Factory Y is greatly dependent upon high-quality water for the natural

Question

Factory Y is greatly dependent upon high-quality water for the natural beverages that it produces. To reduce its dependency on Company Z, a supplier of pure spring water, Factory Y has developed a filtration station which, although awaiting final official approval, can produce high-quality water at a rate high enough to keep all three of its juice manufacturing lines running properly. Once the filtration station is approved, Factory Y will never again be in need of the water supplied by Company Z.

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in order to evaluate the argument?

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in order to evaluate the argument?

A. Does the filtration station have to be approved by Factory Y's management or by a government authority?

B. Is the demand for Factory Y's juice, and consequently the need for additional manufacturing lines, on the rise?

C. Will the profits created by Factory Y, at some point in the future, exceed those created by Company Z ?

D. Is the quality of the water supplied by Company Z higher or lower than that produced by Factory Y's station?

E. Is the water supplied by Company Z also used by the competitors of Factory Y?

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Factory Y is greatly dependent upon high-quality water for the natural beverages that it produces. To reduce its dependency on Company Z, a supplier of pure spring water, Factory Y has developed a filtration station which, although awaiting final official approval, can produce high-quality water at a rate high enough to keep all three of its juice manufacturing lines running properly. Once the filtration station is approved, Factory Y will never again be in need of the water supplied by Company Z.

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in order to evaluate the argument?

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in order to evaluate the argument?

A. Does the filtration station have to be approved by Factory Y's management or by a government authority?

Incorrect.

To solve this Investigation question, first break down the argument. The first two sentences are factual and contain premises. The last sentence is a prediction, or a theory about potential future events (will never again be in need) so we should treat it as the argument's conclusion:

Premise A: to make its product (natural juice), Factory Y needs high-quality water
 +
Premise B: Factory Y built a station that filters water so it wouldn't have to buy it from Z
 +
Premise C: Although it hasn't been approved, the station can make enough water to run Y's 3 manufacturing lines

Conclusion: after the station is approved, Y will never again need to buy water from Z

Vital factor: ?

You are required to find the factor which is most crucial to the author's conclusion. The correct answer is a question which could support or weaken the conclusion depending on its answer.

This question is irrelevant to the argument. The author's conclusion relates to what would happen should the filtration station be approved - it does not say that the station will be approved. Therefore, any information around the approval of this station cannot help us.

B. Is the demand for Factory Y's juice, and consequently the need for additional manufacturing lines, on the rise?

The conclusion is a prediction based on a current situation. If we knew about any changes to this current situation, we could more accurately determine whether the prediction is logical:

If the demand for Factory Y's juice is constant, but not on the rise, then it makes sense that it will never need Company Z's help since it has its own water station. However, if the demand for Factory Y's juice is increasing, then it is likely that it will want to add more manufacturing lines, and need more water than what the station can provide. Consequently, it may need Company Z once again.

C. Will the profits created by Factory Y, at some point in the future, exceed those created by Company Z ?

Incorrect.

To solve this Investigation question, first break down the argument. The first two sentences are factual and contain premises. The last sentence is a prediction, or a theory about potential future events (will never again be in need) so we should treat it as the argument's conclusion:

Premise A: to make its product (natural juice), Factory Y needs high-quality water
 +
Premise B: Factory Y built a station that filters water so it wouldn't have to buy it from Z
 +
Premise C: Although it hasn't been approved, the station can make enough water to run Y's 3 manufacturing lines

Conclusion: after the station is approved, Y will never again need to buy water from Z

Vital factor: ?

You are required to find the factor which is most crucial to the author's conclusion. The correct answer is a question which could support or weaken the conclusion depending on its answer.

Answering this question would not really get us any closer to deciding about the validity of the argument. For all we know, Factory Y's profits could already be higher than Company Z's. Or maybe they have been for the past 30 years, and last year were lower. The conclusion focuses on the dependency of Y on Z, not a financial comparison of these companies.

D. Is the quality of the water supplied by Company Z higher or lower than that produced by Factory Y's station?

Incorrect.

This question would be unnecessary to ask. We are already told in the premises that the water produced by Factory Y is of high-quality. Therefore, it already qualifies for use in the juices. No further testing or comparison of the water is really needed.

E. Is the water supplied by Company Z also used by the competitors of Factory Y?

Incorrect.

This question asks for information that is beyond the scope of the argument. The relationship discussed in the argument is between Y and Z so details about the competitors of Y are beside the point.

kantapong · Answer

C: Once filtration station is approved, Y will never again need Z.
E: Y needs high-quality water, and Z is supplier of pure spring water.
 Filtration station provides enough high-quality water.
LJ: Assume that filtration station is substitute for Z's product.

A. Does the filtration station have to be approved by Factory Y's management or by a government authority?
(Who approves does not bridge the gap => ELIMINATED)
B. Is the demand for Factory Y's juice, and consequently the need for additional manufacturing lines, on the rise?
(Whether demand is on rise does not bridge the gap => ELIMINATED)
C. Will the profits created by Factory Y, at some point in the future, exceed those created by Company Z ?
(Profits does not bridge the gap => ELIMINATED)
D. Is the quality of the water supplied by Company Z higher or lower than that produced by Factory Y's station?
(YES, acc to our assumptions)
E. Is the water supplied by Company Z also used by the competitors of Factory Y? (who uses company Z product does not bridge the gap => ELIMINATED)
Ans: D

mSKR · Answer

Conclusion: Factory Y will never again be in need of the water supplied by Company Z.
What can make sure that Y doesn’t need in future?

