Water monitoring systems used to test stream water : Critical Reasoning (CR)

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25 Apr 2018, 05:08

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souvik101990

GST Week 3 Day 1 EMPOWERgmat Question 2

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Water monitoring systems used to test stream water for pollutants in Dinsdale County have been found to be less effective than had been hoped. To remedy this situation, the county commissioner has issued a directive that requires any town in Dinsdale County that wants to monitor its streams to use a new system that provides more accurate information.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly indicates that the county commissioner's directive will fail to achieve the desired results?

A. The cost of the new monitoring system is more than can be afforded by almost all the towns within Dinsdale County.

B. The new monitoring system is only about 15% more accurate than the old one.

C. The pollution in the streams in Dinsdale County has significantly decreased since the monitoring system was put in place three years ago.

D. Because of water runoff from several large factories, Dinsdale County has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state.

E. Replacing the old monitoring system requires positioning the new monitors in areas that are closer to parks.

IMO Option (A) is correct. Please find my comments in-line below:

A. The cost of the new monitoring system is more than can be afforded by almost all the towns within Dinsdale County. Possible solution if the towns cannot afford the new system - they will never benefit from the new directive.

B. The new monitoring system is only about 15% more accurate than the old one. Maybe 15% is all it takes to detect the pollutants they want to detect, vague and not compelling enough

C. The pollution in the streams in Dinsdale County has significantly decreased since the monitoring system was put in place three years ago. Possible answer : lower the pollution harder it is to detect - if the pollution levels have significantly reduced since systems were put in place - this could be why the old systems are proving to be ineffective. However, we do not know if the new systems were suggested in directive recently or before the pollution level fell - so as to be able to tell if the new systems can detect lower pollution levels or not!

D. Because of water runoff from several large factories, Dinsdale County has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state. Unrelated. More pollution has got nothing to do with newer systems failing.

E. Replacing the old monitoring system requires positioning the new monitors in areas that are closer to parks. Vague and unrelated to failure of new systems

We have two candidates - A & C

A seems to be stronger reason for the directive to fail as most towns will not be able to afford the new system and hence pollution detection will not improve.

Hence Option (A) is our answer.

Best,
Gladi

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25 Apr 2018, 05:21

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Quote:

Water monitoring systems used to test stream water for pollutants in Dinsdale County have been found to be less effective than had been hoped. To remedy this situation, the county commissioner has issued a directive that requires any town in Dinsdale County that wants to monitor its streams to use a new system that provides more accurate information.

What is desired result that country commissioner (CC) wants to achieve:
To improve effectiveness of water monitoring system to test stream water for pollutants.

How does he plan to do this:
By issuing a directive that any town in DC shall need to provide more accurate information about
its streams so that water monitoring system's effectiveness can be improved.

It is similar to knowing symptoms of cold and flue by physician to name the exact disease
after diagnosis.

Quote:

Which of the following, if true, most strongly indicates that the county commissioner's directive will fail to achieve the desired results?

I need to find the choice that will not help achieve desired results for CC

Quote:

A. The cost of the new monitoring system is more than can be afforded by almost all the towns within Dinsdale County.

Cost as a function of effectiveness is not the agenda of the argument.

Quote:

B. The new monitoring system is only about 15% more accurate than the old one.

So what , at least new systems are marginally more effective, then why would plan fail?

Quote:

C. The pollution in the streams in Dinsdale County has significantly decreased since the monitoring system was put in place three years ago.

But why would this fail to see the results of implementation of plan.

Quote:

D. Because of water runoff from several large factories, Dinsdale County has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state.

Correct, now even if people give accurate results, because of alternate cause (highlighted portion) the plan might fail to achieve its intended results.

Quote:

E. Replacing the old monitoring system requires positioning the new monitors in areas that are closer to parks.

Where the systems are located and how this will influence is not relevant to argument.

EMPOWERgmatRichC please share your inputs.

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25 Apr 2018, 06:59

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Confused between A and C

GMATNinja please help

souvik101990

GST Week 3 Day 1 EMPOWERgmat Question 2

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Water monitoring systems used to test stream water for pollutants in Dinsdale County have been found to be less effective than had been hoped. To remedy this situation, the county commissioner has issued a directive that requires any town in Dinsdale County that wants to monitor its streams to use a new system that provides more accurate information.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly indicates that the county commissioner's directive will fail to achieve the desired results?

A. The cost of the new monitoring system is more than can be afforded by almost all the towns within Dinsdale County.

B. The new monitoring system is only about 15% more accurate than the old one.

C. The pollution in the streams in Dinsdale County has significantly decreased since the monitoring system was put in place three years ago.

