12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 2: Students attending a pa

Question

12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition with Lots of Fun

Students attending a particular university either live on campus or commute. Up to 60% of the enrolled students each year commute from one or more miles away from the main campus. However, there are only enough available parking permits for 20% of students to park their vehicles on campus. Therefore, the remainder of the commuting students must travel to school by sharing a vehicle or by using public transportation.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?

(A) Each year, the available parking spots on campus are filled primarily by cars, although up to 10% of the spots are claimed by two-wheeled vehicles like motorcycles.

(B) A popular individual electric scooter service in the area reported that students comprise the largest percentage of the private company’s user population and that scooters were most commonly parked on campus or two miles or more from campus.

(C) Public records indicate that, when classes are in session, the number of unique rides on public buses triples and the number of unique riders on public buses doubles.

(D) Because parking permits are expensive, many students who have a permit charge a fee for others to ride with them to campus.

(E) In a recent poll of students’ preferred and most commonly used transportation methods, approximately 20% of students indicated that they have used the public bus system, but they would prefer taking more reliable forms of public transportation if the city offered them.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

Manhattan Prep Official Explanation

Step 1: Identify the Question  
The words  most weakens  in the question stem indicate that this is a Weaken the Argument question.

Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument  
The author is describing the parking at a particular university, which is attended by both students who live on campus and students who commute to campus. There is only enough parking available to serve 20% of students, although more than that (up to 60% of students) commute. The author draws the conclusion that the remainder of the commuters (outside of the 20% who can park on campus) must share a ride or use public transportation.

Step 3: Pause and State the Goal  
In Weaken the Argument problems, the goal is to find an answer choice that makes the conclusion less likely to be valid. In this problem, look for an answer choice that casts doubt on whether the remaining students really must either share a ride or use public transportation.

Step 4: Work From Wrong to Right

(A) The argument indicates only that 20% of students can park vehicles on campus. No distinction is made between cars and motorcycles or other types of vehicles.

(B) CORRECT.  Because students are the most common individual electric scooter users and scooters are located both on campus and 2+ miles away from campus, it is likely that at least some of the commuting students are traveling to and from school using electric scooters. As the electric scooters are privately owned, the students traveling by scooter are neither sharing a vehicle nor taking public transportation.

(C) The author’s conclusion is that off-campus students are commuting by sharing rides or taking public transportation. While classes are in session, more people are riding on public buses. If anything, this strengthens the argument, as it’s more likely that students are riding these public buses, since the increase is seen while classes are in session.

(D) Because some students are able to charge a fee for others to ride with them to campus, there are likely at least some off-campus students who commute to school in this manner. If anything, this strengthens the argument rather than weakens it.

(E) This answer choice indicates that at least some students take public buses on occasion and that they would be open to using other forms of public transportation. If anything, this strengthens the argument by showing that these students do actually take public transportation.

DHRJ0032 · Answer

B is the clear winner as it only weakens the argument.
b says students comprise most of the private vehicle segments and they park 2 or 3 miles before the campus.

mohitprabhat · Answer

Argument:
Premise: Up to 60% of the enrolled students each year commute from one or more miles away
Premise: Parking available for only 20% students

Conclusion: So, remaining students MUST travel to school by sharing a vehicle or by using public transportation

In order to weaken, we can show that remaining students do not share a vehicle or use public transport.

Option B: Students comprise the largest percentage of the private company’s user population and that scooters were most commonly parked on campus or two miles or more from campus correctly weakens the conclusion

ElninoEffect · Answer

Information we have:  60% of the students commute to the university.
 Parking space available  for only 20% of the students.
 Conclusion drawn  remainder of the students must travel to university either by sharing a ride or by using public transport.
We need to weaken the conclusion, i.e even though there is left parking space available students don't share the ride or use public transport.

Let's begin:
(A) Each year, the available parking spots on campus are filled primarily by cars, although up to 10% of the spots are claimed by two-wheeled vehicles like motorcycles. 
 In the light of information given that only 20% of parking spot is available for students this statement becomes irrelevant.

(B) A popular individual electric scooter service in the area reported that students comprise the largest percentage of the private company’s user population and that scooters were most commonly parked on campus or two miles or more from campus. 
 If this is the case then the conclusion is weakened as now the students are neither sharing ride nor they are using public transport for transportaion.

(C) Public records indicate that, when classes are in session, the number of unique rides on public buses triples and the number of unique riders on public buses doubles. 
 This statement strengthens the conclusion that most of the commuters are using public transport for traveling. We were looking for a weakner.

