living conditions
Population density = no. of people/ land area = Are we saying that population density is consistent with great disparity in living conditions - what does living conditions means here? Do they still live crowded but there living conditions are better (I am not really convinced with this inference) or do they not live crowded and satisfies the above logic where they live in a spaced out manner. 
Can you explain the difference in this and above ans choice?

Thanks

The cities of Oldtown and Spoonville are the same in area and size of

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The cities of Oldtown and Spoonville are the same in area and size of

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