If you have no keyboarding skills at all, you will not be able to use

Question

If you have no keyboarding skills at all, you will not be able to use a computer. And if you are not able to use a computer, you will not be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true?

A. If you have some keyboarding skills, you will be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

B. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have no keyboarding skills.

C. If you are able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have at least some keyboarding skills.

D. If you are able to use a computer, you will probably be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

E. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you are not able to use a computer.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

When you begin reading this stimulus, your first action should be to notice the sufficient condition indicator “if” at the beginning of the first sentence. There is another “if” near the beginning of the second sentence, and the two sentences produce the following conditional relationships, which can be linked together: KS = keyboarding skills, AUC = able to use a computer, WEWP = able to write your essays using a word processing program. Sentence 1: ~KS—>~AUC. Sentence 2: ~AUC—> ~WEWP. Chain: ~KS—>~AUC—>~WEWP. Perhaps the most problematic element of the stimulus is that each term is negated, but as you continue to work with the arrow statements and get more comfortable symbolizing the elements, working with the negated statements will become second nature. Now that we have controlled the elements of the stimulus, we can attack this Must Be True question by looking for the two most likely answers: the chain inference that ~KS—>~WEWP, or the contrapositive of that inference, WEWP—>KS. Of these two, the contrapositive is the more likely correct answer because it requires more steps and thus more work. As we approach the answers, remember to avoid Mistaken Reversals and Mistaken Negations of the individual statements and of the chain inference.

Answer choice (A): This is a Mistaken Negation of the chain inference and is therefore incorrect. The diagram for this answer choice would be: KS—>WEWP.

Answer choice (B): This is a Mistaken Reversal of the chain inference and is therefore incorrect. The diagram for this answer choice would be: WEWP—>KS.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer , and this answer is the contrapositive of the chain inference.

Answer choice (D): This answer is a Mistaken Negation of the second sentence and is therefore incorrect. The diagram for this answer choice is: AUC—>WEWP.

Answer choice (E): This answer is a Mistaken Reversal of the second sentence and is therefore incorrect. The diagram for this answer choice is: ~WEWP—>~AUC.

globaldesi · Answer

Let us say
 A = keyboarding skills
B = able to use a computer
C = write your essays using a word processing program
given
if not A then not B
if not B then not C
so only other valid statements 
if C then B
or if B then A
or if C then A
C fulfills this criteria

If you are able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have at least some keyboarding skills.

eakabuah · Answer

The correct answer is C.

From the information provided, we can form the following valid logical relationships:
no keyboarding skills---->not able to use a computer and able to use computer----->keyboarding skills
not able to use a computer---->not able to write Essays and able to write Essays---->able to use a computer

The following logical chains can be formed:
1=> no keyboarding skills---->not able to use a computer---->not able to write Essays
2=> able to write Essays---->able to use a computer----->keyboarding skills

Examining the answer choices for correct inference based on the two chains above:

A. Keyboarding skills---->able to write Essays. Incorrect. This false reversal of chain 2 above.
B. not able to write Essays---->no Keyboarding Skills. Incorrect. False reversal of the logical relationship in chain 1.
C. Able to write Essays---->Keyboarding Skills. Correct inference as per the logical relationship in chain 2.
D. Able to use a computer--->able to write Essays. Wrong Inference. False reversal of the logical relationship in chain 2.
E. Not able to write Essays--->not able to use a computer. Wrong inference. False reversal of the logical relationship in chain 1.

unraveled · Answer

If you have no keyboarding skills at all, you will not be able to use a computer. And if you are not able to use a computer, you will not be able to write your essays using a word processing program.
If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true?

A. If you have some keyboarding skills, you will be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

B. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have no keyboarding skills.

C. If you are able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have at least some keyboarding skills.

D. If you are able to use a computer, you will probably be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

E. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you are not able to use a computer.

No Keyboarding skills ---> No computer use 
No computer use ----> No essays using word
So, No word skills suggest that you are not able to use computer.

IMO Answer E.

Archit3110 · Answer

IMO C ; 
 If you are able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have at least some keyboarding skills

If you have no keyboarding skills at all, you will not be able to use a computer. And if you are not able to use a computer, you will not be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true?

A. If you have some keyboarding skills, you will be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

B. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have no keyboarding skills.

C. If you are able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have at least some keyboarding skills.

D. If you are able to use a computer, you will probably be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

E. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you are not able to use a computer.

madgmat2019 · Answer

No Keyboarding ➞ can’t use computer ➞ not be able to write your essays using word processing program

A. If you have some keyboarding skills, you will be able to write your essays using a word processing program.......we cannot say that its the only skill enough to write an essay

B. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have no keyboarding skills........we cannot conclude this since thats not the only skill required.

C. If you are able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have at least some keyboarding skills.......since that can be concluded from above flow.....CORRECT

D. If you are able to use a computer, you will probably be able to write your essays using a word processing program.......same as A

E. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you are not able to use a computer......we cannot conclude this...

OA:C

exc4libur · Answer

ARGUMENT
  no skills > no computer > no word OR word > computers > skills

(A) skills > word : word > computers > skills
(B) no word > no skills : no skills > no computer > no word
(D) computer > word : word > computers > skills
(E) no word > no computer : no skills > no computer > no word

Ans (C)  word > skills

chaitralirr · Answer

If you have no keyboarding skills at all, you will not be able to use a computer. And if you are not able to use a computer, you will not be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

Stimulus : No keyboarding skills at all then not be able to use computer and if you are not able to use a computer then will not be able to write essays using a word processing program.

