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Air Travel--Kaplan

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by ru2008 » Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:39 pm
Air Travel is becoming increasingly more dangerous. In the last year there have been seven major collisions resulting in over 700 deaths, more deaths than in any previous year.

Which statement, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

A. Since the volume of air traffic has been increasing all the time, an increase in the number of deaths due to collisions does not necessarily mean greater danger.

B. The increase in collisions can be explained by statistical coincidence, hijackings, and unusual weather.

C. Mortality per passenger mile is lower for air travel than for any kind of surface transportation.

D. The increase in deaths due to collision in air travel has proceeded at a rate identical to that for deaths in all other major forms of transportation.

E. Last year the average number of passengers per flown plane was significantly lower than that of previous years.


The book reasons that 'E' means more collisions? Can someone please explain why?
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by 4GMAT_Mumbai » Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:09 pm
IMO, the reasoning is as follows:

If number of passengers per flown plane is lesser and if total deaths is more than any previous year; then assuming that the number of deaths per collision has been constant or near constant, then the number of collisions must have been higher.

Btw, what is the answer for the question. [spoiler]Is it D? Reasoning: D would lead us to conclude that 'Air travel has become more dangerous to the same degree that every other travel form has deteriorated'. [/spoiler]

Hope this helps. Thanks.
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by paddle_sweep » Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:33 pm
IMO it's [spoiler]'A'.[/spoiler]

Pls post OA.
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by pradeepkaushal9518 » Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:03 pm
IMO answer must be A.

since the volume of air traffic has been increasing all the time so in any year the no of collisions will increase but the level of danger will remain same. if out of 100 flights 10 collisions occurs this year next year 200 flights will have 20 collisions.

so due to increase in air traffic the collisons increases not due to any other dangers
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by vivek1110 » Thu Apr 29, 2010 10:06 pm
P1 - Last year has seen 7 major collisions, resulting in more than 700 deaths.
P2 - More than any previous year

C- Air Travel is becoming Increasingly dangerous


A - CORRECT (Weakens the conclusion by attributing the increase in collisions to increase in volume of air traffic)

B- Strengthens argument by listing reasons, all of which substantiate the fact that air travel is getting dangerous

C- Comparing air travel with other modes of travel - Irrelevant

D- Same as above

E- Strengthens argument by claiming that no of passengers flown last year was lesser than previous years. We know that no of deaths have increased, this leads to the fact that air travel, indeed, has become more dangerous.
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by beat_gmat_09 » Fri Apr 30, 2010 6:16 am
ru2008 wrote:Air Travel is becoming increasingly more dangerous. In the last year there have been seven major collisions resulting in over 700 deaths, more deaths than in any previous year.

Which statement, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

A. Since the volume of air traffic has been increasing all the time, an increase in the number of deaths due to collisions does not necessarily mean greater danger.

B. The increase in collisions can be explained by statistical coincidence, hijackings, and unusual weather.

C. Mortality per passenger mile is lower for air travel than for any kind of surface transportation.

D. The increase in deaths due to collision in air travel has proceeded at a rate identical to that for deaths in all other major forms of transportation.

E. Last year the average number of passengers per flown plane was significantly lower than that of previous years.


The book reasons that 'E' means more collisions? Can someone please explain why?
The point to attack for this question is - collisions, as there are were more number of collisions in last year
than what had in any previous years.
Option choice which best explains a counter statement to reasons of collisions will win here.

A - does not fit
B - wins here by stating accidental causes that collisions occured due to hijackings,natural phenomenons.
C - Not relevant
D - Not relevant
E - Number of passengers flown does not answer the number of collisions
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by shalzz9 » Fri Apr 30, 2010 6:48 am
ru2008 wrote:Air Travel is becoming increasingly more dangerous. In the last year there have been seven major collisions resulting in over 700 deaths, more deaths than in any previous year.

Which statement, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

A. Since the volume of air traffic has been increasing all the time, an increase in the number of deaths due to collisions does not necessarily mean greater danger.

