Some folks who live in the hills belong to the Hatfield clan; others b

Question

Some folks who live in the hills belong to the Hatfield clan; others belong to the McCoy clan. 
No Hatfields can farm.
All McCoys can farm.
Therefore, McCoys are not Hatfields.
Everyone who is not a Hatfield is a horseback rider.

Assume that each one of the above statements is true. Which of the following must be true if it is also true that no Hatfields ride horses.

(A) The only people who can farm are horsebackriding McCoys.

(B) Anyone who does not belong to the McCoy clan belongs to the Hatfield clan.

(C) All horseback riders can farm.

(D) All horseback riders must be McCoys.

(E) All McCoys are horseback riders.

ramlala · Answer

1. Some folks who live in the hills belong to the Hatfield clan; others belong to the McCoy clan. 
2. No Hatfields can farm.
3. All McCoys can farm.
4. Therefore, McCoys are not Hatfields.
5. Everyone who is not a Hatfield is a horseback rider.

Assume that each one of the above statements is true. Which of the following must be true if it is also true that no Hatfields ride horses.

(A) The  only  people who can farm are horsebackriding McCoys.
Violates Condition 3.

(B)  Anyone who  does not belong to the McCoy clan belongs to the Hatfield clan.
Violates condition 1.

(C)  All horseback riders  can farm.
Violates condition 5.

(D) All horseback riders  must be McCoys .
Violates condition 5.

(E) All McCoys are horseback riders.
 In line with condition 5

HoneyLemon · Answer

Some folks who live in the hills belong to the Hatfield clan; others belong to the McCoy clan. 
No Hatfields can farm.
All McCoys can farm.
Therefore, McCoys are not Hatfields.
  Everyone who is not a Hatfield is a horseback rider.  
 
Assume that each one of the above statements is true. Which of the following must be true if it is also true that no Hatfields ride horses.

(A) The only people who can farm are horsebackriding McCoys.

(B) Anyone who does not belong to the McCoy clan belongs to the Hatfield clan.

(C) All horseback riders can farm.

(D) All horseback riders must be McCoys.

(E)   All McCoys are horseback riders.

Option E is correct ..

gmatbalar · Answer

If E is correct, then all McCoys are horseback riders. From prompt, all McCoys can farm. Therefore A should also be correct, shouldn't it?

Please explain why this reasoning might be incorrect.

Thanks!

nedunurianurag · Answer

You have a valid question. Read the option and the stimulus very carefully

Option A says "The  ONLY   People who can farm are horsebackriding McCoys.

However, stimulus says  ALL  McCoys can farm

You are reading it in the sense that since all McCoys are horseback riders and hence it is okay to combine things as in option A and say it as "HORSEBACKRIDING McCoys". But, the word "Only" makes this option, not the best option. It could be true if we did not have option E which can be proven without a doubt.

unraveled · Answer

Conditions:
1. Some folks who live in the hills belong to the Hatfield clan; others belong to the McCoy clan. 
2. No Hatfields can farm.
3. All McCoys can farm.
4. Therefore, McCoys are not Hatfields.
5. Everyone who is not a Hatfield is a horseback rider. 
6. No Hatfields ride horses(from question stem)

Assume that each one of the above statements is true. Which of the following must be true if it is also true that no Hatfields ride horses.

(A) The only people who can farm are  horsebackriding McCoys . - WRONG. This is trap that fell for. 'McCoys' is fine but 'horsebackriding McCoys' is not. 'Only' is still somewhat acceptable for this choice but not without an assumption. For example - There might some other clan other than these two. If there is one then 'only' is not acceptable.

(B)  Anyone  who does not belong to the McCoy clan belongs to the Hatfield clan. - WRONG. Go through point 2, 3 and 4 to understand.

(C)  All  horseback riders can farm. - WRONG. Not necessarily. May be or may not be the case.

(D)  All  horseback riders must be McCoys. - WRONG. From point 5 and 6.

(E) All McCoys are horseback riders. - CORRECT. A and E were the two choices between which i was moving like a pendulum. Should have understood that if D is not true then this must be true. Point 5.

Strategy-wise a point to note in these type of questions:
The options that contradict each other are probably the contenders, if not then we can get rid of the two options.

Answer E.

gmatbalar · Answer

However, the prompt says folks belong either to Hatfield or McCoy, thereby eliminating the possibility of a third clan.

unraveled · Answer

Yes, that's more likely the case and thus I didn't highlight 'only' because it may or may not be important in context. And this is only if someone assumes something as i pointed out in the sentence before that sentence.

dhineshpg · Answer

The only people who can farm are horseback-riding McCoys: This option negates the possibility of farming by the people who are not living in hills and who are not HB riding McCoys. So A is incorrect. Can be visualised with Venn Diagrams bit easily.

Qdiz · Answer

I dont understand why B,C and D arent correct as well. Only way i am seeing for them to be wrong is if we assume that there are people of other clans present as well. But the first line itself says that some are from Hatfield and the others are from McCoy.

Eskstrom · Answer

After spending some time, I finally realized how to crack it. As above answers did not help me, I will try and write down my thinking.

I think the question wants us to validate universal truths that do apply to this specific hill and the rest of the world. The only consistent truth that applies is option (E), others fail in the premise of McCoys, Hatfields and others who don't inhabit that damn hill.

Hope my reasoning is correct and hope this helps.

treeetravel · Answer

I think the only thing to consider here is that there might be other clans along with Hatfield and McCoy. With this consideration, option E is clearly the answer.

Some folks who live in the hills belong to the Hatfield clan; others b

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Some folks who live in the hills belong to the Hatfield clan; others b

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