Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Apr 2308:00 PM PDT
-09:00 PM PDT
Video explanations + diagnosis of 10 weakest areas + 150+ short videos + study plan!
Apr 2301:30 AM EDT
-02:30 AM EDT
Struggling with GMAT Verbal as a non-native speaker? Harsh improved his score from 595 to 695 in just 45 days—and scored a 99 %ile in Verbal (V88)! Learn how smart strategy, clarity, and guided prep helped him gain 100 points.
Apr 2512:30 AM EDT
-01:30 AM EDT
At one point, she believed GMAT wasn’t for her. After scoring 595, self-doubt crept in and she questioned her potential. But instead of quitting, she made the right strategic changes. The result? A remarkable comeback to 695. Check out how Saakshi did it.
Apr 2610:00 AM EDT
-11:00 AM EDT
The Target Test Prep course represents a quantum leap forward in GMAT preparation, a radical reinterpretation of the way that students should study. Try before you buy with a 5-day, full-access trial of the course for FREE!
Apr 2711:00 AM EDT
-12:00 PM EDT
Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors
Apr 2808:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
Whether you are just beginning your MBA journey or fine-tuning your path to a 700+ score, GMAT Day is designed to give you a competitive edge.
01 Oct 2023, 01:23
Kudos
Bookmarks
D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
45%
(medium)
Question Stats:
67% (01:32) correct
33%
(01:41)
wrong
based on 442
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Current evidence indicates that there is no methane on Planet 253. If that is the case, it is certain that there is no life on Planet 253. Since microbes always produce methane, if there is no methane then there are no microbes.
The conclusion drawn above follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?
(A) There is, in fact, no methane on Planet 253.
(B) If methane exists on Planet 253 then we would be able to detect its presence.
(C) If there is no methane currently on Planet 253 then there has never been methane on Planet 253.
(D) If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253.
(E) If there is methane on Planet 253 then there must be life on Planet 253.
The conclusion drawn above follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?
(A) There is, in fact, no methane on Planet 253.
(B) If methane exists on Planet 253 then we would be able to detect its presence.
(C) If there is no methane currently on Planet 253 then there has never been methane on Planet 253.
(D) If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253.
(E) If there is methane on Planet 253 then there must be life on Planet 253.
11 Oct 2023, 11:00
Kudos
Bookmarks
The conclusion of the argument is the following:
If that (there is no methane on Planet 253) is the case, it is certain that there is no life on Planet 253.
The support for the conclusion is the following premise:
Since microbes always produce methane, if there is no methane then there are no microbes.
There is also some background information:
The correct answer will be an assumption that connects the supporting premise to the conclusion so that the conclusion follows logically from the support.
(A) There is, in fact, no methane on Planet 253.
Notice that the conclusion is "IF that (there is no methane on Planet 253) is the case, it is certain that there is no life on Planet 253."
So, the author is not claiming that there is no life on Planet 253.
Rather, the author is acknowledging that it is possible that there is methane, and life, on Planet 253 while at the same time stating a conclusion about what's certain IF there is no methane.
So, the argument does not require the assumption that "There is, in fact, no methane on Planet 253."
Eliminate.
(B) If methane exists on Planet 253 then we would be able to detect its presence.
Notice that the conclusion is "IF that (there is no methane on Planet 253) is the case, it is certain that there is no life on Planet 253."
So, the author is not claiming that there is no methane on Planet 253.
Rather, the author is acknowledging that it is possible that there is methane on Planet 253 while at the same time stating a conclusion about what's certain IF there is no methane.
In fact, the statement in the passage "Current evidence indicates that there is no methane on Planet 253," is just background information. The author does not use that statement to support the conclusion. Rather, the only support for the conclusion is "Since microbes always produce methane, if there is no methane then there are no microbes."
So, the argument does not require the assumption that "If methane exists on Planet 253 then we would be able to detect its presence," since the argument is not based on the evidence that no methane has been detected.
Eliminate.
(C) If there is no methane currently on Planet 253 then there has never been methane on Planet 253.
The argument is about what is the case if there is no methane on Planet 253 now. The argument doesn't require that there has never been methane on Planet 253 in the past to arrive at its conclusion about life on Planet 253 in the present.
Eliminate.
(D) If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253.
We have seen that the support for the conclusion is the following:
Then, the conclusion is the following:
Notice that the argument jumps from "no microbes" in the support to "no life" in the conclusion."
In order to make that jump, the argument requires the assumption that, as this choice says, "If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253."
So, this choice is required for the conclusion to follow logically from the support.
Keep.
(E) If there is methane on Planet 253 then there must be life on Planet 253.
The reasoning of the argument is that, since living things produce methane, if there is no methane on Planet 253, there must be no living things.
That reasoning does not require the reverse to be true, that if there is methane, there must be living things.
After all, the fact that living things produce methane does not mean that there is no other possible source of methane. Methane may be produced in other ways as well.
Eliminate.
Correct Answer
If that (there is no methane on Planet 253) is the case, it is certain that there is no life on Planet 253.
The support for the conclusion is the following premise:
Since microbes always produce methane, if there is no methane then there are no microbes.
There is also some background information:
- Current evidence indicates that there is no methane on Planet 253.
The correct answer will be an assumption that connects the supporting premise to the conclusion so that the conclusion follows logically from the support.