(D) Because parking permits are expensive, many students who have a permit charge a fee for others to ride with them to campus. 
 This is another indirect way of strengthening the conclusion that commuters are sharing the ride to reach the university.

(E) In a recent poll of students’ preferred and most commonly used transportation methods, approximately 20% of students indicated that they have used the public bus system, but they would prefer taking more reliable forms of public transportation if the city offered them. 
 A weak strengthener + nonessential extra information. Doesn't help us in weakening the conclusion.

vrsthe1 · Answer

Students attending a particular university either live on campus or commute. Up to 60% of the enrolled students each year commute from one or more miles away from the main campus. However, there are only enough available parking permits for 20% of students to park their vehicles on campus. Therefore, the remainder of the commuting students must travel to school by sharing a vehicle or by using public transportation.

conclusion:  students must either share or use public transport

Which of the following, if true, most  weakens  the argument?

(A) Each year, the available parking spots on campus are filled primarily by cars, although up to 10% of the spots are claimed by two-wheeled vehicles like motorcycles. -->  keep it as many might be traveling on 2-wheelers hence parking more vehicles than the available parking spots.

(B) A popular individual electric scooter service in the area reported that students comprise the largest percentage of the private company’s user population and that scooters were most commonly parked on campus or two miles or more from campus. -->  Keep it as parking can be done not only on campus but a bit away from campus too

(C) Public records indicate that, when classes are in session, the number of unique rides on public buses triples and the number of unique riders on public buses doubles. -->  Actually supports the conclusion as the public transport usage is increased.

(D) Because parking permits are expensive, many students who have a permit charge a fee for others to ride with them to campus. -->  supports the sharing part of the conclusion, though a bit forcefully

(E) In a recent poll of students’ preferred and most commonly used transportation methods, approximately 20% of students indicated that they have used the public bus system, but they would prefer taking more reliable forms of public transportation if the city offered them. -->  This does not give any concrete information.

of A & B --> B makes more sense as students can park away from campus and walk from there.
Hence Answer:  B

Anki2609 · Answer

Premise says as 60% of the student stay outside the campus and the parking space is only available for 20% of the student
Argument concludes that the student either share the ride or use public transport.

We need to weaken this conclusion

(A) Each year, the available parking spots on campus are filled primarily by cars, although up to 10% of the spots are claimed by two-wheeled vehicles like motorcycles. -   irrelevant to the argument. It talks about how the parking space are filled but not how students travel

(B) A popular individual electric scooter service in the area reported that students comprise the largest percentage of the private company’s user population and that scooters were most commonly parked on campus or two miles or more from campus.  
Correct. this says students travel by individual scooter . this is not a form of public transport or ride share. So it weakens the conclusion

(C) Public records indicate that, when classes are in session, the number of unique rides on public buses triples and the number of unique riders on public buses doubles. -  Public rides. So, we are talking about public transport. this will not weaken the argument in question. If during session the number of riders increase so what? Do we know if they are students

(D) Because parking permits are expensive, many students who have a permit charge a fee for others to ride with them to campus.  
This will strengthen the conclusion if the if the students are paying other student meas they are sharing the ride.
 
(E) In a recent poll of students’ preferred and most commonly used transportation methods, approximately 20% of students indicated that they have used the public bus system, but they would prefer taking more reliable forms of public transportation if the city offered them.  
We have to weaken the conclusion of Public transport from the argument but this strengthens it.

behlmanmeet · Answer

Students attending a particular university either live on campus or commute. Up to 60% of the enrolled students each year commute from one or more miles away from the main campus. However, there are only enough available parking permits for 20% of students to park their vehicles on campus. Therefore, the remainder of the commuting students must travel to school by sharing a vehicle or by using public transportation.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?

Solution:   After the initial read, the first thing that I could think was if 60% of the students commute from 1 or more miles, what if a large majority live a few miles from campus, then they could just walk to the campus or what if they can park a few miles from campus. We don't have to necessarily conclude that students share vehicles or use public transport due to lack of permits. But, that's only 1 line of thinking and we shouldn't hold tight on it or we can fall for a trap. If while assessing a CR passage, we come up with a weakener or strengthener or any assumption be very careful to not let that dictate your selection. Only use it as a reference. Read answer options very carefully. Now, let's move to answer options.

(A) Each year, the available parking spots on campus are filled primarily by cars, although up to 10% of the spots are claimed by two-wheeled vehicles like motorcycles.:  This, tells us nothing. How the parking is filled with vehicles or what types of vehicles is inconsequential.