B. The increase in collisions can be explained by statistical coincidence, hijackings, and unusual weather.

C. Mortality per passenger mile is lower for air travel than for any kind of surface transportation.

D. The increase in deaths due to collision in air travel has proceeded at a rate identical to that for deaths in all other major forms of transportation.

E. Last year the average number of passengers per flown plane was significantly lower than that of previous years.


The book reasons that 'E' means more collisions? Can someone please explain why?

IMO A
The conclusion is : Air Travel is becoming increasingly more dangerous
A says that there has been more air traffic which means more no of planes with more people , hence it does not actually mean air travel is becoming increasingly more dangerous.
If the number of people and air traffic was the same as last year and in these if the number of deaths had increased then it would mean that air travel is becoming increasingly more dangerous


Coming to E
Last year the average number of passengers per flown plane was significantly lower than that of previous years.
Lets say that last year there were 100 passengers per plane which is less than previous years of 200 passenger per plane.
i.e means that last year 7 collisions took place to get 700 deaths.
In the previous years we would roughly need only about 3-4 crashes to get total deaths of 700.
which makes it clear that the number of collisions have increased last year than the previous years.
hence this statement strengthens the conclusion .
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by FightWithGMAT » Fri Apr 30, 2010 7:21 am
IMO E

Here we are not asked to look for the increase in the # of collisions. It is mentioned that last year 7 collision occurred, but we can not say whether more that that of previous years.

The issue is with the increased # of casualties. The increase in # of people boarded per plane may have been the cause.

This simply says that, even though the collision remains same, the casualties were more.
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by Gmatter2.0 » Fri Apr 30, 2010 8:59 pm
A
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by kaushals » Sun May 02, 2010 2:54 am
IMO A
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by arora007 » Fri Jul 02, 2010 4:44 am
The answer in Kaplan in A, I could not agree more... because it explain the phenomena as a something which has been happening all the while...

But B does come close... since helps explain a sudden spurt last year.

Infact I think since A addresses a longer time period and B only one year... A wins... otherwise B too was close!
Guys...whatsay??


A. Since the volume of air traffic has been increasing all the time, an increase in the number of deaths due to collisions does not necessarily mean greater danger.

B. The increase in collisions can be explained by statistical coincidence, hijackings, and unusual weather.
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by diebeatsthegmat » Fri Jul 02, 2010 11:16 am
ru2008 wrote:Air Travel is becoming increasingly more dangerous. In the last year there have been seven major collisions resulting in over 700 deaths, more deaths than in any previous year.

Which statement, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

A. Since the volume of air traffic has been increasing all the time, an increase in the number of deaths due to collisions does not necessarily mean greater danger.

B. The increase in collisions can be explained by statistical coincidence, hijackings, and unusual weather.

C. Mortality per passenger mile is lower for air travel than for any kind of surface transportation.

D. The increase in deaths due to collision in air travel has proceeded at a rate identical to that for deaths in all other major forms of transportation.

E. Last year the average number of passengers per flown plane was significantly lower than that of previous years.


The book reasons that 'E' means more collisions? Can someone please explain why?
i dont undertsand why A win because in OG its B- the answer
and i also think its B because there are so many reasons for a collision to happen such as unusual weather, hijacking . who knows if last year collision was because of hijacking or unusual weather?
and it could be correct in A if the number mentioned in the argurment is average number. i dont undersatnd. if last year the death is 700/1400= and this year the number of death to number of poeple who flies is 8000/1600>>>>> the number of death still increases from 700 to 800! i dont undertsand
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by kvcpk » Fri Jul 02, 2010 11:54 am
Couple of questions:

What is the conclusion of this argument?
What is wrong with option D?
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by 786 » Sat Jul 03, 2010 1:54 am
We are comparing deaths by air travel only .......... i.e deaths by air travel in two particular years .
So talking about other modes transport becomes irrelevant to the argument !
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by kvcpk » Sat Jul 03, 2010 1:58 am
786 wrote:We are comparing deaths by air travel only .......... i.e deaths by air travel in two particular years .
So talking about other modes transport becomes irrelevant to the argument !
But in a weaken question, we are allowed to assume that the answer choices are right..
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