Most people believe that the price of an item is a direct indicator of

Question

Most people believe that the price of an item is a direct indicator of the quality of that item: the more expensive a product is, the better it will work and the longer it will last. They hold this view even when the more expensive products appear to be exactly the same as cheaper alternatives.

Which of the following situations best illustrates the principle stated above?

Which of the following situations best illustrates the principle stated above?

(A) A businessman chooses a new car that is more expensive because he believes that more expensive cars are more reliable. The car he buys has better components than most other cars and is, in fact, more reliable.

(B) A woman purchases more expensive, organic cat food for her cat after she learns that there are artificial colors and pesticides in most dry cat food. She does this even though her veterinarian has indicated that while harmful to cats, artificial colors and pesticides are not likely to be fatal.

(C) A carpenter decides to buy a more expensive cordless drill, even though the less expensive drill has exactly the same features, technical specifications, and components.

(D) A woman chooses to purchase the store brand of most items at the grocery store, because the store brand is cheaper than the name brand and has the same ingredients. However, she does purchase a particular flavor of name brand cookies that are not available in the store brand.

(E) A dentist purchases a new, more expensive piece of equipment for his dental clinic. The old equipment was just as effective and easy for him to use, but the new equipment is more comfortable for patients. Since installing the new equipment, he has seen the number of new patients contacting his clinic increase by 30%.

Funsho84 · Answer

Answer C

The analogy of the new drill having the same specs as a cheaper version fits the argument.

jedit · Answer

(A) A businessman chooses a new car that is more expensive because he believes that more expensive cars are more reliable. The car he buys has better components than most other cars and is, in fact, more reliable.

- Passage suggests expensive products have same features while A suggests expensive cars have more features. Incorrect.

(B) A woman purchases more expensive, organic cat food for her cat after she learns that there are artificial colors and pesticides in most dry cat food. She does this even though her veterinarian has indicated that while harmful to cats, artificial colors and pesticides are not likely to be fatal.

- It gives a rationale for buying lower cost cat food stating that the items deemed undesirable or harmful are actually not. This is sort of a flip take on the original and hence incorrect.

(C) A carpenter decides to buy a more expensive cordless drill, even though the less expensive drill has exactly the same features, technical specifications, and components.

- This is most similar in logic and hence the correct answer.

(D) A woman chooses to purchase the store brand of most items at the grocery store, because the store brand is cheaper than the name brand and has the same ingredients. However, she does purchase a particular flavor of name brand cookies that are not available in the store brand.

- The woman chooses to ignore this bias presented and hence illustrates a case where the principle does not apply. This answer serves as an example against the original observation and hence incorrect.

(E) A dentist purchases a new, more expensive piece of equipment for his dental clinic. The old equipment was just as effective and easy for him to use, but the new equipment is more comfortable for patients. Since installing the new equipment, he has seen the number of new patients contacting his clinic increase by 30%.

- This presents a benefit i.e. patient customer and increased visits from patients and hence does not illustrate the same scenario as the original paragraph. Incorrect.

Abhishek009 · Answer

Must be (C) for the use of similar analogy !!!

GyMrAT · Answer

Question Type: Similar Reasoning

Analysis: Structure of the Argument is,

Preference for buying expensive product, because Higher Price = Higher Quality, even though a product of similar quality/appearance is available at cheaper price.

Only answer choice C is closest to this structure

Answer C.

Thanks,
GyM

jaisonsunny77 · Answer

Most people believe that the price of an item is a direct indicator of the quality of that item: the more expensive a product is, the better it will work and the longer it will last. They hold this view even when the more expensive products appear to be exactly the same as cheaper alternatives.

Which of the following situations best illustrates the principle stated above?

The above passage can be simplified as follows:  Popular belief: More expensive = Better quality, despite appearance of cheap product = appearance of expensive product

Which of the following situations best illustrates the principle stated above?

(A)  A businessman chooses a new car that is more expensive because he believes that more expensive cars are more reliable. The car he buys has better components than most other cars and is, in fact, more reliable.  - States a popular belief but validates that belief. (does the exact opposite of what's happening in the passage). Hence,  eliminate (A)

(B)  A woman purchases more expensive, organic cat food for her cat after she learns that there are artificial colors and pesticides in most dry cat food. She does this even though her veterinarian has indicated that while harmful to cats, artificial colors and pesticides are not likely to be fatal.  - here, a likelihood (of artificial colors not being fatal) is presented, whereas the passage does not present any such likelihood. Hence,  eliminate (B)

(C)  A carpenter decides to buy a more expensive cordless drill, even though the less expensive drill has exactly the same features, technical specifications, and components.   - Here, we have a selection of a more expensive product despite the availability of a cheaper product that has the same features. This structure is nearly identical to what's included in the passage. Hence,   (C) is the right answer choice.

(D)  A woman chooses to purchase the store brand of most items at the grocery store, because the store brand is cheaper than the name brand and has the same ingredients. However, she does purchase a particular flavor of name brand cookies that are not available in the store brand.  - (D) tells us that the woman purchases different kinds of products (which have no mention of pricing). the structure in (D) is completely different to what the passage has. Hence,  eliminate (D)

(E)  A dentist purchases a new, more expensive piece of equipment for his dental clinic. The old equipment was just as effective and easy for him to use, but the new equipment is more comfortable for patients. Since installing the new equipment, he has seen the number of new patients contacting his clinic increase by 30%.   - The dentist has a valid reason why he should use the new (and more expensive) equipment (because his patients find it comfortable). Moreover, the growth in the number of patients that visit his clinic supports the usage of the new equipment. In the passage, no such support is provided. Hence,  eliminate (E)

Adelajne · Answer

(A) A businessman chooses a new car that is more expensive because he believes that more expensive cars are more reliable. The car he buys has better components than most other cars and is, in fact, more reliable.
The business man buys the car that is more reliable but it has BETTER COMPONENTS than most other cars so it not comparing it to another car with the same features but is SUPERIOR to other cars. So, not the same logic as the argument.
(C) A carpenter decides to buy a more expensive cordless drill, even though the less expensive drill has exactly the same features, technical specifications, and components.
The carpenter buys a more expensive car even though another car has the same features but he relates the PRICE with the QUALITY of the product. Correct Answer.

Most people believe that the price of an item is a direct indicator of

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Most people believe that the price of an item is a direct indicator of

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

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