OE is
In this passage, a legislator wants the city to raise its allotment per prisoner. The legislator says that raising this allotment per prisoner will raise the overall budget for the prison system by the same percentage.
We are asked to find a gap in the legislator's reasoning. The legislator assumes that the number of prisoners will remain constant. If the number of prisoners decreased, the overall budget for the prison system could decrease, despite the higher allotment per prisoner.
Choice A suggests that costs are not rising because of an increase in the number of prisoners. However, an additional per-prisoner allowance would seem like an effective way to pay for such costs if a greater number of prisoners were driving rising costs. Eliminate this choice.
Choice B states that the total number of prisoners in the state prison system will not decrease. This is a necessary assumption, because the amount of money allotted is based specifically on the number of prisoners. Choice B is correct.
Choice C states that the number of people going into prisons, rather than subject to other methods of punishment, will not increase. If the number of prisoners increased, the plan would be more likely to work, because the amount of money allotted would rise.
Choice D refers to the number of prisons in use in the state. Nothing in this passage addresses prisons themselves, so this assumption is not necessary for the argument to be valid. Notice that the number of prisons could decrease while the number of prisoners increases, if the remaining prisons took in more prisoners or were expanded.
Choice E states that the number of prisoners per prison will not decrease. However, even if the number of prisoners per prison decreased, the overall number of prisoners could remain the same or increase if more prisons were built. Thus E need not be assumed.
Choice B is correct.
In this passage, a legislator wants the city to raise its allotment per prisoner. The legislator says that raising this allotment per prisoner will raise the overall budget for the prison system by the same percentage.
We are asked to find a gap in the legislator's reasoning. The legislator assumes that the number of prisoners will remain constant. If the number of prisoners decreased, the overall budget for the prison system could decrease, despite the higher allotment per prisoner.
Choice A suggests that costs are not rising because of an increase in the number of prisoners. However, an additional per-prisoner allowance would seem like an effective way to pay for such costs if a greater number of prisoners were driving rising costs. Eliminate this choice.
Choice B states that the total number of prisoners in the state prison system will not decrease. This is a necessary assumption, because the amount of money allotted is based specifically on the number of prisoners. Choice B is correct.
Choice C states that the number of people going into prisons, rather than subject to other methods of punishment, will not increase. If the number of prisoners increased, the plan would be more likely to work, because the amount of money allotted would rise.
Choice D refers to the number of prisons in use in the state. Nothing in this passage addresses prisons themselves, so this assumption is not necessary for the argument to be valid. Notice that the number of prisons could decrease while the number of prisoners increases, if the remaining prisons took in more prisoners or were expanded.
Choice E states that the number of prisoners per prison will not decrease. However, even if the number of prisoners per prison decreased, the overall number of prisoners could remain the same or increase if more prisons were built. Thus E need not be assumed.
Choice B is correct.
Regards,
Karthik
The source of the questions that i post from JUNE 2013 is from KNEWTON
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Karthik
The source of the questions that i post from JUNE 2013 is from KNEWTON
---If you find my post useful, click "Thank"
------Never stop until cracking GMAT---