D. Because of water runoff from several large factories, Dinsdale County has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state.

E. Replacing the old monitoring system requires positioning the new monitors in areas that are closer to parks.

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25 Apr 2018, 07:40

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Correct Answer- A

WMS (Water monitoring systems) is not effective in testing the water for pollutants.So, CC(county commissioner) issued a directive to use new system that provides accurate information.

we need to show that the plan won't get the desired results.

Pre-thinking- What if the new system was same in effectiveness. or what if the town can't afford the new system or what if the streams are so polluted that no system can provide the accurate information.

A. The cost of the new monitoring system is more than can be afforded by almost all the towns within Dinsdale County.
Inline with our Pre-thinking...Correct Answer

B. The new monitoring system is only about 15% more accurate than the old one.
Even if the new system is 15% effective ,that means the desired result is achieved.Strengthening.

C. The pollution in the streams in Dinsdale County has significantly decreased since the monitoring system was put in place three years ago.
Pollution has significantly decreased but still there are pollutants in the stream. Tells us about the effectiveness of old system but nothing about the new. Rule out

D. Because of water runoff from several large factories, Dinsdale County has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state.
Fine, DC has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state. So what? Irrelevant

E. Replacing the old monitoring system requires positioning the new monitors in areas that are closer to parks. Irrelevant

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25 Apr 2018, 08:32

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In my opinion, the correct answer is A.

We need to find an answer choice that will WEAKEN the county commissioner plan of using a NEW system that can provide more accurate information as compared to what is available today with the present system.

It is important to note that in order to Weaken, we do NOT always have to pick an answer choice that destroys the argument 100%. Even if, the possibility of a plan is weaken, even if slightly, then that answer choice is also a good choice.

Let us talk about the answer choices one by one -

1) The cost of the new monitoring system is more than can be afforded by almost all the towns within Dinsdale County. - If this choice is true, the possibility of using a NEW system becomes less likely and thus, making it a strong case for not going for it and thus, the commissioner's desired plan will seem less likely to be successful.

2) The new monitoring system is only about 15% more accurate than the old one. - Even a small improvement in accuracy is STILL an improvement. This answer choice strengthens the argument and not weakens it. Eliminate.

3) The pollution in the streams in Dinsdale County has significantly decreased since the monitoring system was put in place three years ago. - This is interesting. We are talking about the CURRENT system in this choice BUT this choice is no ways guarantees anything about the new system. Moreover, how much is significant ? There may be a possibility that the plan was looking for a 90% decrease in the current level using the current system and was able to achieve only 80%. The decrease is STILL significant but not as desired. We can eliminate this answer choice.

4) Because of water runoff from several large factories, Dinsdale County has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state. - This answer choice seems to be a plain fact and does nothing to address the issue at hand. Eliminate.

5) Replacing the old monitoring system requires positioning the new monitors in areas that are closer to parks. - Same as above answer choice, this answer choice seems to be a plain fact and does nothing to address the issue at hand. Eliminate.

Hope the information helps. Thank you!

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25 Apr 2018, 09:09

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Ans. A

Conclusion: new system which is more accurate will remedy the situation
Premise: the current system isn't accurate

Pre thinking: need an answer that will show that they won't be able to see the desired results

B. Contender

C. Irrelevant

D. out of scope

E. has no impact on the conclusion

A wins over B because they're trying to improve the accuracy not aiming at absolute accuracy so 15% increase in accuracy is also good...so that kind of makes B the strengthener

Therefore through poe A

On a side note I felt there's some ambiguity with the stem because it says " to remedy this" so what are they trying to remedy? The fact that the system isn't accurate or the water pollution in Dindsale, but the answer choices cleared my confusion.

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25 Apr 2018, 09:59

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souvik101990

GST Week 3 Day 1 EMPOWERgmat Question 2

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Water monitoring systems used to test stream water for pollutants in Dinsdale County have been found to be less effective than had been hoped. To remedy this situation, the county commissioner has issued a directive that requires any town in Dinsdale County that wants to monitor its streams to use a new system that provides more accurate information.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly indicates that the county commissioner's directive will fail to achieve the desired results?

A. The cost of the new monitoring system is more than can be afforded by almost all the towns within Dinsdale County. - Correct. Yes commissioner we want to install the new monitoring system but you know what neither us nor any town in Dinsdale can afford it.

B. The new monitoring system is only about 15% more accurate than the old one. - Incorrect. We already know that its better than old one.