If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true?

A. If you have some keyboarding skills, you will be able to write your essays using a word processing program.  No keyboarding skills at all means some key board skills hence this is a moderate answer and not extreme  correct

B. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have no keyboarding skills.  choice of words are extreme

C. If you are able to write your essays using a word processing program, you have at least some keyboarding skills.  if u are able to write means you can handle computer

D. If you are able to use a computer, you will probably be able to write your essays using a word processing program. the choice does not fit in

E. If you are not able to write your essays using a word processing program, you are not able to use a computer.  the circular reasoning here is incorrect

IMO A

AndrewN · Answer

Hello, everyone. I enjoyed this question, which appeared to me to be a sort of logical syllogism wrapped up in a conditional statement instead. Since different community members have posted on their choice for any of (A), (B), (C), or (E), I thought I would weigh in and hopefully sort out a thing or two for everyone to appreciate.

As others have pointed out, there is a chain of logic that must be followed from A to B to C, the first  condition  to the final  conclusion , in order to set everything straight. We can map out the sequence thus:

Condition A : If you have no keyboarding skills  at all  (my italics)
 Conclusion A : you will not be able to use a computer

Conclusion A/Condition B : if you are not able to use a computer
 Conclusion B : you will not be able to write your essays using a word processing program

Therefore,
 Condition A : If you have no keyboarding skills  at all 
 Conclusion B : you will not be able to write your essays using a word processing program

You can think of each pair as representing events A, B, and C in the above-mentioned chain of logic. At this point, I was anticipating the third pair as an answer choice. But of course, GMAT Club questions tend to push analytical reasoning a bit more than other third-party questions. Anyway, let us jump right in and see why four of the five answers can be  disproved .

Analysis: This conditional statement removes the negation from condition A and jumps straight to a negation of conclusion B. But look at what has gotten lost in the process: the part about being able to use a computer. All we can establish is that possessing  some  keyboarding skills will allow you to use a computer in some capacity (provided you learn how). We cannot automatically assume that keyboarding skills equates to the ability to write essays on a word processing program. What if you did not understand the word processing program that the computer used? Put another way, if I take a link out of the middle of a taut chain, then it is going to be difficult to impossible to join the two end-links without distorting them in some way.  Red light.

Analysis: Now we are going in reverse, jumping from a conditional conclusion B back to a conclusion based on condition A. As before, though, we are missing the link about being able to use a computer. All we can tell from your not being able to write essays using a word processing program, according to the prompt, is that you must not be able to use a computer in some capacity (i.e. to write essays). That is, maybe the computer program is the problem, not your keyboarding skills.  Red light.

Analysis: This conditional statement reverses the negation of conclusion B and also reverses the negation of condition A. I know, for you skeptics out there, you might be thinking,  But we cut out the part about the computer! It's wrong!  Hold your horses. Why is this one different? Because if you take the  original  prompt and apply negation in a similar fashion to this answer choice, you get the following chain of logic:

If you have some keyboarding skills (as opposed to none at all), you will be able to use a computer. And if you are able to use a computer, you will be able to write your essays using a word processing program.

Ergo, if you are able to write your essays  using a word processing program , you  must  possess at least  some  keyboarding skills, per the setup of the problem. (There is nothing about dictation by a computer program or anything.)  Green light.

Analysis: This is a weird one. It negates condition B and introduces a degree of uncertainty in the  probably  of conclusion B. In so doing, it becomes something of a meta-answer. In this strict chain of logic, there is no room for  probably  or  could be , not to mention that just because you can use a computer, you do not automatically take on the ability to write essays using a word processing program. The chain of logic is supposed to connect keyboarding skills to writing essays, not broad computer skills to writing essays.  Red light.

Analysis: Again, we are missing any information about keyboarding skills. Yes, writing essays on a word processing program requires some computer abilities, but this process does not work the same in reverse. It would be akin to saying, perhaps sarcastically,  If it is not raining, then I am not in London  and attempting to create a logically sound conclusion in reverse,  If I am not in London, then it is not raining .  Red light.

I think we would agree that the prompt logically connects keyboarding skills to writing essays, and the computer becomes the missing link because the essays need to be written  using a word processing program , as opposed to, say, a typewriter.

The takeaway:  Be careful about which assumptions you make.  Between that and reading the given information carefully, it can make all the difference between being stuck in the 600s and pushing beyond that 700 threshold.

I hope that helps. If anyone has further questions, I would be happy to offer my two cents. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

Paras96 · Answer

Given the provided information:

"If you have no keyboarding skills at all, you will not be able to use a computer."
"And if you are not able to use a computer, you will not be able to write your essays using a word processing program."
Let's break this down:

Lack of keyboarding skills → Cannot use a computer (from statement 1).
Cannot use a computer → Cannot write essays using a word processing program (from statement 2).
Now, let's analyze the options:

Option (C)  suggests that if you can write essays using a word processing program, you have at least some keyboarding skills. This statement is consistent with the logical progression presented in the original statements:

Can write essays using a word processing program → Can use a computer (implied, as you need a computer for word processing) → Must have at least some keyboarding skills (as you need them to write essays).

VerbalBot · Answer

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If you have no keyboarding skills at all, you will not be able to use

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