(B) A popular individual electric scooter service in the area reported that students comprise the largest percentage of the private company’s user population and that scooters were most commonly parked on campus or two miles or more from campus.:  This one comes close to my own answer, that's why we need to be more vigilant and check properly. It doesn't necessarily say how many or what proportion of students that use its services form part of the campus group that does not get permits. But the conclusion does not mention or point to that as well. The conclusion does not take into account students parking vehicles away from the campus. Thus, this becomes our point of attack and this very well could be our answer.

(C) Public records indicate that, when classes are in session, the number of unique rides on public buses triples, and the number of unique riders on public buses doubles.:  If anything, this strengthens the belief that students might be using public transportation.

(D) Because parking permits are expensive, many students who have a permit charge a fee for others to ride with them to campus.:  This statement points to the conclusion that the remaining students share vehicles. This is in line with the conclusion and can be a strengthener.

(E) In a recent poll of students’ preferred and most commonly used transportation methods, approximately 20% of students indicated that they have used the public bus system, but they would prefer taking more reliable forms of public transportation if the city offered them.:  This statement does not provide any substantial info but still can be a mild strengthener. If students 20% of students used public transport that means these 20% did not get the permit but it could also mean they don't have vehicles, thus it's not conclusive.

Vubar · Answer

We start by looking at the question stem. It clearly states that we are trying to weaken the argument presented.

In our initial reading, we try to identify the structure of the argument.

The first two sentences are giving us some information used as evidence. The third sentence begins with 'however', so we can identify that this is also evidence, but it is in contrast to the earlier information. The final sentence begin with 'therefore'.

Based on this, we can infer that the premise the conclusion is based on, is the third sentence, which is in contrast in some way to the earlier information.

The conclusion is: "the remainder of the commuting students must travel to school by sharing a vehicle or by using public transportation".

Knowing that we need to weaken this conclusion, we can think of some logical ways to weaken this conclusion. The conclusion uses the word "must", which is a very strong word. To weaken the argument, we could find alternatives for these commuters. Perhaps they have other means of commuting, which mean they don't need to share vehicles or use public transport.

Alternatively, we can weaken this conclusion if there is some evidence that the parking available (enough for 20% of students) is not being completely utilised, or that more parking was considered, but this was the amount that was confirmed to be appropriate. This type of weakener is appealing because it also refutes the main premise behind the conclusion (that they MUST share or use public transport BECAUSE there is insufficient parking available). Note: this is not denying the premise - we accept that there is only enough parking for 20% of the students, but we are looking for reasons that is appropriate.

Turning to the answer choices:

A: This answer choice looks appealing at first, but our brainstorming helps us to identify that it is just here to distract us. The fact that up to 10% of vehicles in the parking lot are two-wheeled vehicles does seem to weaken the argument that people are sharing vehicles more. That said, 90% are still driving vehicles - if all of these are being shared, it would strengthen the conclusion that more people are sharing cars. Also, this answer choice does not address people using public transport at all. From our brainstorming, we know we are looking for evidence that people are using some other method of transport OR that the parking lot is not being filled. This answer choice confirms the parking lot IS being filled and does not give us information about alternative transport methods, so it strengthens the conclusion. We can eliminate A.

B: B provides us with evidence that an alternative method of transport is popular with students, and this is further supported by the scooters' locations being consistent with where they might be if used to commute to the university. This is consistent with our prediction for what may weaken the conclusion. We keep this as a possible answer but review the others in case there is a better alternative. In particular, an answer choice that refutes the primary premise (the cause is limited parking available) would be ideal.

C: C confirms that public transport is popular while classes are in session. This is consistent with the conclusion, if anything, it strengthens it. If students were being forced to take public transport because of a lack of parking, you would expect public transport use to increase. We want to weaken that conclusion, so we can eliminate C.

D: D is irrelevant. We only care if students are sharing vehicles/using public transport, not if they are making money or sharing the costs while doing so. We can eliminate D.

E: 20% of students using public transport means that the remaining 40% (the remaining commuters) are either using the parking, or some other transportation method. Without any information about this, it is impossible to say if this strengthens or weakens the conclusion. It would take some mental gymnastics to make any inferences (e.g., 20% are using the parking, and the other 20% might be sharing with them). The correct answer choice will not require us to make assumptions to support it, so without additional information, this answer choice does not weaken the conclusion. We can eliminate E.

Even though we did not find an ideal answer choice addressing the underlying premise of the conclusion, 4 answer choices have been eliminated, leaving our alternative weakener as the correct response.

The correct answer is B.

VerbalBot · Answer

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12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 2: Students attending a pa

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12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 2: Students attending a pa

Prep Toolkit

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