United Investments’ management has decided to upgrade its mainframe co

Question

United Investments’ management has decided to upgrade its mainframe computer servers to the newly developed flash-memory processors (FMPs) instead of purchasing new models of its existing technology, in order to significantly reduce its maintenance costs. FMP computers have simpler, more reliable processors, and their average operational span is substantially longer.

Which of the following would be most useful in assessing whether the bank management’s decision will reduce the company’s maintenance costs?

(A) Whether FMP processors’ operational span is significantly longer than that of new models of existing technology.
(B) Whether FMP computers have higher energy efficiency than that of new models of the existing processors.
(C) Whether mainframe computer manufacturers still produce and market servers that are based on the older technology as well.
(D) Whether the bank's management intends to purchase more mainframe servers next year, in order to expand its capabilities.
(E) Whether other banks in its market recently upgraded their computing systems.

kavach · Answer

United Investments’ management has decided to upgrade its mainframe computer servers to the newly developed flash-memory processors (FMPs) instead of purchasing new models of its existing technology, in order to significantly reduce its maintenance costs. FMP computers have simpler, more reliable processors, and their average operational span is substantially longer.

Question stem revolves around United Investments’ management's decision to upgrade its mainframe computer servers to the newly developed flash-memory processors (FMPs) instead of purchasing new models of its existing technology, in order to significantly  reduce its maintenance costs. 
Now, all we have to do is to ensure that the firm's decision will help reduce the maintenance cost.

Which of the following would be most useful in assessing whether the bank management’s decision will reduce the company’s maintenance costs?

(A) Whether FMP processors’ operational span is significantly longer than that of new models of existing technology.
 Whether operational span is significantly longer will not prove to use that its maintenance cost will be lower, No relation has been provided. Hence incorrect.

(B) Whether FMP computers have higher energy efficiency than that of new models of the existing processors.
 Higher energy efficiency will result in reduced cost to maintain computers. hence is the answer is Yes, it solves the purpose if the answer is No, the argument is flawed. Therefore this is the correct answer.

(C) Whether mainframe computer manufacturers still produce and market servers that are based on older technology as well.
 what the manufacturer will do is none of our concern. Hence this is incorrect.

(D) Whether the bank's management intends to purchase more mainframe servers next year, in order to expand its capabilities.
 The future is also none of our concern. hENCE THIS IS INCORRECT.

(E) Whether other banks in its market recently upgraded their computing systems. 
 What other banks do is not our concern. This is irrelevant.

For the above-mentioned reasons, THE ANSWER IS B.

ancored · Answer

United Investments’ management has decided to upgrade its mainframe computer servers to the newly developed flash-memory processors (FMPs) instead of purchasing new models of its existing technology, in order to significantly reduce its maintenance costs. FMP computers have simpler, more reliable processors, and their average operational span is substantially longer.

Which of the following would be most useful in assessing whether the bank management’s decision will reduce the company’s maintenance costs?

(A) Whether FMP processors’ operational span is significantly longer than that of new models of existing technology. ---- we are already told about this in the argument itself, and this tells us nothing about maintenance costs.
(B)  Whether FMP computers have higher energy efficiency than that of new models of the existing processors.  ---- This option says that FMP computers have higher energy efficiency, and it means that they will consume less energy and thus will reduce maintenance cost.
(C) Whether mainframe computer manufacturers still produce and market servers that are based on the older technology as well. ----- That's great, but what about maintenance costs of new processors?
(D) Whether the bank's management intends to purchase more mainframe servers next year, in order to expand its capabilities. ---- Again, this option tells us nothing about maintenance costs
(E) Whether other banks in its market recently upgraded their computing systems. ---- This is completely irrelevant to the maintenance costs

IMO B

GKomoku · Answer

United Investments’ management has decided to upgrade its mainframe computer servers to the newly developed flash-memory processors (FMPs) instead of purchasing new models of its existing technology, in order to significantly reduce its maintenance costs. FMP computers have simpler, more reliable processors, and their average operational span is substantially longer.

Let's try to get meaning correctly:

1. UI' management has decided to upgrade its mainframe computer servers to the newly developed FMPs
2. It decided to do so, because it doesn't want to buy new models of its existing technology
3. And by doing so, significantly reduce its maintenance costs
4. FMP computers have simpler, more reliable processors
5. And FPM's average operational span is substantially longer in comparison with old model.

Which of the following would be most useful in assessing whether the bank management’s decision will reduce the company’s maintenance costs?

~~(A) Whether FMP processors’ operational span is significantly longer than that of new models of existing technology.~~
length of the operational span cannot affect the reduction in maintenance costs

(B) Whether FMP computers have higher energy efficiency than that of new models of the existing processors.
energy efficiency can help to save electrician expenses, hence reduce maintenance costs

~~(C) Whether mainframe computer manufacturers still produce and market servers that are based on the older technology as well.~~
if mainframe based on older technology it cannot help to reduce maintenance costs

~~(D) Whether the bank's management intends to purchase more mainframe servers next year, in order to expand its capabilities.~~
it increases costs, hecne incorrect

~~(E) Whether other banks in its market recently upgraded their computing systems.~~
it is not related to the maintenance cost reduction subject

B is the answer

JonShukhrat · Answer

Variance Test   is probably the most helpful tool to figure out the correct answer choice of the Evaluate Argument questions.

