Wind Farms

This topic has expert replies
Legendary Member
Posts: 503
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:53 pm
Thanked: 31 times
Followed by:2 members

Wind Farms

by mmslf75 » Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:34 am
Wind farms, which generate electricity using arrays of thousands of wind-powered
turbines, require vast expanses of open land. County X and County Y have similar
terrain, but the population density of County X is significantly higher than that of County
Y. Therefore, a wind farm proposed for one of the two counties should be built in
County Y rather than in County X.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the planner's argument?
A. County X and County Y are adjacent to each other, and both are located in the
windiest area of the state.
B. The total population of County Y is substantially greater than that of County X.
C. Some of the electricity generated by wind farms in County Y would be purchased
by users outside the county.
D. Wind farms require more land per unit of electricity generated than does any other
type of electrical-generation facility.
E. Nearly all of County X's population is concentrated in a small part of the county,
while County Y's population is spread evenly throughout the country.


OA E

Source GMATPrep2

I was wondering whether C would be right ?
Is it because we are more concerned with pop density that we choose E
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

User avatar
Community Manager
Posts: 1537
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:10 pm
Thanked: 653 times
Followed by:252 members

by papgust » Sun Dec 20, 2009 11:46 pm
IMO C does not weaken the conclusion. If electricity can be purchased by users outside county Y, then wind farms are not needed in County X. County x's people could buy from County Y.

In E, if only a small part of County X is occupied, the remaining larger part of County X is open-landed which weakens the conclusion that "county X do not need wind farms". Hope you get the idea.

Legendary Member
Posts: 503
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:53 pm
Thanked: 31 times
Followed by:2 members

by mmslf75 » Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:02 am
papgust wrote:IMO C does not weaken the conclusion. If electricity can be purchased by users outside county Y, then wind farms are not needed in County X. County x's people could buy from County Y.

In E, if only a small part of County X is occupied, the remaining larger part of County X is open-landed which weakens the conclusion that "county X do not need wind farms". Hope you get the idea.
oh ya!! thanks

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 7:11 pm
Thanked: 1 times

by sathishkumarjva9888 » Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:53 pm
Can someone explain why "B. The total population of County Y is substantially greater than that of County X." is wrong.

Is it because the argument speaks about population density, this option has no impact on the argument. Whether my reasoning is correct.

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 1248
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2012 2:57 pm
Location: Everywhere
Thanked: 503 times
Followed by:192 members
GMAT Score:780

by Bill@VeritasPrep » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:44 pm
sathishkumarjva9888 wrote:Can someone explain why "B. The total population of County Y is substantially greater than that of County X." is wrong.

Is it because the argument speaks about population density, this option has no impact on the argument. Whether my reasoning is correct.
Yes, you are correct. We care about how the population is concentrated, not how big it is.
Join Veritas Prep's 2010 Instructor of the Year, Matt Douglas for GMATT Mondays

Visit the Veritas Prep Blog

Try the FREE Veritas Prep Practice Test

Legendary Member
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 6:55 pm
Thanked: 18 times
Followed by:2 members

by tanviet » Mon Dec 17, 2012 3:27 am
I think this is hard question.

prethink :assumption : less pupulation dense -----> more easy to make power

prethink: weakner, less population dense ---> not more easy to make power

go to answer choices: choose E.

but it take me a long time to prethink the assumption. how to do faster, I do not know