Bridge repair

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Bridge repair

by chetan86 » Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:20 am
Governor: The bridge that spans the Brookline and Kings boroughs is in desperate need of repair with estimates in the range of $30 million. Over one million vehicles cross the bridge each day. Therefore, if the city charges a mere $1 dollar toll for crossing the bridge, we will be able to raise enough funds to make repairs to the bridge within a month.

Which of the following is an assumption upon which the governor's argument depends?

(A) The bridge, if not repaired, will likely collapse, causing the deaths of many people.
(B) The toll will not cause a significant hardship on the commuters that use the bridge.
(C) The toll will not induce some commuters to use mass transit when traveling between the two boroughs.
(D) After the repairs to the bridge are complete, it is estimated that the bridge will be able to handle 20% more traffic.
(E)Most of the residents in Brookline and Kings use the bridge to commute to work each day.


Source: Veritas prep
OA : C
Why B is not the correct answer?

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by ceilidh.erickson » Mon Jul 07, 2014 12:17 pm
Whenever an argument makes predictions about the future, we should ask ourselves:
- will it definitely turn out that way?
- what might cause it NOT to turn out that way?
- if we're given a cause/effect relationship, could that cause have a different effect?
- if we're given information about human behavior, could people change that behavior?

In this case, charging people $1 to cross the bridge will result in one million dollars a day, and $30 million in a month... unless something changes. If people change their behavior because of the toll and stop using the bridge, then the city will not raise the required amount.

(A) The bridge, if not repaired, will likely collapse, causing the deaths of many people.
This helps to explain why we want to repair the bridge, but not what's MISSING from the argument. Incorrect.

(B) The toll will not cause a significant hardship on the commuters that use the bridge.
"Hardship" is a vague term here. If you interpret that to mean that hardship --> change in behavior, then you were adding your own assumption. Whether this creates hardship, people might still pay the toll, and the city might still raise the money. Incorrect.

(C) The toll will not induce some commuters to use mass transit when traveling between the two boroughs.
This is the missing piece. If this were NOT true, then the conclusion would fall apart. Thus, this is the necessary piece to complete the argument. Correct.

(D) After the repairs to the bridge are complete, it is estimated that the bridge will be able to handle 20% more traffic.
This again is another reason that bridge repairs are good idea, but this isn't necessary to the argument that the city will raise the required money. Incorrect.

(E)Most of the residents in Brookline and Kings use the bridge to commute to work each day.
Same as with D - this further supports the need for the bridge, but is not relevant to the argument about collecting $. Incorrect.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education

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by chetan86 » Tue Jul 08, 2014 10:06 pm
ceilidh.erickson wrote:Whenever an argument makes predictions about the future, we should ask ourselves:
- will it definitely turn out that way?
- what might cause it NOT to turn out that way?
- if we're given a cause/effect relationship, could that cause have a different effect?
- if we're given information about human behavior, could people change that behavior?

In this case, charging people $1 to cross the bridge will result in one million dollars a day, and $30 million in a month... unless something changes. If people change their behavior because of the toll and stop using the bridge, then the city will not raise the required amount.

(A) The bridge, if not repaired, will likely collapse, causing the deaths of many people.
This helps to explain why we want to repair the bridge, but not what's MISSING from the argument. Incorrect.

(B) The toll will not cause a significant hardship on the commuters that use the bridge.
"Hardship" is a vague term here. If you interpret that to mean that hardship --> change in behavior, then you were adding your own assumption. Whether this creates hardship, people might still pay the toll, and the city might still raise the money. Incorrect.

(C) The toll will not induce some commuters to use mass transit when traveling between the two boroughs.
This is the missing piece. If this were NOT true, then the conclusion would fall apart. Thus, this is the necessary piece to complete the argument. Correct.

(D) After the repairs to the bridge are complete, it is estimated that the bridge will be able to handle 20% more traffic.
This again is another reason that bridge repairs are good idea, but this isn't necessary to the argument that the city will raise the required money. Incorrect.

(E)Most of the residents in Brookline and Kings use the bridge to commute to work each day.
Same as with D - this further supports the need for the bridge, but is not relevant to the argument about collecting $. Incorrect.
Hi Ceilidh,

Thanks a lot your inputs about this question.
Your suggestions would be definitely help for future problems.

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by ceilidh.erickson » Mon Jul 14, 2014 5:39 am
My pleasure! Good luck with your studies.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education