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MGMAT Critical Reasoning Questions & Explanations!?!

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by iamseer » Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:37 am
I hope you are using the original material. A lot of material is floating around the internet which has some questions from God knows where and the file name of the material is official guide/manhattan guide etc.

I have used MGMAT CR and RC guide ed. 3 and everything in there is fine.

May be if you post some specific questions with your doubt there are many ppl here on this forum more than ready to help.

cheers!!
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by san2009 » Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:40 am
I am working on the online Question Banks on the official MGMAT web site.
The strategy guide was fine for me as well.
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by Osirus@VeritasPrep » Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:49 am
I honestly think their CR and RC are pretty bad. The logic is not always similar to the logic you will find in the official guide. I remember when I was preparing for my test, I took a GMAT Prep test one saturday and then a MGMAT CAT the following Saturday. On the GMAT prep test, I only missed one CR question, on the MGMAT test I missed 7 and didn't agree at all with the logic for any of them. Another thing, they like to have questions that have "math" in them, but that is not how the GMAC test numbers and percentages. In an attempt to make 700-800 level questions, they mess up the logic in my opinion. I wouldn't worry too much about it if you only miss CR questions on MGMAT. If you are missing questions in CR across the board though, then you do have a problem with CR.
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by iamseer » Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:56 am
Thanks for sharing your experience guys. Some specific questions might be really helpful to gain some insight.
I have myself posted a RC question on which I disagree with MGMAT.

Will keep you guys posted if I find more such debatable questions and answers from my side.
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by san2009 » Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:58 am
Great thanks. Osirus - what other sources would you recommend besides official guide and GMAT prep tests?
LSAT prep? Powerscore Bible? Thanks
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by Osirus@VeritasPrep » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:05 pm
Here are some examples just from one CAT

In response to the increasing cost of producing energy through traditional means, such as combustion, many utility companies have begun investing in renewable energy sources, chiefly wind and solar power, hoping someday to rely on them completely and thus lower energy costs. The utility companies claim that although these sources require significant initial capital investment, they will provide stable energy supplies at low cost. As a result, these sources will be less risky for the utilities than nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil, and coal, whose prices can fluctuate dramatically according to availability.

The claim of the utility companies presupposes which of the following?


A) The public will embrace the development of wind and solar power.
B) No new deposits of gas, oil, and coal will be discovered in the near future.
C) Weather patterns are consistent and predictable.
D) The necessary technology for conversion to wind and solar power is not more expensive than the technology needed to create energy through combustion.
E) Obtaining energy from nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil and coal, cannot be made less risky.

The problem I have with this one is that weather patterns do not have to be constant and predictable for alternative energy sources to work. It ignores the possibility of just storing energy when wind or solar is abundant, and using the reserves that are stored when those sources of power aren't abundant.




Due to high jet fuel costs, airline carriers are looking for new ways to increase revenues and thereby counteract declining profits. Airline A has proposed increasing the number of passengers that can fit on its airplanes by creating several standing room only "seats" in which passengers would be propped against a padded backboard and held in place with a harness. This proposal, since it relates to passenger safety, cannot be implemented without prior approval by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The above statements, if true, indicate that Airline A has made which of the following conclusions?


A) The addition of standing room only "seats" will generate more revenue than the cost of ensuring that these seats meet safety standards.
B) The Federal Aviation Administration will approve Airline A's specific proposal.
C) The revenue generated by the addition of standing room only "seats" is greater than the current cost of jet fuel.
D) There are no safer ways in which Airline A can increase revenues.
E) Passenger safety is less important than increasing revenue.

The problem I have with this one is that no where in the stimulus does it mention the "costs" of getting FDA approval. I think its out of scope, yet in order to choose this answer, you have to make that assumption, which can't be considered a common sense assumption that the GMAC allows for.
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by Osirus@VeritasPrep » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:11 pm
san2009 wrote:Great thanks. Osirus - what other sources would you recommend besides official guide and GMAT prep tests?
LSAT prep? Powerscore Bible? Thanks
The Powerscore CR bible is really good.
https://www.beatthegmat.com/the-retake-o ... 51414.html

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by san2009 » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:27 pm
Osirus - on the first CR question you quoted, i think you're using too much outside knowledge. if you stick to the text, then stable alternate sources can only be achieved if there is a stable supply (unlike traditional energy - which has unpredictable supply patterns). the stable supply is directly related to consistent/stable/predictable weather patterns
on the second CR question, i sort of agree with your analysis. however, through process of elimination, i arrived at answer choice A.

