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Please help!! Neural Synapse Deficiency

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Please help!! Neural Synapse Deficiency

by berserk » Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:33 pm
Ten years ago, the death rate from Neural Synapse Deficiency (NSD) related causes was 5 percent of all persons infected with the dreaded anti-synapse virus (ASV) that causes it. Today, the corresponding figure has risen to more than 15 percent. This is clear evidence that over the past ten years, the rate of propagation and the malignancy of the virus has increased substantially

which of the following , if true, most substantially strengthens the argument in the above passage?

A) ASV screening and detection methods have been dramatically improved over the past decade

B) the number of ASV infected persons has increased tenfold over the past ten years

C) The number of persons who are willing to submit to ASV screening has increased significantly over the past ten years

D) The number of recognized NSD-related causes of death has remained relatively constant over the past ten years

E) New drugs have been developed over the past ten years that significantly lessen the debilitating effects of the NSD virus



OAD

somebody please explain!!!
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by gmatmachoman » Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:15 am
Here the strengthening of the argument takes place by "removing an alternate cause that could promote the resultant effect to occur".

Stated cause:the rate of propagation and the malignancy of the virus has increased substantially

Resultant effect: Increase in death rate from 5% to 15%

Alternate cause: The number of recognized NSD-related causes of death has remained relatively constant over the past ten years ..(Option D)

Ok.Try to negate D.

We have couple of cases to think about :


1.It could be that the Increase in Number of recognized NSD-related causes ,is the REASON for increase in death rate and would have not been becoz of rate of propagation and the malignancy of the virus .
or

It could be like the number of causes & rate of propagation & malignancy are happening at the same time
or
Increase in the Number of recognised causes could have happened before the increment in rate of propagation and malignancy.

Here in this argument, the author strongly assumes /states that rate of propagation and the malignancy of the virus are the only 2 factors that are responsible for the increase in death rate and nothing else.

So naturally D fits our bill.

I do agree , the wording of this argument is bit squeaky and would call for patience to read between the lines.
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by mehravikas » Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:47 pm
What is the source of this question?
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by mmon » Sat Jan 23, 2010 5:09 pm
berserk wrote:Ten years ago, the death rate from Neural Synapse Deficiency (NSD) related causes was 5 percent of all persons infected with the dreaded anti-synapse virus (ASV) that causes it. Today, the corresponding figure has risen to more than 15 percent. This is clear evidence that over the past ten years, the rate of propagation and the malignancy of the virus has increased substantially

which of the following , if true, most substantially strengthens the argument in the above passage?

A) ASV screening and detection methods have been dramatically improved over the past decade

B) the number of ASV infected persons has increased tenfold over the past ten years

C) The number of persons who are willing to submit to ASV screening has increased significantly over the past ten years

D) The number of recognized NSD-related causes of death has remained relatively constant over the past ten years

E) New drugs have been developed over the past ten years that significantly lessen the debilitating effects of the NSD virus



OAD

somebody please explain!!!
evidence is that death rate has increased from 5% to 15%. conclusion is the rate of propagation and the malignancy of the virus has increased substantially.
Not sure how D can strnghten as D says that the number of death has remained constant - so lets say on year 2000 the death was 5 , malignancy of virus was 100. so on 2010 if the maligannacy increased substantially rate say at 150 and death remains same say at 5 which is not a increase but a decrease.
IMO D does not fit here at all.

IMO B - clearly tells that infection grew 10 times which is substantial increase.

any other opinion or explanantion? what is the source of this problem.
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by gmatmachoman » Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:47 am
mehravikas wrote:What is the source of this question?
Vikas & mmon ...

what do you think about my line of reasoning??? whats your stand??

I surmise the source could be from LSAT. But its a good question and a bit squeaky one too!!
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by sreak1089 » Mon Jan 25, 2010 7:15 am
The important thing to do is to identify the conclusion clearly.

Conclusion is: The rate of propagation and the malignancy of the virus has increased substantially.

Now premise says that NSD deaths have increased from 5% of ASV infected people to 15% in 10 years. Now, question is what if there were other viruses or any other causes have been found to cause NSD deaths? If that were the case, then it is not necessarily true that ASV has propogated as much as had been expected. Option D states that no new causes have been found that account for NSD deaths, which clearly indicate that higher proportion of people are dying due to ASV that means the malignancy of the virus has increased. Option B states that the number of ASV infected people has increased, which means that the rate of propogation has increased but it does not prove that malignancy of the virus has increased substantially.

