The redemption rate for e-mailed coupons

Question

The redemption rate for e-mailed coupons is far lower than that for traditionally distributed paper coupons. One factor is the "digital divide"—those who might benefit the most from using coupons, such as homemakers, the elderly, and those in low-income households, often do not have the knowledge or equipment necessary to go online and receive coupons.

Which of the following, if true, does the most to support the claim that the digital divide is responsible for lower electronic coupon redemption rates?

(A) Computers are available for free in libraries, schools, and community centers.

(B) The redemption rate of ordinary coupons is particularly high among elderly and low income people that do not know how to use computers.

(C) Many homes, including those of elderly and low income people, do not have high-speed internet connections.

(D) More homemakers than elderly people would use computers if they had access to them.

(E) The redemption rate for coupons found on the internet has risen in the last five years.

VeritasPrepBrandon · Accepted Answer

This is a strengthen critical reasoning question. On these first develop a solid understanding of the argument, and then if possible predict what a correct answer choice would look like.

The argument here is:

Premise: Redemption rate of e-mailed coupons is lower than paper coupons
Premise: Those who might benefit the most from using coupons (homemakers, etc) often do not have the knowledge and equipment necessary to go online and receive coupons
Conclusion: The fact that those who might benefit most from using coupons don't have the resources to obtain them (the "digital divide") is one of the factors contributing to a lower rate of redemption for e-mailed coupons than paper coupons.

As for my prediction, I am keeping it vague and looking for some evidence that, if given easier access to these e-mailed coupons, these people would actually be more likely to redeem them.

Answer choice A - This would weaken the argument because it is belittling the idea of the digital divide by showing other resources that these people can use to obtain the coupons. This is a trap answer, because we are trying to strengthen the argument.

Answer choice B - This strengthens the argument and is thus correct. If some of the people discussed in the second premise, the people who would benefit most from using coupons, use an abnormally large amount of ordinary coupons then most likely they would use more e-mailed coupons if they were more readily available.

Answer choice C - The lack of resources has already been covered in the second premise, so this does not strengthen the argument. Repeating a premise will never strengthen or weaken an argument.

Answer choice D - This is out of scope. The difference in usage amongst different members of the group is not important.

Answer choice E - This is out of scope also. The redemption rate of e-coupons now compared to in the past doesn't matter.

I hope this helps!

anant327 · Answer

Please explain how is B correct? How is 'ordinary coupons' in the answer choice = 'emailed coupons' in the question stem? Instead the answer should be C - it says the concerned stakeholders in the question stem actually lack resources.

Someone please find a flaw in my reasoning, so I can learn from my mistake (if I have made any)!!!

Someone please find a flaw in my reasoning, so I can learn from my mistake (if I have made any)!!!

supergprep · Answer

1. Tell yourself in simple terms what you need to strengthen
In this case, you need to strengthen the fact that the digital divide is responsible for lower electronic coupon redemption rates

2. Ask yourself what data you already have about things mentioned in whatever you are strengthening
In this case, 
a. The redemption rate for e-mailed coupons < the redemption rate for traditionally distributed paper coupons. 
b. Proposed reason is "digital divide"- those who might benefit the most from using coupons, such as homemakers, the elderly, and those in low-income households, often do not have the knowledge or equipment necessary to go online and receive coupons.

3. Remember that the correct answer cannot repeat any of the given data points
In this case, option C is a repetition of given data. We already know that there are people who lack internet connection (equipment needed to access the e-coupons)

4. Try to plug in your chosen answers back into the given argument to see if it all fits together
Let's try that with option B and option C here

Option B - The redemption rate for e-mailed coupons is far lower than that for traditionally distributed paper coupons. One factor is the "digital divide"—those who might benefit the most from using coupons, such as homemakers, the elderly, and those in low-income households, often do not have the knowledge or equipment necessary to go online and receive coupons.  The redemption rate of ordinary coupons is particularly high among elderly and low income people that do not know how to use computers. . Hence the claim that the digital divide is responsible for lower electronic coupon redemption rates is true

This makes sense as an argument because we now have an additional data point that the usage of coupons is higher among those people who do not have the means to redeem e-coupons. This explains why there is more redemption of paper coupons

Option C - The redemption rate for e-mailed coupons is far lower than that for traditionally distributed paper coupons. One factor is the "digital divide"—those who might benefit the most from using coupons, such as homemakers, the elderly, and those in low-income households, often do not have the knowledge or equipment necessary to go online and receive coupons.  Many homes, including those of elderly and low income people, do not have high-speed internet connections . Hence the claim that the digital divide is responsible for lower electronic coupon redemption rates is true

Doesn't make sense because we are just repeating the given data

anant327 · Answer

supergprep  I understand the logic in question B. However, B mentions 'ordinary coupons'. Now 'ordinary coupons' may be traditional paper based coupons or it may be electronic coupons.

Hence my question is - How can we assume that the ordinary coupons in the answer stem is electronic coupons?

supergprep · Answer

Ordinary coupons in the answer choice refers to the traditional paper coupons. By pointing out that the usage of these paper coupons is higher among those people who do not have the means to access e-coupons, we can strengthen the fact that the digital divide is the reason for higher redemption rates of traditional (ordinary) coupons. If the same people had access to internet or the necessary equipment, the redemption rates might have been equal or reversed.

Note: If you can check for synonyms of traditional, you'll come across words like "run-of-the-mill", "usual", "normal", "ordinary" etc.

Note: If you can check for synonyms of traditional, you'll come across words like "run-of-the-mill", "usual", "normal", "ordinary" etc.

LoneSurvivor · Answer

Here we need to strengthen the fact that those who can not redeem the coupon are those who can not actually know how to operate a computer. Option B beautifully does that.

The redemption rate for e-mailed coupons is far lower than that for traditionally distributed paper coupons. One factor is the "digital divide"—those who might benefit the most from using coupons, such as homemakers, the elderly, and those in low-income households, often do not have the knowledge or equipment necessary to go online and receive coupons.

Which of the following, if true, does the most to support the claim that the digital divide is responsible for lower electronic coupon redemption rates?

(A) Computers are available for free in libraries, schools, and community centers.

(B)  The redemption rate of ordinary coupons is particularly high among elderly and low income people that do not know how to use computers.

(C) Many homes, including those of elderly and low income people, do not have high-speed internet connections.

(D) More homemakers than elderly people would use computers if they had access to them.

(E) The redemption rate for coupons found on the internet has risen in the last five years.

VerbalBot · Answer

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The redemption rate for e-mailed coupons

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The redemption rate for e-mailed coupons

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