(A) There is, in fact, no methane on Planet 253.
Notice that the conclusion is "IF that (there is no methane on Planet 253) is the case, it is certain that there is no life on Planet 253."
So, the author is not claiming that there is no life on Planet 253.
Rather, the author is acknowledging that it is possible that there is methane, and life, on Planet 253 while at the same time stating a conclusion about what's certain IF there is no methane.
So, the argument does not require the assumption that "There is, in fact, no methane on Planet 253."
Eliminate.
(B) If methane exists on Planet 253 then we would be able to detect its presence.
Notice that the conclusion is "IF that (there is no methane on Planet 253) is the case, it is certain that there is no life on Planet 253."
So, the author is not claiming that there is no methane on Planet 253.
Rather, the author is acknowledging that it is possible that there is methane on Planet 253 while at the same time stating a conclusion about what's certain IF there is no methane.
In fact, the statement in the passage "Current evidence indicates that there is no methane on Planet 253," is just background information. The author does not use that statement to support the conclusion. Rather, the only support for the conclusion is "Since microbes always produce methane, if there is no methane then there are no microbes."
So, the argument does not require the assumption that "If methane exists on Planet 253 then we would be able to detect its presence," since the argument is not based on the evidence that no methane has been detected.
Eliminate.
(C) If there is no methane currently on Planet 253 then there has never been methane on Planet 253.
The argument is about what is the case if there is no methane on Planet 253 now. The argument doesn't require that there has never been methane on Planet 253 in the past to arrive at its conclusion about life on Planet 253 in the present.
Eliminate.
(D) If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253.
We have seen that the support for the conclusion is the following:
- Since microbes always produce methane, if there is no methane then there are no microbes.
Then, the conclusion is the following:
- If that is the case, it is certain that there is no life on Planet 253.
Notice that the argument jumps from "no microbes" in the support to "no life" in the conclusion."
In order to make that jump, the argument requires the assumption that, as this choice says, "If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253."
So, this choice is required for the conclusion to follow logically from the support.
Keep.
(E) If there is methane on Planet 253 then there must be life on Planet 253.
The reasoning of the argument is that, since living things produce methane, if there is no methane on Planet 253, there must be no living things.
That reasoning does not require the reverse to be true, that if there is methane, there must be living things.
After all, the fact that living things produce methane does not mean that there is no other possible source of methane. Methane may be produced in other ways as well.
Eliminate.
Correct Answer
11 Aug 2024, 06:22
Kudos
Bookmarks
The argument presented states that if there is no methane on Planet 253, then it is certain that there is no life on the planet because microbes, which produce methane, would not exist there.
To determine which assumption makes this argument logically valid, let's break down the reasoning:
Premise: Microbes always produce methane.
Premise: If there is no methane, then there are no microbes.
Conclusion: If there are no microbes, then there is no life on Planet 253.
Now, for the conclusion to logically follow from the premises, we need an assumption that links the absence of microbes directly to the absence of life.
Let's examine the answer choices:
(A) There is, in fact, no methane on Planet 253.
This choice restates a condition but does not help connect microbes directly to the absence of life. This is not the required assumption.
(B) If methane exists on Planet 253 then we would be able to detect its presence.
This choice is about the detectability of methane, which does not impact the logic of the conclusion. This is not the required assumption.
(C) If there is no methane currently on Planet 253 then there has never been methane on Planet 253.
This choice is about the history of methane on the planet, which is irrelevant to the conclusion about life on the planet. This is not the required assumption.
(D) If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253.
This choice directly links the absence of microbes (which produce methane) to the absence of life. This is the necessary assumption to make the argument valid.
(E) If there is methane on Planet 253 then there must be life on Planet 253.
This choice talks about the presence of methane implying life but does not address the scenario where methane is absent. This is not the required assumption.
Correct Answer: (D) If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253.
This assumption is necessary for the conclusion to follow logically from the premises.
Posted from my mobile device
To determine which assumption makes this argument logically valid, let's break down the reasoning:
Premise: Microbes always produce methane.
Premise: If there is no methane, then there are no microbes.
Conclusion: If there are no microbes, then there is no life on Planet 253.
Now, for the conclusion to logically follow from the premises, we need an assumption that links the absence of microbes directly to the absence of life.
Let's examine the answer choices:
(A) There is, in fact, no methane on Planet 253.
This choice restates a condition but does not help connect microbes directly to the absence of life. This is not the required assumption.
(B) If methane exists on Planet 253 then we would be able to detect its presence.
This choice is about the detectability of methane, which does not impact the logic of the conclusion. This is not the required assumption.
(C) If there is no methane currently on Planet 253 then there has never been methane on Planet 253.
This choice is about the history of methane on the planet, which is irrelevant to the conclusion about life on the planet. This is not the required assumption.
(D) If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253.
This choice directly links the absence of microbes (which produce methane) to the absence of life. This is the necessary assumption to make the argument valid.
(E) If there is methane on Planet 253 then there must be life on Planet 253.
This choice talks about the presence of methane implying life but does not address the scenario where methane is absent. This is not the required assumption.
Correct Answer: (D) If there are no microbes on Planet 253 then there is no life on Planet 253.
This assumption is necessary for the conclusion to follow logically from the premises.
Posted from my mobile device