Btw, did you also do the MGMAT CR guide?
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by iamseer » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:32 pm
osirus0830 wrote:Here are some examples just from one CAT

In response to the increasing cost of producing energy through traditional means, such as combustion, many utility companies have begun investing in renewable energy sources, chiefly wind and solar power, hoping someday to rely on them completely and thus lower energy costs. The utility companies claim that although these sources require significant initial capital investment, they will provide stable energy supplies at low cost. As a result, these sources will be less risky for the utilities than nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil, and coal, whose prices can fluctuate dramatically according to availability.

The claim of the utility companies presupposes which of the following?


A) The public will embrace the development of wind and solar power.
B) No new deposits of gas, oil, and coal will be discovered in the near future.
C) Weather patterns are consistent and predictable.
D) The necessary technology for conversion to wind and solar power is not more expensive than the technology needed to create energy through combustion.
E) Obtaining energy from nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil and coal, cannot be made less risky.

The problem I have with this one is that weather patterns do not have to be constant and predictable for alternative energy sources to work. It ignores the possibility of just storing energy when wind or solar is abundant, and using the reserves that are stored when those sources of power aren't abundant.
IMO answer C.

The question is simply asking what is the assumption of the claim. The claim is that these renewable sources will provide stable energy supplies. The claim is NOT that stable energy supplies will be available.

So, the claim is assuming that these renewable energy sources are consistent and predictable.

What you have pointed out "It ignores...." that would be true had the claim been "although these sources require significant initial capital investment, we will be able to provide stable energy supplies at low cost

HTH
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by san2009 » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:33 pm
Here is a question i came across in MGMAT.... Below the answer choices, I've expressed my issue with the question/answer.

A recent study demonstrated that parents living with children consume nearly five more grams of fat per day, on average, than do adults living without children. The higher fat intake among these parents is probably attributable to their snacking on the pizza and cookies that tend to be plentiful in households with children.

Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken this explanation of the parents' higher fat intake?

On average, households with children spend $15 more per week on pizza and cookies than do households without children.
Households with children purchase much more whole milk, which has a high fat content, than do households without children.
Children consume most of the pizza and cookies in any given household.
Parents ought to set a good example for their children, in dietary choices as in other matters.
Not all parents living with children consume more grams of fat than do adults living without children.

-------the answer that MGMAt points out is B.
Here is my problem with it.
Isn't the argument based on the fact that parents who live in households with children are the ones consuming more fat than those living without children? If so, the source of the fat is important but having the children in the house is more important, no? If you agree, then if the children eat most of the snacks and pizza --- leaving little for the parents---then parents will be unable to consume as much pizza and snacks. In short, isn't answer C the correct answer?
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by iamseer » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:41 pm
osirus0830 wrote:
Due to high jet fuel costs, airline carriers are looking for new ways to increase revenues and thereby counteract declining profits. Airline A has proposed increasing the number of passengers that can fit on its airplanes by creating several standing room only "seats" in which passengers would be propped against a padded backboard and held in place with a harness. This proposal, since it relates to passenger safety, cannot be implemented without prior approval by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The above statements, if true, indicate that Airline A has made which of the following conclusions?

A) The addition of standing room only "seats" will generate more revenue than the cost of ensuring that these seats meet safety standards.
B) The Federal Aviation Administration will approve Airline A's specific proposal.
C) The revenue generated by the addition of standing room only "seats" is greater than the current cost of jet fuel.
D) There are no safer ways in which Airline A can increase revenues.
E) Passenger safety is less important than increasing revenue.

The problem I have with this one is that no where in the stimulus does it mention the "costs" of getting FDA approval. I think its out of scope, yet in order to choose this answer, you have to make that assumption, which can't be considered a common sense assumption that the GMAC allows for.
Here, they are actually asking what is the underlying assumption in Airline A's plan.
To get those seats Airline has to get approval.