C. The pollution in the streams in Dinsdale County has significantly decreased since the monitoring system was put in place three years ago. - Incorrect. Ok, that is why we are using the new system.

D. Because of water runoff from several large factories, Dinsdale County has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state. - Incorrect. That is why the commissioner has given the directive.

E. Replacing the old monitoring system requires positioning the new monitors in areas that are closer to parks. - Incorrect. Doesn't matter where it is place it will still give more accurate information.

Answer: (A).

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25 Apr 2018, 21:12

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Conclusion: Require monitor stream -> use a new system
Stem: Weaken the conclusion (fail to achieve desired results)
-> Prethink: There will a be reason that makes town cannot achieve results

A. The cost of the new monitoring system is more than can be afforded by almost all the towns within Dinsdale County.
-> Can not afford -> can not use new system to monitor stream -> fail to achieve
-> Correct
B. The new monitoring system is only about 15% more accurate than the old one.
-> not relevant with the accuracy of new monitor
C. The pollution in the streams in Dinsdale County has significantly decreased since the monitoring system was put in place three years ago.
-> not relevant with the pollution in Dinsdale
D. Because of water runoff from several large factories, Dinsdale County has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state.
-> not relevant information with other county
E. Replacing the old monitoring system requires positioning the new monitors in areas that are closer to parks.
-> not relevant with the parks

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26 Apr 2018, 04:23

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for me, problem of question is that it is difficult to conceive what "the desired results" are.
If it is getting more accurate information, answer A is out of scope.
If it is providing clear water, then A is good

Not good question

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30 Apr 2018, 03:01

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Water monitoring systems used to test stream water for pollutants in Dinsdale County have been found to be less effective than had been hoped. To remedy this situation, the county commissioner has issued a directive that requires any town in Dinsdale County that wants to monitor its streams to use a new system that provides more accurate information.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly indicates that the county commissioner's directive will fail to achieve the desired results?

A. The cost of the new monitoring system is more than can be afforded by almost all the towns within Dinsdale County.- CORRECT as the cost of new system is high and not affordable for all town people so the viability of new system successful implementation is at stake

B. The new monitoring system is only about 15% more accurate than the old one. - This answer choice strengthens the argument instead of weakening

C. The pollution in the streams in Dinsdale County has significantly decreased since the monitoring system was put in place three years ago.- INCORRECT This answer choice states that pollution has decreases significantly post implementation of existing system. But here we do not know by what % is the improvement level. It cannot be quantified. There is a possibility that the benchmark set for improvement was higher and the significant improvement achieved is lower than the set standard. Hence this answer choice can be eliminated

D. Because of water runoff from several large factories, Dinsdale County has more pollution in its streams than any other county in the state.- Irrelevant as it does not resolves the current issue of whether new system should be implemented or not

E. Replacing the old monitoring system requires positioning the new monitors in areas that are closer to parks.- Out of Scope. Even if there is requirement of positioning of new monitors it does not addresses the fact about using new or keeping intact old system for reducing pollutants

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Gladiator59 - You got it! I have activated your GMAT Club tests

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Gladiator59 - You got it! I have activated your GMAT Club tests

Yay. Thank you souvik101990 !

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09 May 2018, 17:54

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Here's the Official Explanation:

Question Type: Weaken
BID (Boil It Down): The new monitoring system will work better and can be properly implemented

Goal: Destroy the underlying reasoning Undercut the county commissioner’s directive (the new system does not work better, or can not be readily implemented)

Choice A is correct. If the new monitoring system is not affordable, then no monitoring will take place, leading to a worse situation than before, when the older (imperfect) system was used. The desired result – better monitoring – will not be achieved, weakening the commissioner’s conclusion.

Choice B tells us that the new system is not an enormous improvement, but it still is an improvement, so this will not hurt the commissioner’s argument. It strengthens it.

Choice C gives us background information that does not directly impact the argument. The water situation might have improved because of the old monitoring situation (or not), but that has no bearing on whether the new system will lead to a superior outcome.

Choice D provides an irrelevant comparison. This comparison does not affect the commissioner’s conclusion at all.

Choice E gives us some information about the two systems, but this particular fact – the new monitors will be closer to parks – does not directly weaken the conclusion. Will the new positions lead to less accurate monitoring? Maybe, maybe not.

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I don't find this to be a particularly good question. The stem says To remedy this situation, the county commissioner has issued a directive that requires any town in Dinsdale County that WANTS TO monitor

Even if counties can't afford to, it doesn't matter because if they don't want to, A is irrelevant

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Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

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