Purchasers of laptop computers generally do not use them often enough

Question

Purchasers of laptop computers generally do not use them often enough to justify the cost. Presumably, laptop computers are more expensive than desktop computers due to the laptop computers’ portability. However, one survey showed that only 22% of laptop computer owners had used them outside the home in the past 30 days.

The conclusion that purchasers of laptop computers do not use them often enough to justify the cost is most called into question by which of the following?

(A) Some laptop computer owners do not like to take their laptops to school or work out of fear that the computers will be damaged or stolen.

(B) Laptop computer owners sometimes overestimate how often they use their laptops outside the home.

(C) Laptop computer owners often use their laptop computers in different locations around their own homes.

(D) Laptop computer owners usually prefer to purchase computers that have wireless Internet capability, so the computers are more mobile.

(E) Laptop computer owners who use their laptop computers outside the home tend to do so at least three times per week

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DhruvBadaya · Answer

We have to prove that laptop owners use laptops enough to justify the cost. Let us start eliminating.

(A) Some laptop computer owners do not like to take their laptops to school or work out of fear that the computers will be damaged or stolen.  This does not prove anything. ELIMINATED.

(B) Laptop computer owners sometimes overestimate how often they use their laptops outside the home.  This does not prove our statement. ELIMINATED.

(C) Laptop computer owners often use their laptop computers in different locations around their own homes.  This can be done only on laptops and not desktop computers. Hence, it supports our statements. NOT ELIMINATED.

(D) Laptop computer owners usually prefer to purchase computers that have wireless Internet capability, so the computers are more mobile.
  This is irrelevant to our statement. ELIMINATED.

(E) Laptop computer owners who use their laptop computers outside the home tend to do so at least three times per week  We know that only 22% people use laptops. Now, if they use it for all seven days or for 3 days, it would not increase the percent of population of people using laptop outside of home. ELIMINATED.

This leaves only one statement that is not eliminated.  STATEMENT (C)  and hence that is our answer.

Shubhradeep · Answer

Option C

The question clearly asks to choose an option that  challenges that purchasers of laptop computers do not use them often enough to justify the cost

Let's analyze the options:
A. Some laptop computer owners do not like to take their laptops to school or work out of fear that the computers will be damaged or stolen -    They do not carry their laptops outside does not say that they don't use them much

B. Laptop computer owners sometimes overestimate how often they use their laptops outside the home -    so what. They may overestimate or underestimate their usage. How does that prove how much they really are using them

C. Laptop computer owners often use their laptop computers in different locations around their own homes - They use their laptops inside their home but in different locations.    The survey said that only 22% of laptop computer owners had used them outside the home in the past 30 days. This might not really prove that the users use their laptops less inside home. So we sha;ll keep this

D. Laptop computer owners usually prefer to purchase computers that have wireless Internet capability, so the computers are more mobile -    This does not mean thet even after having easy access to internet users will use laptops more. Out

E. Laptop computer owners who use their laptop computers outside the home tend to do so at least three times per week -    This is vague again. Proves absolutely nothing

Hence, our best option is C

Bunuel · Answer

Official Explanation

(C) If people are willing to pay more for laptop computers for the convenience of being able to use them throughout the house, the conclusion that the computers’ portability is not utilized often enough to justify the cost is weakened.

(A) is incorrect. It provides some justification for why people might not take their laptops out in public, but does nothing to weaken the conclusion about under-used portability.

(B) is incorrect. If laptop owners are overestimating how often they take their laptops out in public, the conclusion that few people are using their computer's portability often enough to justify the cost is actually strengthened.

(D) is incorrect. It reinforces the portability of the machines, but does not address the conclusion that the portability is under-used.

(E) is incorrect. It only discusses the 22% who are using their laptops often enough that the author considers the cost to be justified; it does not weaken the conclusion about the other 78%.

TAKEAWAY: Remember that the correct answer to a Weaken question does not have to disprove the argument, only make the conclusion less likely to follow the evidence. Here, the author assumes a restricted meaning of the word "portability," and the correct choice identifies that assumption by suggesting a broader meaning of the term.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Purchasers of laptop computers generally do not use them often enough

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Purchasers of laptop computers generally do not use them often enough

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