Ask me Anything about GMAT Critical Reasoning Hello and welcome to my CR Expert Topic . Let me know if you have any CR questions I can help with - strategy, specific ones, etc. You may know me from forum discussion - I am one of the resident CR Experts on GMAT Club. I have over 8,000 posts and 22,000 Kudos. I hope you find my replies and explanations helpful. If you have any specific questions about Critical Reasoning in General such as strategy/approach, feel free to post them here and I will be happy to address them. I intend to have this thread be as a "Everything You Need to Know about CR" type of thread. If you have questions about a specific CR question and why something does not seem right, please post a link here for me with your specific question/concern. Please do not double-post - that's not polite and against the GMAT Club rules. Thank you all - good luck on the GMAT and look forward to seeing you in the CR forum! Karishma.

Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 07:13

It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 07:13

Toolkit

Verbal Archive [Locked]

GMAT Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

Nov 20
UCR MBA Impact - Live Q&A with UCR AdCom & Student
07:30 AM PST
-
08:30 AM PST
Learn what truly sets the UC Riverside MBA apart and how it helps in your professional growth
Nov 22
GMAT RC Masterclass
11:00 AM IST
-
01:00 PM IST
Do RC/MSR passages scare you? e-GMAT is conducting a masterclass to help you learn – Learn effective reading strategies Tackle difficult RC & MSR with confidence Excel in timed test environment
Nov 23
Conquer Algebra on the GMAT Focus Edition
11:00 AM IST
-
01:00 PM IST
Attend this free GMAT Algebra Webinar and learn how to master the most challenging Inequalities and Absolute Value problems with ease.
Nov 25
Try OnDemand GMAT Masterclass
10:00 AM EST
-
11:00 AM EST
Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors.

Back to Forum

Create Topic

Veritas Prep CR Forum Expert - Karishma - Ask Me Anything about CR

1 ... 26 27 28 29 30 ... 34

KarishmaB

Tutor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 16,267

Own Kudos:

76,994

Given Kudos: 482

Location: Pune, India

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 16,267

Kudos: 76,994

Updated on: 18 Aug 2020, 00:34

Originally posted by KarishmaB on 18 Aug 2020, 00:29.
Last edited by KarishmaB on 18 Aug 2020, 00:34, edited 1 time in total.

Kudos

Bookmarks

Rachit4126

In the United States in 1986, the average rate of violent crime in states with strict gun-control laws was 645 crimes per 100,000 persons: about 50 percent higher than the average rate in the eleven states where strict gun-control laws have never been passed. Thus one way to reduce violent crime is to repeal strict gun control laws.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

(A) The annual rate of violent crime in states with strict gun-control laws has decreased since the passage of those laws.

(B) In states with strict gun-control laws, few individuals are prosecuted for violating such laws.

(C) In states without strict gun-control laws, many individuals have had no formal training in the use of firearms.

(D) The annual rate of nonviolent crime is lower in states with strict gun-control laws than in states without such laws.

(E) Less than half of the individuals who reside in states without strict gun-control laws own a gun.

Hello Karishma.
Need help with choice B.

Conclusion: Since States without Gun laws have lower violent crime rate than states with Gun Laws, in order to reduce the crime rates, ONE of the way could be to abolish Gun Laws.

Weakener: Why remove current laws. They are good enough. Hence no need to repeal. Anything which supports this.

Answer A- Fits perfectly. Current Laws have worked. No need to abolish
Choice B: Current laws are not enforced strongly enough. This may weaken it if we assume that may be strong enforcement would reduce the crime rate. But since no such information given and this cant be 100% true, is this a good basis to reject this choice?

Hey Rachit4126

Option (B) is irrelevant. How many are prosecuted is not a part of our argument.

Our argument only deals with this:

Avg rate of violent crime in states with strict gun-control laws was 50% higher than the average rate in the eleven states where strict gun-control laws have never been passed.

Conclusion: One way to reduce violent crime is to repeal strict gun control laws.

The argument is comparing states with strict gun control laws with states without strict gun control laws. Since states with strict laws have higher rate of violent crime, the argument proposes to repeal strict laws.
The point is only about crime statistics, not about how many are prosecuted for these crimes.

KarishmaB

Tutor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 16,267

Own Kudos:

76,994

Given Kudos: 482

Location: Pune, India

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 16,267

Kudos: 76,994

18 Aug 2020, 00:33

Kudos

Bookmarks

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

Question on conditional logic.