In case of assumptions questions one way to test them is by negating them.
So, in case of A: If cost of approval is more than revenues earned would Airline go for it. NO. So, it is the assumption they are making.
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by iamseer » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:59 pm
san2009 wrote:Here is a question i came across in MGMAT.... Below the answer choices, I've expressed my issue with the question/answer.

A recent study demonstrated that parents living with children consume nearly five more grams of fat per day, on average, than do adults living without children. The higher fat intake among these parents is probably attributable to their snacking on the pizza and cookies that tend to be plentiful in households with children.

Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken this explanation of the parents' higher fat intake?

A-On average, households with children spend $15 more per week on pizza and cookies than do households without children.
B-Households with children purchase much more whole milk, which has a high fat content, than do households without children.
C-Children consume most of the pizza and cookies in any given household.
D-Parents ought to set a good example for their children, in dietary choices as in other matters.
E-Not all parents living with children consume more grams of fat than do adults living without children.

-------the answer that MGMAt points out is B.
Here is my problem with it.
Isn't the argument based on the fact that parents who live in households with children are the ones consuming more fat than those living without children? If so, the source of the fat is important but having the children in the house is more important, no? If you agree, then if the children eat most of the snacks and pizza --- leaving little for the parents---then parents will be unable to consume as much pizza and snacks. In short, isn't answer C the correct answer?
Vow!! looks like you guys are taking on MGMAT and I am being MGMAT's savior. Just FYI, I am in no way affiliated to MGMAT :) My only interest is in the questions and use of reason to solve ambiguity.

So, now let's do this one:

We are asked to weaken the argument that higher fat intake amongst adults with children in household is attributable to snacking on pizzas and cookies.

We can weaken it providing some other source that could be an attribute. And our answer option must have link between household with children and household without children.

E is out b'cos we are speaking about average so some might be less some more.
D is out of scope
C ok agreed. But how do I know what they consume it more or less in comparison to adults without children.
A is out - is far fetched - but if anything it might strengthen the argument.

Now coming to B- is our winner by process of elimination
And more importantly b'cos it gives an alternative source that might cause more fat intake.
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by san2009 » Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:15 pm
Iamseer - what do you use to practice CR questions? Can you pls guide me in my quest to a perfect CR score?
Although I understand your rationale, I was more focused on the bigger picture in the argument. But I liked the way you dealth with the problem...i.e got to the right answer...and that's the goal, right?
However, I am still not convinced that C is wrong. You mentioned "how do we know that they consume less relative to parents in households without children" -- but do we need make that comparison? i thought the fact that they consume more is already decided/given. And the conclusion that we need to weaken is that they get this fat NOT from pizza and cookies but another source?...
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by iamseer » Tue Apr 27, 2010 2:12 pm
yes, we need that comparison b'cos we have weaken the argument that states "higher" higher compared to what then... it is higher compared to those households without children.

Lets use a bit of Maths to get more clear picture:

let say children eat 98% of the total 100% of pizzas and cookies. So that leaves 2%. Now, how much do the adults leaving in this household consume from this 2%? We don't know. Let it be X. Now how much do adults in household without children consume? We don't know? let that be Y.

Now, X can be equal to Y or less than Y or greater than Y. We don't know. If we know nothing abut the relationship between X and Y, how can we use it to strenghten or weaken the argument?

Let's discuss another simple example:

It is night right now b'cos I can't see any sunlight. This is my argument.

If you have to weaken it what would you do?
You have to attack my reasoning "I can't see any sunlight" So, if you say "In the room that you are sitting, all the windows and doors are opaque and closed" that would weaken my argument. You have not proved me wrong. B'cos it is still possible that it might be night. What you have done is simply given another reason why it could be dark.

If you have to strengthen this argument, what would you do?
You have to provide some more evidence in support. You could say "yes, my watch which shows accurate time shows 9:00 p.m."
so on and so forth....


there are many good books. Pick up one and start.
OG - must have
Ref books - MGMAT guides, Kaplan Premier, etc etc.
"Choose to chance the rapids and dance the tides"
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