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Salt Water Pools

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Salt Water Pools

by David@VeritasPrep » Sat Aug 28, 2010 9:28 am
Okay, by request, here we go with a bold-faced reasoning question.

The latest adaptation in swimming pools is the "saltwater" pool. The water in such pools is 1/10 as salty as the ocean. The salt content is about that of the human body. Owners of such pools claim that there is no irritation from chlorine and that the salt water actually soothes and softens the skin. They also claim that such pools are less expensive to maintain than traditional freshwater pools. However, manufacturers of pool chemicals, such as chlorine, claim that the salt water system is more expensive to install and can leave behind a salt residue on some surfaces.

A) The first portion lists two potential advantages of implementing a new system; The second portion lists an unrelated pair of possible disadvantages to implementing the system.

B) The first portion is an unproven claim regarding a new system, the second portion is evidence supporting this claim.

C) The first portion is the main conclusion of the argument; The second portion is an unintended consequence of the main conclusion.

D) The first portion lists two possible advantages of implementing a new system; The second portion directly refutes those advantages.

E) The first portion is an unproven claim regarding a new system; the second portion is a prediction of potential consequences.
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by gmatmachoman » Sat Aug 28, 2010 9:46 am
I am over A vs E.

but i feel A brings in more clarity of the 2 bold faced portions.
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by niksworth » Sat Aug 28, 2010 9:47 am
A should be correct. The two boldfaces sentences are two claims which run parallel to each other but on separate tracks and in opposite directions!

B - While the first portion may or may not be an unproven claim, the second portion is not an evidence supporting it. On the contrary, it is a counterclaim intended to nullify the advantages of the first claim.

C - First portion is hardly a conclusion of the argument. In fact, it is a premise. The second portion is not a consequence of any conclusion. In fact this argument does not have a conclusion. It is a set of premises.

D - While the first portion lists advantages of the new system, the second portion does not directly refute those advantages. Rather it states two disadvantages unrelated to the first two advantages.

E - We do not know whether the first claim is unproven or not, but the second portion is not a prediction of potential consequences. It runs parallel to the first claim but in opposite direction.
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by FightWithGMAT » Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:52 am
David@VeritasPrep wrote:Okay, by request, here we go with a bold-faced reasoning question.

The latest adaptation in swimming pools is the "saltwater" pool. The water in such pools is 1/10 as salty as the ocean. The salt content is about that of the human body. Owners of such pools claim that there is no irritation from chlorine and that the salt water actually soothes and softens the skin. They also claim that such pools are less expensive to maintain than traditional freshwater pools. However, manufacturers of pool chemicals, such as chlorine, claim that the salt water system is more expensive to install and can leave behind a salt residue on some surfaces.

A) The first portion lists two potential advantages of implementing a new system; The second portion lists an unrelated pair of possible disadvantages to implementing the system.

B) The first portion is an unproven claim regarding a new system, the second portion is evidence supporting this claim.

C) The first portion is the main conclusion of the argument; The second portion is an unintended consequence of the main conclusion.

D) The first portion lists two possible advantages of implementing a new system; The second portion directly refutes those advantages.

E) The first portion is an unproven claim regarding a new system; the second portion is a prediction of potential consequences.
IMO E.


I think Chlorine and Salt are 2 different contents of pools.
Becoz from the chlorine manufacturer's statement we can find that he is not in favor of salt water. He would still favor Chlorine to Salt water.
So first does seem to present 2 advantages.
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by reply2spg » Sat Aug 28, 2010 11:03 am
I can never be right in bold faced questions. I don't know how to solve them?

IMO D.
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by David@VeritasPrep » Sat Aug 28, 2010 3:21 pm
OA is A

Nice analysis "Niksworth."

The correct answer will describe the roles of both portions in bold. The first portion describes two possible advantages of the new salt water system. The second portion replies with two disadvantages that are not directly related to the two advantages listed in the first statement. These advantages and disadvantages may seem to be related, but the two advantages are "no chlorine irritation" and "softer skin," while the two disadvantages are "costs more to install" and "can leave behind a residue on surfaces." These are not directly related. The non-bold portion in between does mention cost savings and would be related to the disadvantages, but this portion is not bold-faced.

Choice A correctly describes the roles of each of these statements and is the best answer. Choice D is very close to this, but incorrectly describes the second portion as directly refuting the advantages stated in the first. Choice B, C, and E each describe both portions incorrectly. The first portion is not evidence for a claim, it is a claim. The first portion is also not the main conclusion, but merely some possible advantages.

