In a recent town hall meeting, representatives of the residents in the

Question

In a recent town hall meeting, representatives of the residents in the city of Galville have complained that the public transportation system of Galville has not kept up with the city's needs, citing that they can rarely find a convenient way of getting to their destinations by train or bus. However, their claim must be unfounded since the city has built an additional 300 miles of light rail and doubled the number of bus routes in the last 10 years.

In the table, select the statement that would, if true, most strengthen the argument above and most weaken it. Make only two selections, on in each column.

rvgmat12 · Answer

Most strengthen : Most of the increase in rail lines and bus stops over the last 10 years were built in the central city, where the vast majority of the residents of Galville live. 
Reinforces the argument

Most weaken: 
Due to the increased complexity of the rail and bus system, the number of transfers required on typical routes has doubled in the last 10 years.
Weakens the argument by pointing out issues with public transportation

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Keshav1404 · Answer

To strengthen the argument :  C. Most of the increase in rail lines and bus stops over the last 10 years were built in the central city, where the vast majority of the residents of Galville live. 
This would support the idea that the public transportation improvements have been well-targeted, making it more likely that the transportation system is adequate.

To weaken the argument :  E. Due to the increased complexity of the rail and bus system, the number of transfers required on typical routes has doubled in the last 10 years. 
This would suggest that despite the increase in miles of rail and bus routes, the system has become less convenient, weakening the claim that the transportation system has improved sufficiently.

MBAchild · Answer

Why not D for weakner? Can someone explain ?

cheshire · Answer

The “About 20% of residents ...” statement (choice D) tells you how many people ride transit, but it doesn’t speak to why they find it inconvenient, which is a critical part of the question.

ManifestMBAbay25 · Answer

Hello 
for the weaken .. can somebody explain why A is wrong?

cheshire · Answer

A doesn't weaken the claim that the public transportation system is efficient, rather it talks about the increase in cars. The answer we are looking for is one that could prove the public transportation system is ineffective despite the upgrades its undergone. The fact that it requires a lot of transfers is a direct counter to the claim, which is why E is right.

ManifestMBAbay25

Hello
for the weaken .. can somebody explain why A is wrong?

ArmaanBajaj · Answer

Why does A not weaken the most and D not strengthen the most

Bunuel · Answer

Not a fan of the question.

We are strengthening/weakening the city’s conclusion that the residents’ complaint that transit is rarely convenient is unfounded.

Why A does not weaken most: even if the number of cars has quadrupled, that fact alone does not prove that transit convenience has declined. It’s indirect and does not measure convenience itself.

Why D does not strengthen most: saying that about 20% of residents use public transport gives no context or comparison. Without knowing whether that number increased after the expansion or if it reflects convenience, it provides no real support for the city’s claim.

Most Strengthen	Most Weaken
		The number of cars in the city of Galville has quadupled in the last 10 years.
		The cost of a ticket for the bus has consistently been about half of the cost of a ticket for the train in Galville.
		Most of the increase in rail lines and bus stops over the last 10 years were built in the central city, where the vast majority of the residents of Galville live.
		About 20% of the residents of Galville currently use public transportation.
		Due to the increased complexity of the rail and bus system, the number of transfers required on typical routes has doubled in the last 10 years.

In a recent town hall meeting, representatives of the residents in the

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