Per my understanding, this is the theory on conditional logic

If X --> then Y, then Not Y --> Not X is a valid inference

In order to test this, i came up with an if-then statement.

If I own a Lamborghini, I must be rich

Why is this considered a valid inference?
I am not rich (Not Y) , then I don't own a Lamborghini. (Not X)

I was surprised to see the above statement a legitimate inference per my reading of CR material

Is it not possible that i am NOT rich but i can STILL own a Lamborghini ? I could have stolen the car | a friend could have given it to me completely free ....

Thoughts ?

Hey jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

When you establish that if I own a Lamborghini, I must be rich, it means it you have that car, you are rich (how you got it is irrelevant). Even if a friend gave it to you, you are rich. Just by owning the car you are rich.
So if you are not rich, then you do not have it because if you had it, you would have been rich.

thenikhilseth

Joined: 04 Aug 2019

Last visit: 20 Jan 2022

Posts: 92

Own Kudos:

100

Given Kudos: 126

Location: India

Schools: ESCP Europe Ivey ESSEC Ivey NUS CEMS MiM "22 IE MiM (Sep 21 Start) Schulich MMGT "22 EDHEC MiM (BM)"23

GPA: 3.33

Schools: ESCP Europe Ivey ESSEC Ivey NUS CEMS MiM "22 IE MiM (Sep 21 Start) Schulich MMGT "22 EDHEC MiM (BM)"23

Posts: 92

Kudos: 100

18 Aug 2020, 00:37

Kudos

Bookmarks

VeritasKarishma

Rachit4126

Option (B) is irrelevant. How many are prosecuted is not a part of our argument.

Our argument only deals with this:

Avg rate of violent crime in states with strict gun-control laws was 50% higher than the average rate in the eleven states where strict gun-control laws have never been passed.

Conclusion: One way to reduce violent crime is to repeal strict gun control laws.

The argument is comparing states with strict gun control laws with states without strict gun control laws. Since states with strict laws have higher rate of violent crime, the argument proposes to repeal strict laws.
The point is only about crime statistics, not about how many are prosecuted for these crimes.

Good Afternoon Mam

This is Nikhil and I am doing GMAT preparation from so long (11 months maybe). I want to take some tips from you regarding CR. I completed the power score CR bible and the results are descent. During practice, my accuracy lies between 85%-95% without time constraints. But i don't know that when it comes to application in exam, i spend long time doing CR questions. As a result, i get short at time always and unfortunately, a series of wrong CR answers in the last. I have a good conceptual understanding of CR but application wise, I am not good though. Please suggest me for how to overcome this problem. 2 mins for CR questions seems very little to me.

With Regards
Nikhil Seth

KarishmaB

Tutor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 16,267

Own Kudos:

76,994

Given Kudos: 482

Location: Pune, India

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 16,267

Kudos: 76,994

18 Aug 2020, 00:40

Kudos

Bookmarks

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

Hi Karishma - thank you so much for what you do

Question from the Powerscore Guide

Why is E wrong ?

The first sentence clearly says Blood tests used to determine pregnancy can at times be inconclusive

Hence E seemed right to me

Thoughts ?

Hey jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

The test can give one of the three results - positive/negative/inconclusive.

Inconclusive does not mean that a negative test can be false or a positive test can be false. It means that the test is unable to determine whether the woman is pregnant or not. Say the test shows a value of less than 1 for negative and more than 10 for positive. But if the value lies between 1 and 10, it is inconclusive. It means it is unable to determine whether the woman is pregnant or not. The result is not wrong; it is inconclusive.

KarishmaB

Tutor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 16,267

Own Kudos:

76,994

[1]

Given Kudos: 482

Location: Pune, India

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 16,267

Kudos: 76,994

[1]

18 Aug 2020, 00:51

Kudos

Bookmarks

thenikhilseth

VeritasKarishma

Rachit4126

thenikhilseth - You should practice under timed conditions only. Since you are conceptually clear, it is all about speeding up while maintaining accuracy.
Pick a bunch of 10 questions a day and give yourself 25 mins. Try to complete them. Learn to work efficiently and keep your focus.
Usually people take about 2-3 mins for each CR question and 1-2 mins for each SC question. You do have around 2 mins per question but you need to save time in SC questions since CR questions need extra.

thenikhilseth

Joined: 04 Aug 2019

Last visit: 20 Jan 2022

Posts: 92

Own Kudos:

100

Given Kudos: 126

Location: India

Schools: ESCP Europe Ivey ESSEC Ivey NUS CEMS MiM "22 IE MiM (Sep 21 Start) Schulich MMGT "22 EDHEC MiM (BM)"23

GPA: 3.33

Schools: ESCP Europe Ivey ESSEC Ivey NUS CEMS MiM "22 IE MiM (Sep 21 Start) Schulich MMGT "22 EDHEC MiM (BM)"23

Posts: 92

Kudos: 100

18 Aug 2020, 01:01

Kudos

Bookmarks

VeritasKarishma

thenikhilseth

VeritasKarishma

Rachit4126

Thank you so much mam, i will do that.