"reply2spg" - the way that I like to approach these questions is to work with one bold-faced portion first. I start with whichever portion I understand the best and I go through all of the answer choices looking at that portion. When I have eliminated all of the possible choices there I am left with two or three choices. I then use the other bold-faced portion to eliminate remaining choices and make the final decision. In this case, if I recognized that the first portion contained some claim advantages, and was not the main conclusion, (eliminate choice C) and was not evidence for a claim but is actually a claim (eliminate E). A, B, and D can then be evaluated using the second bold faced portion. B can be eliminated because the second portion does not support the first. Then we go to A and D and the question comes down to whether the disadvantages are directly related to the advantages as discussed above.

By the way, if you enjoy these and want more questions and more useful advice on approaching difficult types of questions like assumptions, "most useful to know," plan questions, and" best completes the passage," then you should check out the Veritas Critical Reasoning 2 book - I happen to have written many of the questions in that book!

Thanks!
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by ankurmit » Mon Aug 30, 2010 10:50 pm
IMO A
--------
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by norizam » Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:57 pm
David@VeritasPrep wrote:Okay, by request, here we go with a bold-faced reasoning question.

The latest adaptation in swimming pools is the "saltwater" pool. The water in such pools is 1/10 as salty as the ocean. The salt content is about that of the human body. Owners of such pools claim that there is no irritation from chlorine and that the salt water actually soothes and softens the skin. They also claim that such pools are less expensive to maintain than traditional freshwater pools. However, manufacturers of pool chemicals, such as chlorine, claim that the salt water system is more expensive to install and can leave behind a salt residue on some surfaces.

A) The first portion lists two potential advantages of implementing a new system; The second portion lists an unrelated pair of possible disadvantages to implementing the system.

B) The first portion is an unproven claim regarding a new system, the second portion is evidence supporting this claim.

C) The first portion is the main conclusion of the argument; The second portion is an unintended consequence of the main conclusion.

D) The first portion lists two possible advantages of implementing a new system; The second portion directly refutes those advantages.

E) The first portion is an unproven claim regarding a new system; the second portion is a prediction of potential consequences.
Here's what I thought:
The first portion is a claim ( so C is out) and the second is countering the claim (by the use of "however", so B and D are out -D does not directly refute the first portion). So only A and E are left.
I chose A because the bold parts seem to play good parts/bad parts rather than actions/consequences
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by Target2009 » Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:10 pm
IMO - A
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by mundasingh123 » Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:05 am
Hi David,
In A, we are talking about advantages and when we say advantages arent we refrring to facts where as the statement are actually claims.
Less Chlorine and softer skin are claims made by the owners.is it correct to bracket them under advantages.
Similar High Installation Cost and Salt Residue are claims made by the Suppliers of Chlorine.
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by David@VeritasPrep » Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:17 pm
mundasingh -

When I first read what you wrote I was a little worried because it is true that claims made by those in favor and opposed to the salt water pools might not actually be advantages or disadvantages, they might just be the kind of claims made by American political candidates - basically lies.

However, in this case you will see that the correct answer - A- says "potential advantages" and "possible disadvantages" I think that this gives enough room for the claims to turn out not to be true. That is why they are just "potential" and "possible."

What do you think?
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by manojks » Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:04 am
My pick "A"
Is it right?
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by David@VeritasPrep » Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:44 am
Yes! You are right... Official Answer is A.
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by nikhilsrl » Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:43 am
Hello David,

As per E - the first portion refers to an unproven claim. Aren't owners making an unproven claim.
Again as per E - the second portion is a prediction of potential consequences. Aren't the manufacturers predicting the potential consequences.

As for A - The first portion lists two potential advantages of implementing a new system. Now what are two advantages. I see only one - "the salt water actually soothes and softens the skin". "there is no irritation from chlorine" cannot really be an advantage, it just negates any disadvantage of chlorine.

Please clarify.
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by David@VeritasPrep » Mon Feb 28, 2011 6:22 am
Certainly that is an advantage!

The absence of a disadvantage (in this case pain) is an advantage. In fact, I would dare say that a large percentage of "advantages" out there in the world are in fact the absence of disadvantages. Does your toothpaste say it "prevents cavities"? This is not an advantage such as "giving you new teeth" would be - it is only the absence of a disadvantage - cavities. Likewise "low in saturated fat" "interest free financing" and so forth would not count as advantages by your definition.
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