However, I am still not sure of option D. The reason is, option D does not seem to prove that rate of propogation has increased.
Yes, the percentage of deaths has increased from 5% to 15%. However, there is a possibility that malignancy has increased, but rate of propogation may have infact decreased. Here's the scenario:

Assume Number of ASD infected population is 3000. Then the number of NSD deaths would be 5/100 * (3000) = 150
Assume Number of ASD infected population is 1500. Then the number of NSD deaths would be 15/100 * (500) = 75

This means that more no. of ASD infected people are dying but the number of ASD infected people infact has reduced.

Hence, I think the answer should be a combination of both B & D.
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by sreak1089 » Mon Jan 25, 2010 7:47 am
Any thoughts on my thought process? Am I way off ?? :roll:
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by VikingWarrior » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:37 am
Ten years ago, the death rate from Neural Synapse Deficiency (NSD) related causes was 5 percent of all persons infected with the dreaded anti-synapse virus (ASV) that causes it. Today, the corresponding figure has risen to more than 15 percent. This is clear evidence that over the past ten years, the rate of propagation and the malignancy of the virus has increased substantially

which of the following , if true, most substantially strengthens the argument in the above passage?

A) ASV screening and detection methods have been dramatically improved over the past decade

B) the number of ASV infected persons has increased tenfold over the past ten years

C) The number of persons who are willing to submit to ASV screening has increased significantly over the past ten years

D) The number of recognized NSD-related causes of death has remained relatively constant over the past ten years

E) New drugs have been developed over the past ten years that significantly lessen the debilitating effects of the NSD virus
Really good question, what is the source?
A, C & E are easily ruled out. The fight is between B & D
B looks very convincing on face value. A ten fold increase in ASV infected persons "sounds huge". The Q mentions a 10% increase in the "fatality rate" of the disease

Consider B like this- if the overall population has increased 30 fold/40fold in the past 10 yrs then a 10 fold increase in infectivity is not such a big deal and then this option would have only explained high propogation of virus not malignancy/virulence; however now consider D, if the number of recognised NSD related causes increase then the increased fatality rate is basically knowledge related rather than virus related, so if the recognised causes remain constant then this 10 % increase in fatality is certainly due to the virus becoming more virulent/malignant.
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by mehravikas » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:29 pm
Your reasoning is definitely good and you made a very good point that you have to read between the lines to understand the argument.
gmatmachoman wrote:
mehravikas wrote:What is the source of this question?
Vikas & mmon ...

what do you think about my line of reasoning??? whats your stand??

I surmise the source could be from LSAT. But its a good question and a bit squeaky one too!!
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by gmatmachoman » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:35 pm
sreak1089 wrote:
Assume Number of ASD infected population is 3000. Then the number of NSD deaths would be 5/100 * (3000) = 150
Assume Number of ASD infected population is 1500. Then the number of NSD deaths would be 15/100 * (500) = 75

This means that more no. of ASD infected people are dying but the number of ASD infected people infact has reduced.

Hence, I think the answer should be a combination of both B & D.
@sreak : I did go through your thought process.Now that , please explain me "This means that more no. of ASD infected people are dying but the number of ASD infected people infact has reduced."

Can u plz explain it more??
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by vijay_venky » Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:08 pm
first as it is a strengthen question, I will try to support the conclusion.
simply put the argument looks like this

NSD-Deaths increase from 5% of infected to 15% of infected in the past 10 years, so the rate of propagation and the malignancy of the virus (that causes NSD) has increased substantially.

Number of virus infected cases
1. If the number of virus infected cases remain constant, then the increase in the rate of deaths suggests the malignancy of the virus.

2. If the number increases, then it suggests the rate of propagation and malignancy (to an extent).

3. If the number decreases, then it suggests that the prevalence has decreased (weaken the argument).

Causes of NSD Deaths
1. if the number of causes increases, then it weakens the argument.
2. if the number of causes remains constant, then it might both strengthen or weaken the argument (because the number of deaths resulting from one of the causes might increase or decrease).
3. if the number of cases decreases, then it strengthens the argument.


So though I am a little skeptical, I would go with B.
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by berserk » Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:44 am
mehravikas wrote:What is the source of this question?
Yeh from some of LSAT Qs...

Thanks all for explanations
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