Rachit4126

Joined: 14 Jul 2019

Last visit: 28 Sep 2021

Posts: 35

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 72

Location: India

Schools: IMD '21

Posts: 35

Kudos: 17

18 Aug 2020, 05:15

Kudos

Bookmarks

VeritasKarishma

Rachit4126

Thanks VeritasKarishma

jabhatta2

Joined: 15 Dec 2016

Last visit: 21 Apr 2023

Posts: 1,294

Own Kudos:

317

Given Kudos: 188

Posts: 1,294

Kudos: 317

21 Aug 2020, 13:11

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi VeritasKarishma - Thank you for everything.

For Strengthening CR questions

-- why is a link that makes the conclusion more valid an example of a strengthener ? Isn't that an assumption ?

For example, in the question below -- The OA is B

Isn't B more of an assumption that has to be true, than an actual strengthener.

Per my understanding, assumptions and strengtheners are completely different

------------------------------

Astronomer: Most stars are born in groups of thousands, each star in a group forming from the same parent cloud of gas. Each cloud has a unique homogeneous chemical composition. Therefore whenever two stars have the same chemical composition as each other, they must have originated from the same cloud of gas.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the astronomer's argument?

(A) In some groups of stars, not every star originated from the same parent cloud of gas.
(B) Clouds of gas of similar or identical chemical composition may be remote from each other.
(C) Whenever a star forms, it inherits the chemical composition of its parent cloud of gas.
(D) Many stars in vastly different parts of the universe are quite similar in their chemical compositions.
(E) Astronomers can at least sometimes precisely determine whether a star has the same chemical composition as its parent cloud of gas.

mSKR

Joined: 14 Aug 2019

Last visit: 10 Mar 2024

Posts: 1,290

Own Kudos:

938

[1]

Given Kudos: 381

Location: Hong Kong

Concentration: Strategy, Marketing

Schools: IE (A) IIML-IPMX '22 (A) HKUST '22

GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V29 Verified score

GPA: 3.81

Schools: IE (A) IIML-IPMX '22 (A) HKUST '22

GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V29 Verified score

Posts: 1,290

Kudos: 938

[1]

21 Aug 2020, 22:48

Kudos

Bookmarks

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

B is irrelevant

i. Necessary condition
ii. something that makes conclusion strengthen

Assumption: i and ii both require
Strengthener : i is not required ; ii require

jabhatta2

Joined: 15 Dec 2016

Last visit: 21 Apr 2023

Posts: 1,294

Own Kudos:

317

Given Kudos: 188

Posts: 1,294

Kudos: 317

22 Aug 2020, 08:00

Kudos

Bookmarks

imSKR

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

B is irrelevant

i. Necessary condition
ii. something that makes conclusion strengthen

Assumption: i and ii both require
Strengthener : i is not required ; ii require

ughhh --yes OA is (C), not (B). My apologies

C -- seems to me a necessary condition for the argument to make sense.

If the question was instead -- "find the assumption" -- wouldn't C ALSO be your answer ?

mSKR

Joined: 14 Aug 2019

Last visit: 10 Mar 2024

Posts: 1,290

Own Kudos:

938

Given Kudos: 381

Location: Hong Kong

Concentration: Strategy, Marketing

Schools: IE (A) IIML-IPMX '22 (A) HKUST '22

GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V29 Verified score

GPA: 3.81

Schools: IE (A) IIML-IPMX '22 (A) HKUST '22

GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V29 Verified score

Posts: 1,290

Kudos: 938

22 Aug 2020, 08:38

Kudos

Bookmarks

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

imSKR

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

B is irrelevant

i. Necessary condition
ii. something that makes conclusion strengthen

Assumption: i and ii both require
Strengthener : i is not required ; ii require

Not necessarily.

