Purchasers of laptop computers generally do not use them often enough

Question

Purchasers of laptop computers generally do not use them often enough to justify the cost. Presumably, laptop computers are more expensive than desktop computers due to the laptop computers’ portability. However, one survey showed that only 22% of laptop computer owners had used them outside the home in the past 30 days.

The conclusion that purchasers of laptop computers do not use them often enough to justify the cost is most called into question by which of the following?

(A) Some laptop computer owners do not like to take their laptops to school or work out of fear that the computers will be damaged or stolen.

(B) Laptop computer owners sometimes overestimate how often they use their laptops outside the home.

(C) Laptop computer owners often use their laptop computers in different locations around their own homes.

(D) Laptop computer owners usually prefer to purchase computers that have wireless Internet capability, so the computers are more mobile.

(E) Laptop computer owners who use their laptop computers outside the home tend to do so at least three times per week

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Parthgrover · Answer

c if the argument saying they did not used them much beacuse to justify their cost c directly weaken it by saying they actually uses them

RahulSax · Answer

The main point for purchase of Laptop is  portability

So even if the laptop owners have not used them outside of their home for past 30 days, they have used them at different locations in their house

Hence, Portability is important & the   DECISION TO BUY LAPTOP IS JUSTIFIED

That's exactly the option  choice C

arushi118 · Answer

C is correct. 
The argument assumes that the extra cost of a laptop is justified only if it is used outside the home.

(A) Explains why some people don't take laptops outside, but doesn't show the cost is justified.
(B) If anything, it strengthens the argument (actual outside use may be even lower).
(D) Preference for wireless capability doesn't show the extra cost is justified.
(E) Tells us frequent users use laptops a lot outside the home, but says nothing about the majority of owners.

Bunuel · Answer

Official Explanation

(C) If people are willing to pay more for laptop computers for the convenience of being able to use them throughout the house, the conclusion that the computers’ portability is not utilized often enough to justify the cost is weakened.

(A) is incorrect. It provides some justification for why people might not take their laptops out in public, but does nothing to weaken the conclusion about under-used portability.

(B) is incorrect. If laptop owners are overestimating how often they take their laptops out in public, the conclusion that few people are using their computer's portability often enough to justify the cost is actually strengthened.

(D) is incorrect. It reinforces the portability of the machines, but does not address the conclusion that the portability is under-used.

(E) is incorrect. It only discusses the 22% who are using their laptops often enough that the author considers the cost to be justified; it does not weaken the conclusion about the other 78%.

TAKEAWAY: Remember that the correct answer to a Weaken question does not have to disprove the argument, only make the conclusion less likely to follow the evidence. Here, the author assumes a restricted meaning of the word "portability," and the correct choice identifies that assumption by suggesting a broader meaning of the term.

Sidway · Answer

Summary of question: Laptop comps are mobile but expensive. However only few people use laptops outside the house.

To prove : Weaken the fact that people are not justified in using these laptops -> show that people are utilizing the mobility of the laptops

(A) Some laptop computer owners do not like to take their laptops to school or work out of fear that the computers will be damaged or stolen.
This shows that people are not using the mobility of the laptop -> not justified in buying the laptop
 REJECT

(B) Laptop computer owners sometimes overestimate how often they use their laptops outside the home.
Overestimate -> Use laptop less than expected outside the house
This shows that people are not using the mobility of the laptop -> not justified in buying the laptop
 REJECT

(C) Laptop computer owners often use their laptop computers in different locations around their own homes.
Different locations around home -> utilising mobility of laptop
Even though they aren't using it outside the house, they still are justified since they are using the mobility of the laptop
 ACCEPT

(D) Laptop computer owners usually prefer to purchase computers that have wireless Internet capability, so the computers are more mobile.
This is incidental. We don't care that the preference of computers with certain features makes them more mobile. We aren't told about the utilisation of the mobility component of the laptop
 REJECT

(E) Laptop computer owners who use their laptop computers outside the home tend to do so at least three times per week
We don't care about the frequency of those that do use. We already know they are in the minority.
Are most people justified in the purchase of the laptop? Not mentioned. We aren't told about the utilisation of the mobility component of the laptop by most people.
 REJECT

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RogueVole · Answer

Doesn't 'around' the house mean 'outside' the house or am I being far too specific?

guddo · Answer

Not quite. “Around the house” does  not  have to mean outside the house.

In this context, it means using the laptop in different places at home: bedroom, kitchen, living room, balcony, etc.

That matters because the argument treats portability mainly as taking the laptop out in public. Choice (C) weakens that by showing another valuable use of portability: moving it  within the home .

egmat · Answer

Hi RogueVole,

Good instinct to slow down on that word, because the whole choice turns on it. Let me read the exact phrasing with you.

Choice (C) says owners use their laptops  "in different locations around their own homes."  The key words are  "around their own homes."  That means  inside  the house - moving the laptop from room to room (kitchen, bedroom, couch, patio) -  not  taking it out into the world. If it meant outside, it would say something like "away from home" or "outside the home," which is the exact language the stimulus already used for the  22%  figure.

So you're not being too specific - you're being appropriately careful. The trap here is reading "around the home" as "outside the home," which would flip the whole meaning of the choice.

Why the inside reading is what makes (C) the answer:  The argument's hidden assumption is that "using portability" only counts when the laptop leaves the house. (C) breaks that assumption. Even if only  22%  carry it outside, owners are  still using the portability  - just within their homes. That's a benefit the survey never measured, so the conclusion ("not used enough to justify the cost") no longer follows cleanly. That's a classic weakener: it doesn't disprove the conclusion, it just shows the evidence doesn't fully support it.

If (C) really had meant "outside the home," it would just restate the survey - no new information, no weakening at all.

Quick way to lock the reading:  whenever a choice uses a location word, ask  "does this add a new place, or repeat one the stimulus already covered?"  Here, "around their own homes" adds a brand-new arena of use (inside), which is exactly why it matters.

Answer: C

RahuloBKL · Answer

(C) Laptop computer owners often use their laptop computers in different locations around their own homes. 
This shows that the survey's measure of usage is  too narrow .
The survey only asked/observed whether they used the laptop  outside the home .
But imagine someone uses their laptop:
 
 in the bedroom  
 in the living room  
 in the kitchen  
 on the balcony  
 at a desk   
They may use it  very frequently , even though they  never take it outside the house .

Purchasers of laptop computers generally do not use them often enough

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Purchasers of laptop computers generally do not use them often enough