The design department of a cardboard factory has

Question

The design department of a cardboard factory has a computer-operated machine that makes cuts and prepares fold lines from a standard flat piece of cardboard so that a full-size prototype can be folded and built into three dimensions. Designers constantly use the machine, which is overloaded with pending cut-outs to create, to test their sketches and, as a rule, need to build at least 5 prototypes before having a design authorized for production. To increase the department's efficiency, the factory manager is planning to introduce a rule demanding that the designers build the first three prototypes manually with pens, rulers, and cutter knives.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the reason to expect that the factory manager's plan will succeed?

A. The computer-operated prototype builder needs to be manually fed a new piece of cardboard for every prototype that it prepares although with this help it can make 40 times more prototypes than a designer can in the same amount of time.
 
B. The constant workload placed on the machine leads to an increase in the number of malfunctions it experiences, and repairing it is very expensive.
 
C. Because the factory only purchased the computer-operated machine one year ago, all the designers know how to convert two-dimensional sketches into accurate three-dimensional prototypes manually.

D. Since the last prototype is the most critical in the process, the authorization of the product depending upon it, building it manually would not be as accurate as allowing the machine to prepare the cut-out.
 
E. Instead of checking thoroughly for mistakes, the designers are often hasty in sending their sketches to be created by the machine since doing so requires none of the effort entailed in building a prototype by hand.

SalahT · Answer

IMO answer is E
Only E supports the reduction of unnecessary load on machine when first units prepared by hand, .

AndrewN · Answer

Wow, this one has me pondering my view of The Economist. I agree that the question is poorly phrased, but in addition, the linear logic that is brought to bear in official questions, a logic that A leads to B and so on, is completely absent. If the goal is to increase efficiency, then we need to have some information to lean on that a switch to having designers manually create the first three prototypes will—most reasonably, not necessarily—produce the desired outcome. No answer choice touches on how long it takes any designer to build one prototype, let alone three. (E) also forces us to assume that designers, in their rush to have the machine punch out prototypes, are, in fact, making mistakes, presumably mistakes that the machine then incorporates into the prototypes. But where is there any mention of faulty prototypes in the passage? (I assume that each prototype is at least somewhat different from an earlier one. Perhaps the kinks are ironed out by the fifth one.) The problem, presented in line two, merely indicates that the machine is overloaded. Sure, to ease the burden on the machine, it makes sense to slow its workflow without holding up the design process, but by no means am I convinced that checking thoroughly for mistakes in designs will lead to improved departmental efficiency. (How long does such a check take, even on average?)

This question reinforces the common advice that for Verbal practice, stick to official questions. There may very well be the occasional diamond in the rough, and some companies do a better job than others at imitating official questions, but by the time you find a diamond, you will have fished through a lot of mud, and at least with GMAC™, you know you are getting something you could see on the exam.

Pardon the rant. I wish everyone good luck with their studies, however you choose to go about them.

- Andrew

This question reinforces the common advice that for Verbal practice, stick to official questions. There may very well be the occasional diamond in the rough, and some companies do a better job than others at imitating official questions, but by the time you find a diamond, you will have fished through a lot of mud, and at least with GMAC™, you know you are getting something you could see on the exam.

Pardon the rant. I wish everyone good luck with their studies, however you choose to go about them.

- Andrew

maikikiuu · Answer

Agree with Andrew's comment above. You have to assume something outside the prompt to make option E work.
E.g. you have to assume: efficiency = fast + few mistakes but the prompt does not give any information about the link to mistakes.

Fdambro294 · Answer

I am in complete agreement.

The argument, essentially, is that this “plan” of having the first 3 prototypes created manually will result in increased efficiency. The support provided is that the machine is often overloaded.

To expect this plan to succeed, it would help to show that the designers are able to make these first 3 prototypes in an efficient manner that does not result in errors. What would help is some evidence showing how switching to manually making the first 3 prototypes will lead to a better, more efficient outcome than the outcome that results from the production process currently in place.

(E) tells us how the current method is failing. The designers are hastily sending in sketches because doing so requires none of the effort entailed in building one by hand.

This provides more proof that the current method, which involves overloading the machine, is failing.

But it doesn’t reveal any evidence supporting the idea that having the designers create the first 3 prototypes manually will be any more efficient.

“Instead of checking thoroughly for mistakes, the designers are often hasty in sending their sketches to be created by the machine since doing so require none of the effort entailed in building a prototype by hand.”

So we know WHY the current plan is failing. However, does this necessarily mean that having the designers create the prototypes manually will result in these designers putting in more effort?

Are the designers now going to suddenly take their time? Do the designers normally take their time, but because they can rely on the machine, they are not doing so (what I believe E is meant to convey)?

(C) at least provides us with some evidence , or a “benefit”, of allowing the designers to make the first 3 prototypes by hand. Since the machine is overloaded, taking some pressure off the machine by having the designers make some prototypes might help smooth production if they knew what they were doing. (C) provides that clarification.

Knowing that the designers can make accurate prototypes at least gives us a little more confidence that switching to this new plan will increase efficiency (we’ve removed the overload on the computer).

I believe the point that E is trying to get across is that the machine is making the designers careless and removing this temptation will result in more focused designers. But as  AndrewN  pointed out, there are several “jumps” and assumptions we have to make to get there.

I would go with C on the actual exam. I would pick E knowing what the test prep company was trying to do.

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.

The design department of a cardboard factory has

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

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

The design department of a cardboard factory has

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

My Rewards