There could be many assumptions such as:-
1. Chemical composition doesn't change in later stage
2. once inherited properties would have no influence of external factors .

Quote:

c. Whenever a star forms, it inherits the chemical composition of its parent cloud of gas.

it is a strengthen statement but it didn't mention that in that it is not viable to change due to some chemical reaction at later stage ( e.g.: children inherit behavior from parents but later children do get change due to influence of society , friends etc. on them)
what if chemical composition is changed then this statement would not be valid as an assumption anymore.

kagrawal16

Joined: 31 Jul 2018

Last visit: 01 Dec 2022

Posts: 92

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 76

Location: India

Schools: ISB '23 (S) IIMA PGPX'23

GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V36 Verified score

GPA: 3

Schools: ISB '23 (S) IIMA PGPX'23

GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V36 Verified score

Posts: 92

Kudos: 17

22 Aug 2020, 09:38

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi Karishma,

Can you help me confirm my understanding regarding the use of necessary and sufficient conditions in these 2 conclusions.

Voters commonly condemn politicians for being insincere, but politicians often must disguise their true feelings when they make public statements. If they expressed their honest views—about, say, their party's policies—then achieving politically necessary compromises would be much more difficult. Clearly, the very insincerity that people decry shows that our government is functioning well.
(A) Achieving political compromises is not all that is necessary for the proper functioning of a government.
My understanding here is that insincerity is necessary for our govt to function well.
Premise: honesty -> political compromises difficult
In other words: Political compromises -> insincerity
***Assumption*** govt functioning well -> political compromises
Conclusion: Govt well-> insincerity
Weakener : political compromises not all that is necessary.. indicating the presence of other necessary conditions.

However,
In the below question
Cognitive scientist: Using the pioneering work of comparative psychologist Gordon Gallup as a model, several studies have investigated animals' capacity for mirror self-recognition (MSR). Most animals exposed to a mirror respond only with social behavior, such as aggression. However, in the case of the great apes, repeated exposure to mirrors leads to self-directed behaviors, such as exploring the inside of the mouth, suggesting that these animals recognize the reflection as an image of self. The implication of these studies is that the great apes have a capacity for self-awareness unique among nonhuman species.
B. If an animal does not have the capacity for MSR, it does not have the capacity for self-awareness.
Assumption 1. MSR is necessary for Self Awareness. Without this the conclusion doesn't hold. The correct option is the contrapositive version of this.
Self Awareness -> MSR

But does the unique in the conclusion even imply that MSR is sufficient?

jabhatta2

Joined: 15 Dec 2016

Last visit: 21 Apr 2023

Posts: 1,294

Own Kudos:

317

Given Kudos: 188

Posts: 1,294

Kudos: 317

22 Aug 2020, 12:08

Kudos

Bookmarks

imSKR

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

imSKR

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

B is irrelevant

i. Necessary condition
ii. something that makes conclusion strengthen

Assumption: i and ii both require
Strengthener : i is not required ; ii require

Not necessarily.

There could be many assumptions such as:-
1. Chemical composition doesn't change in later stage
2. once inherited properties would have no influence of external factors .

Quote:

c. Whenever a star forms, it inherits the chemical composition of its parent cloud of gas.

so you are suggesting that C is BOTH an Assumption & Strengthener as of now.

If C was Whenever a star forms, it inherits the chemical composition of its parent cloud of gas in the short term only . -- this tweak would still be a strengthener but not an assumption ?

KarishmaB

Tutor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 16,267

Own Kudos:

76,994

Given Kudos: 482

Location: Pune, India

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 16,267

Kudos: 76,994

24 Aug 2020, 22:26

Kudos

Bookmarks

jabhatta2

Note that an assumption is a special case of strengtheners. An assumption strengthens the conclusion and is, in fact, necessary for the conclusion.
This question asks for an option that will strengthen the argument. So you need to look for just that. Now, whether it is an assumption too is irrelevant.

KarishmaB

Tutor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 16,267

Own Kudos:

76,994

Given Kudos: 482

Location: Pune, India

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 16,267

Kudos: 76,994

25 Aug 2020, 04:58

Kudos

Bookmarks

kagrawal16

Hey kagrawal16,

Voters commonly condemn politicians for being insincere, but politicians often must disguise their true feelings when they make public statements. If they expressed their honest views—about, say, their party's policies—then achieving politically necessary compromises would be much more difficult. Clearly, the very insincerity that people decry shows that our government is functioning well.

Premise: Political compromises need insincerity.

Conclusion: Insincerity shows that our govt is functioning well.

How do we link political compromises with govt is functioning well? The premises talk about political compromises and insincerity only. The premises do not even mention govt functioning well. To weaken, we could say that political compromises are not the only thing required for govt to function well i.e. political compromises are not sufficient for govt to function well.

Cognitive scientist: Using the pioneering work of comparative psychologist Gordon Gallup as a model, several studies have investigated animals' capacity for mirror self-recognition (MSR). Most animals exposed to a mirror respond only with social behavior, such as aggression. However, in the case of the great apes, repeated exposure to mirrors leads to self-directed behaviors, such as exploring the inside of the mouth, suggesting that these animals recognize the reflection as an image of self. The implication of these studies is that the great apes have a capacity for self-awareness unique among nonhuman species.

The point is that since apes are displaying MSR, we are implying that they are self aware as if MSR is sufficient for self awareness. We are also saying that other animals are not self aware because they are not displaying MSR.
So MSR is necessary and sufficient for self awareness.

So our assumption is 'no MSR means no self awareness' (and also 'no self awareness means no MSR').

KarishmaB

Tutor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 16,267

Own Kudos:

76,994

Given Kudos: 482

Location: Pune, India

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 16,267

Kudos: 76,994

25 Aug 2020, 05:00

Kudos

Bookmarks

jabhatta2

imSKR

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

imSKR

jabhatta@umail.iu.edu

B is irrelevant

i. Necessary condition
ii. something that makes conclusion strengthen

Assumption: i and ii both require
Strengthener : i is not required ; ii require

Not necessarily.

There could be many assumptions such as:-
1. Chemical composition doesn't change in later stage
2. once inherited properties would have no influence of external factors .

Quote:

c. Whenever a star forms, it inherits the chemical composition of its parent cloud of gas.

ALL assumptions are strengtheners but all strengtheners are not assumptions. Only the strengtheners which are actually necessary for the conclusion are assumptions too.

kagrawal16

Joined: 31 Jul 2018

Last visit: 01 Dec 2022

Posts: 92

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 76

Location: India

Schools: ISB '23 (S) IIMA PGPX'23

GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V36 Verified score

GPA: 3

Schools: ISB '23 (S) IIMA PGPX'23

GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V36 Verified score

Posts: 92

Kudos: 17

25 Aug 2020, 08:55

Kudos

Bookmarks

VeritasKarishma

kagrawal16

Thank you VeritasKarishma for helping

i believe i confused sufficient with necessary.
To add to the above and if I got your explanation right.

Clearly, the very insincerity that people decry shows that our government is functioning well.
The meaning of this conclusion is that "insincerity is sufficient for our govt to function well"
Therefore the necessary assumption stood that "Political compromises is sufficient for a good government". This is how we link ?
And the weakener that "Political compromise is not all that is necessary (not...that are necessary = sufficient) for a good govt"

Studies = Repeated exposure - sometimes MSR for apes, repeated exposure ONLY Social behaviour for the rest.
Again, when I say the studies imply that great apes have a capacity for Self Awareness, unique...
the assumption is 1) SOMETIMES MSR is sufficient for Self Awareness.
2) ONLY SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR (NO MSR) is sufficient to say NOT Self Aware.
therefore MSR is necessary too (contra) of the above.
Therefore MSR is sufficient and necessary.
3) i believe the unique keyword then signifies that there is no other sufficient way for Self Awareness.
I guess it adds to necessity of MSR.

KarishmaB

Tutor

Joined: 16 Oct 2010

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 16,267

Own Kudos:

76,994

[1]

Given Kudos: 482

Location: Pune, India

Expert

Expert reply

Posts: 16,267

Kudos: 76,994

[1]

27 Aug 2020, 22:28

Kudos

Bookmarks

kagrawal16

VeritasKarishma

kagrawal16

Thank you VeritasKarishma for helping

Look at the structure of the first argument:

Premise: A is necessary for B.
Conclusion: A means C.

Do you see the problem? The conclusion need to be derivable from the premises but it is not. C is not even mentioned in the premises so how are we concluding about it? This is a major gap.
The assumption needs to link C with A/B.

Also, who said A is sufficient for B? And also who said A/B is sufficient for C? All these are gaps in our argument. To weaken the argument, we can point out any of these. Our correct option says B is not sufficient for C.

Similarly look at structure of second argument:

A (ape) shows MSR.
'Not A' do not show MSR.

Conclusion: Only A is self aware.

Again, self aware is not even mentioned in the premises though we are concluding it. Then the assumption of the argument would link MSR to self awareness.
We are assuming that MSR is sufficient for self awareness (because A is self aware) and also assuming that MSR is necessary for self awareness (because 'not A' is not self aware or in other words, "only A is self aware))

mSKR

Joined: 14 Aug 2019

Last visit: 10 Mar 2024

Posts: 1,290

Own Kudos:

938

Given Kudos: 381

Location: Hong Kong

Concentration: Strategy, Marketing

Schools: IE (A) IIML-IPMX '22 (A) HKUST '22

GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V29 Verified score

GPA: 3.81

Schools: IE (A) IIML-IPMX '22 (A) HKUST '22

GMAT 1: 650 Q49 V29 Verified score

Posts: 1,290

Kudos: 938

31 Aug 2020, 10:47

Kudos

Bookmarks

link

Quote:

Quote:
Denoma, a major consumer-electronics maker, had a sizeable decline in sales revenue for its most recent fiscal year. This result appears surprising, because electronics retailers report that although their overall sales were considerably lower than in the previous year, their sales revenue from Denoma models actually grew, largely thanks to some innovative and popular models that Denoma introduced.

Which of the following, if true, does most to explain the apparently surprising result?

Need to explain:
1. Had a sizeable decline in sales revenue for its most recent fiscal yea
2. Retailers overall sales were considerably lower than in the previous year
3. Sales revenue from Denoma models actually grew because of new models

Quote:

Quote:
(A) Because of the need to educate the public about its new models’ capabilities, Denoma’s advertising spending was higher than normal over the period.

Explains: 1 (decreased because of advertising)
2: doesn’t explain (why overall revenue fall then?)
3: doesn’t contradict
Reject because it could not explain why overall revenue of retailers fell

Quote:

Quote:
(B) For the period at issue, Denoma’s major competitors reported declines in revenue that were, in percentage terms, greater than Denoma’s.

Doesn’t contradict: 1
Doesn’t contradict: 2
Doesn’t explain: 3 (how revenue from Denoma increase then)
Reject: because it couldn’t explain then why sales of Denoma of new models didn’t increase

Quote:

Quote:

(C) A significant proportion of Denoma’s revenue comes from making components for other consumer-electronics manufacturers.

1. Doesn’t contradict why overall denoma revenue fall then?
2. Doesn’t contradict why overall revenue of retailers fall then?
3. Doesn’t explain how still the revenue from Denoma increased?
Reject: because it couldn’t explain then why sales of Denoma of new models didn’t increase
what's new in this year than previous year. If sales of consumers manufacturers fall then D's revenue also fall.
This option come out to be similar to B

Quote:

Quote:
(D) unlike some of its major competitors, Denoma has no lines of business outside consumer electronics to provide revenue when retail sales of consumer electronics are weak.

1; Explains: Total revenue fall for Denoma because consumer electronics are weak
2; Explains: Overall revenue of retailers fall because retail sales of consumer electronics are weak.
3; doesn’t contradict: in weak sales , their sales revenue from Denoma models grew due to some new models of Denoma.

Quote:

Quote:
(E) During the period, consumer-electronics retailers sold remaining units of Denoma’s superseded models at prices that were deeply discounted from those models’ original prices.

1; doesn’t contradict
2; contradict: why overall revenue fall then? Doesn’t explain
3; explains: revenue from Denoma increase

Reject : it couldn’t explain anything about revenue w.r.t Denoma

Hi VeritasKarishma
i am lost in B ,C and D. Can you please check what's wrong with my reasoning in above explanation so that i can avoid it thereafter.

please suggest

jabhatta2

Joined: 15 Dec 2016

Last visit: 21 Apr 2023

Posts: 1,294

Own Kudos:

317

Given Kudos: 188

Posts: 1,294

Kudos: 317

02 Sep 2020, 13:00

Kudos

Bookmarks

Isaac wears glasses. Isaac also gets A’s in algebra. Therefore, Isaac must be intelligent.

Which of the following assumptions is necessary to support the conclusion above?

a) Isaac gets good grades in all of his math classes.
b) All boys named Isaac are smart.
c) Isaac wouldn’t wear glasses if he wasn’t smart.
d) Some people who get A’s in algebra are smart.
e) Everyone who gets an A in algebra is smart.

Between D and E specifically -- how does one determine which is accurate ?