A: how does it matter?
B: IF yes, need then conclusion is weakened. 
 If No, then conclusion is strenghtrned
C: How does it matter?
D: higher or lower but the question is Y still plans to use whatever quality is it.
E: how does it matter?

Only B makes sense.

Hence B is the correct answer.

mohammadfaraaz123 · Answer

Factory Y is dependent on high quality water for its various drink products.
Factory Z supplies the high quality water to Y. Y wants to be independent by developing at home filtration station,which is pending approval.

We need an answer choice which if answered as YES says its a good idea and if answered as NO says it's a bad idea.

A. Does the filtration station have to be approved by Factory Y's management or by a government authority?

Irrelevant.    Eliminate

B. Is the demand for Factory Y's juice, and consequently the need for additional manufacturing lines, on the rise?

If the answer is Yes, then it is possible demand might outgrow the supply capacity of the plant. If the answer is no, we can say we might never need Company Z.   Definitely Keep

C. Will the profits created by Factory Y, at some point in the future, exceed those created by Company Z ?

We are not concerned about the profits.   Irrelevant. Eliminate

D. Is the quality of the water supplied by Company Z higher or lower than that produced by Factory Y's station?

In the stem we are told Factory Y's plant can produce the water at high enough quality.   Eliminate

E. Is the water supplied by Company Z also used by the competitors of Factory Y?

We are only concerned about the dependency of Factory Y on Factory Z    Eliminate

Answer choice B is the correct answer imo.

sumitkrocks · Answer

A. Does the filtration station have to be approved by Factory Y's management or by a government authority?
 Irrelevant

B. Is the demand for Factory Y's juice, and consequently the need for additional manufacturing lines, on the rise?

If Yes- It is likely that inhouse produced water would not be enough to meet the rising demand soon.
If No - It is not likely that company Y will depend on company z

correct choice

C. Will the profits created by Factory Y, at some point in the future, exceed those created by Company Z ?
 Profit is out of scope

D. Is the quality of the water supplied by Company Z higher or lower than that produced by Factory Y's station?
 We are already told that water produced is of high quality: Further knowledge about whether quality is better or not compared to quality of water from company Z would be insignificant

E. Is the water supplied by Company Z also used by the competitors of Factory Y?
 Irrelevant

(B)  is the clear answer

GyanaDash · Answer

Hi,

My analysis is as follows:

Suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

asishron29181 · Answer

Conclusion: Once the filtration station is approved, Factory Y will never again be in need of the water supplied by Company Z.

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in order to evaluate the argument?

A. Does the filtration station have to be approved by Factory Y's management or by a government authority? - Irrelevant

B. Is the demand for Factory Y's juice, and consequently the need for additional manufacturing lines, on the rise?  - Correct. 
If yes, then Factory Y might need Factory Z water supply in future.
If no, then Factory Y will not depend on Factory Z.

C. Will the profits created by Factory Y, at some point in the future, exceed those created by Company Z ? - Out of scope. Incorrect

D. Is the quality of the water supplied by Company Z higher or lower than that produced by Factory Y's station?
Comparison of quality is not the issue over here. Incorrect

E. Is the water supplied by Company Z also used by the competitors of Factory Y? - Irrelevant. We are not concerned about the competitors of Factory Y.

IMO B

HarshaBujji · Answer

Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in order to  evaluate the argument ?

A.  Does the filtration station have to be approved by Factory Y's management or by a government authority?  The conclusion is if it's approved. Hence this option can be eliminated

B.  Is the demand for Factory Y's juice, and consequently the need for additional manufacturing lines, on the rise?  Inline with pre-thinking

C.  Will the profits created by Factory Y, at some point in the future, exceed those created by Company Z ?  OFS

D.  Is the quality of the water supplied by Company Z higher or lower than that produced by Factory Y's station?  OFS

E.  Is the water supplied by Company Z also used by the competitors of Factory Y?  Irrelavant

Question Type :Evaluate

P1 :Y is dependent on Z's water supply for beverage manufacturing.
P2 :Y is going to start a new plan that can fulfill the current demand/manufacturing line.

Conc : Once the filtration station is approved, Factory Y will  never again  be in need of the water supplied by Company Z

Observe the highlighted portion, Y's station capacity could only fulfill current demand, How are we saying it doesn't require at all, Wont' they expand??

Just by this pre-thinking we can pick the correct choice.  IMO B

IanStewart · Answer

The argument concludes Factory Y will  never again  need water from Company Z, but it bases that conclusion only on the situation  now . It's predicting the future without accounting for what might change in the future. We might need to know about what might happen to Y's water requirements in the future, so answer B seems the only reasonable choice here.

But I don't really like B either. If Y will use this water filtration system rather than buy water from Z, the filtration system must be cheap enough that Y can still run its business. If Y really doesn't want to depend on Z, as the stem tells us, then if demand for Y's product increases, why wouldn't Y just build a larger filtration station?

I feel like this might be modeled after an official question (in outline, it seems familiar) but I'd be sure that a similar official problem would be more logically airtight. I'd add that D isn't the right answer here, because we know as a premise that the filtration system produces "high-quality water", and that's all Y needs. We don't need to know if the water is higher or lower quality than the water Z supplies.

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.

Factory Y is greatly dependent upon high-quality water for the natural

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

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

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Factory Y is greatly dependent upon high-quality water for the natural

Prep Toolkit

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

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia