Critical Reasoning

Recently in City X, developers have stopped buying land, contractors have found themselves going without work for longer periods, and banks have issued fewer mortgages. There must be fewer new residents moving to City X than there were previously.

Which of the following indicates a flaw in the reasoning above?

A] This year several housing blocks have gone on the market after being held up for months by legal red tape.

B] The average size of a new home has increased significantly over the past several years.

C] Re-sales of condominiums have increased over the past six months.

D] The cost of materials such as lumber and cement has decreased over the past year.

E] Sales of other big-ticket items, such as automobiles and boats, has remained steady over the past year.



The given OA is A.



Remember guyzzzz... all these questions that I am posting, are official GMATPREP questions.

In this question, we need to find the option which indicates that there are many houses available which are as of now unused and people are yet to move in to them.

Recently in City X, developers have stopped buying land, contractors have found themselves going without work for longer periods, and banks have issued fewer mortgages. There must be fewer new residents moving to City X than there were previously.

Which of the following indicates a flaw in the reasoning above?

A] This year several housing blocks have gone on the market after being held up for months by legal red tape. --- this exactly points at what I just said above, that there are plenty of houses which are uninhibited.

B] The average size of a new home has increased significantly over the past several years. --- out of context

C] Re-sales of condominiums have increased over the past six months. --- This is also a flaw in the argument but re sale of houses is too specific whereas opening of housing blocks shows in a better way as to why the argument may be flawed.

D] The cost of materials such as lumber and cement has decreased over the past year. --- out of scope

E] Sales of other big-ticket items, such as automobiles and boats, has remained steady over the past year. --- again out of scope

Hence, A!