Stimulus:  The management decided to buy A instead of B. A has simpler, more reliable processors, and its average operational span is substantially longer.

Goal:  To reduce the maintenance costs.

We are looking for a question that – depending on the answer to the question – helps identify whether buying A instead of B will reduce the maintenance costs. Let’s begin with the correct answer choice because analyzing it with the Variance Test will display why the other choices are wrong.

B.  Whether A has higher energy efficiency than B has.

Let’s first answer  YES , A has higher energy efficiency than B has. Indeed, electricity is one of the important maintenance costs of both A and B. If A consumes less electricity than B, then A surely reduces maintenance costs.

Let’s now say  NO , A doesn’t have higher energy efficiency than B has. In this case, A has no advantage over B regarding the maintenance costs. We surely know that A has more reliable processors and longer operational span. However, those are not part of the maintenance costs.

As we can see, opposite answers to B produce different effects on the feasibility goal of the management. Thus B is the correct answer choice.
 
 A.  Whether FMP processors’ operational span is significantly longer than that of new models of existing technology.
We already know that information from the stimulus, so it doesn’t help us evaluate the decision of the management.

C.  Whether mainframe computer manufacturers still produce and market servers that are based on the older technology as well.
This question doesn’t help us evaluate the decision of the management. The stem already says that there is such a technology.

D.  Whether the bank's management intends to purchase more mainframe servers next year, in order to expand its capabilities.
Even if they purchase B for the next year, it doesn’t clarify whether buying A instead of B will reduce the maintenance costs now.

E.  Whether other banks in its market recently upgraded their computing systems. 
This piece of information is irrelevant to evaluate the feasibility of the management's goal.

Hence  B

shridhar786 · Answer

we have to evaluate 
whether the bank management’s decision will reduce the company’s maintenance costs?

let's see the answer choices

(A) Whether FMP processors’ operational span is significantly longer than that of new models of existing technology. 
it's already given in stimulus that FMP operational span is substantially longer and evaluating this answer doesn't help explain management decision will reduce maintenance cost or not  (OUT)

(B) Whether FMP computers have higher energy efficiency than that of new models of the existing processors. 
let's apply the variance test on this answer choice
 yes --FMP computers have higher energy efficiency than that of new models of the existing processors
if this is the case then FMP computers will use less energy than that of the new model of the existing processors to perform the same task
and this will reduce the maintenance cost (this STRENGTHEN the management decision)

no --FMP computers have not higher energy efficiency than that of new models of the existing processors
if this is the case then FMP computers will use more energy than that of the new model of the existing processors to perform the same task
and this will increase the maintenance cost (this WEAKEN the management decision)

so evaluating this answer choice help answer our concern  (CORRECT)

(C) Whether mainframe computer manufacturers still produce and market servers that are based on the older technology as well. 
manufacturers produce and market older technology server or not doesn't help to assess the management decision  (OUT)

(D) Whether the bank's management intends to purchase more mainframe servers next year, in order to expand its capabilities. 
we are concerned about ...upgrading to FMP computers will reduce maintenance costs or not 
this answer choice talks about the intention of bank's management to buy mainframe servers next year.....this doesn't answer our concern whether management decision will help reduce cost  (OUT)

(E) Whether other banks in its market recently upgraded their computing systems. 
other banks upgraded their computing system or not doesn't help evaluate that management decision will reduce maintenance cost or not
so this option is  (OUT)

a191291r · Answer

I was reluctant to pick Option B because the question wants to assess whether the bank management’s decision will reduce the company’s  maintenance costs . Energy efficiency usually pertains to  operating costs  of a machine, and NOT the  maintenance cost . There can be machines which require almost no maintenance but are energy guzzlers and vice versa. A lot of replies on this thread are assuming that if a machine is energy effecient, it will have lower maintenance, which is not always true.

Harvey_15_12 · Answer

This was the exact same dilemma I faced, then reluctantly selected B as the the best option available.

crimson_noise · Answer

Operating costs like energy consumption and maintenance costs like repair are two very different types of costs, the question here is on maintenance and energy saving can't be counted

MacT750 · Answer

but operational cost and maintenance cost are 2 different cost no? if it is energy efficient it will consume less power so the operational cost would be lower not the maintenance cost then how can b be the answer

miag · Answer

You're correct that energy cost and maintenance cost are different categories. But the credited answer assumes "maintenance" includes ongoing upkeep of the system environment - especially cooling and heat-driven wear. More energy- efficient processors usually run cooler, reducing cooling burden and component failures, which can lower maintenance spending overall. That's why B is considered useful here, even though the wording is a bit loose

Hope this helps!

MacT750

but operational cost and maintenance cost are 2 different cost no? if it is energy efficient it will consume less power so the operational cost would be lower not the maintenance cost then how can b be the answer

Hope this helps!

United Investments’ management has decided to upgrade its mainframe co

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United Investments’ management has decided to upgrade its mainframe co

Prep Toolkit

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