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A recent survey found that more computers than copies of com

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A recent survey found that more computers than copies of com

by maihuna » Wed Dec 30, 2009 4:58 am

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15. A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer programs were purchased by Germans last year. The best interpretation of this finding is that the practice of illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread among Germans.
Each of the following, if true, would counter some reasonable objection to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT:
(A) Few German computer users write their own computer programs.
(B) There are few free noncommercial computer programs available in Germany.
(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
(D) The typical German computer user has several commercially written computer programs on his or her computer.
(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.
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by jaiho » Wed Dec 30, 2009 6:16 am

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I will go with D as it gives a good reason why more computers than computer programs are purchased.

The E looks good but such programs are already part of legally purchase copies in the survey.
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by maihuna » Wed Dec 30, 2009 6:46 am

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jaiho wrote:I will go with D as it gives a good reason why more computers than computer programs are purchased.

The E looks good but such programs are already part of legally purchase copies in the survey.
But you are looking for option that makes such speculation wrong, right?
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by scoobydooby » Wed Dec 30, 2009 7:35 am

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would go with C. where the computer is purchased is totally irrelevant information
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by thephoenix » Wed Dec 30, 2009 8:03 am

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I wud go with B as non commercial computers are out of scope
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by linkinpark » Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:07 am

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scoobydooby wrote:would go with C. where the computer is purchased is totally irrelevant information
I think it is relevant info since the stimulus is saying more computers were purchased than programs, so one can argue that actual computer purchased in Germany were not more.

I will go with B, free programs is irrelevant here
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by maihuna » Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:18 am

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linkinpark wrote:
scoobydooby wrote:would go with C. where the computer is purchased is totally irrelevant information
I think it is relevant info since the stimulus is saying more computers were purchased than programs, so one can argue that actual computer purchased in Germany were not more.

I will go with B, free programs is irrelevant here
But have u noticed EXCEPT in question
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by Testluv » Thu Dec 31, 2009 4:39 am

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--editing my post to clarify in response to recent pm--

The correct answer is definitely choice C. Work with the question stem here. Because this is an EXCEPT question, the four wrong answers counter objections against the argument. The right answer will be something that will not counter an objection.

Fact (phenomenon): Germans buy more computers than they do computer programs.

Author's explanation: there's a lot of illegal copying of computer programs going on.

So, the author thinks that because they buy more computers than computer programs, the Germans are illegally copying computer programs. Objections would point to alternative explanations. For examples:

--Germans write their own programs
--computer programs are available for free
--Germans don't want/need computer programs
--Germans legally (rather than illegally) copy the computer programs

The wrong answers will counter objections such as those listed above while the right answer will either fail to counter objections such as these or will itself raise an objection. Choice A counters the first objection listed above, choice B the second, choice D the third, and choice E the last.

Choice C is tricky because it seems to counter the objection that Germans were purchasing computer programs outside of Germany. However, where they purchase the computer programs is outside the scope of the passage. (When I got to this choice, I had to recheck the passage before I selected this choice).

Maihuna, what's the source of this one? I'm guessing LSAT. Such tricky question stems are pretty uncommon (though still possible) on the GMAT.
Last edited by Testluv on Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by maihuna » Thu Dec 31, 2009 7:12 am

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Great explanation TestLuv, OA is C only, it is paper tests by ETS, paper code 42 I guess. They do have quite a few tough one...
Testluv wrote:The correct answer is definitely choice C. Work with the question stem here. Because this is an EXCEPT question, the four wrong answers counter objections against the argument. So, the right answer is a choice that won't counter an objection against the argument; in other words, a choice that will weaken the argument. Whew!, so this could just have been written as: "which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument above?"

The argument is that (because they buy more computers than they do computer programs), the Germans are illegaly copying computer programs. Choice C weakens this argument by pointing to an alternative explanation (for why more computers than computer programs are bought).

Maihuna, what's the source of this one? I'm guessing LSAT. Such tricky question stems are pretty uncommon (though still possible) on the GMAT.
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by Testluv » Thu Dec 31, 2009 6:01 pm

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Great explanation TestLuv, OA is C only, it is paper tests by ETS, paper code 42 I guess. They do have quite a few tough one...
Yes, I'm sure there are some toughies there. But I think the way these questions are made tough is different from the way current GMAT questions are made tough. What's difficult in this question is sifting through the wording of the question stem.

This kind of test-maker tactic is getting really rare on today's GMAT CR questions. Instead, these days, most tough questions are tough because of the substance or logic of the argument; in today's tough GMAT CR questions, the language is typically quite clear in the passage, the question stem, and in the answer choices.

Remember ETS was a different test-maker from GMAC.
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by tanviet » Sun Feb 28, 2010 12:06 am

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I agree that C is correct but not because C is weakening

but because

C is not countering

C is not enough to weakening, increasing belief
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by amaven » Thu Aug 12, 2010 5:13 am

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Testluv wrote:--editing my post to clarify in response to recent pm--

The correct answer is definitely choice C. Work with the question stem here. Because this is an EXCEPT question, the four wrong answers counter objections against the argument. The right answer will be something that will not counter an objection.

Fact (phenomenon): Germans buy more computers than they do computer programs.

Author's explanation: there's a lot of illegal copying of computer programs going on.

So, the author thinks that because they buy more computers than computer programs, the Germans are illegally copying computer programs. Objections would point to alternative explanations. For examples:

--Germans write their own programs
--computer programs are available for free
--Germans don't want/need computer programs
--Germans legally (rather than illegally) copy the computer programs

The wrong answers will counter objections such as those listed above while the right answer will either fail to counter objections such as these or will itself raise an objection. Choice A counters the first objection listed above, choice B the second, choice D the third, and choice E the last.

Choice C is tricky because it seems to counter the objection that Germans were purchasing computer programs outside of Germany. However, where they purchase the computer programs is outside the scope of the passage. (When I got to this choice, I had to recheck the passage before I selected this choice).

Maihuna, what's the source of this one? I'm guessing LSAT. Such tricky question stems are pretty uncommon (though still possible) on the GMAT.
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Hi Testluv, I had a question to your response - To me currently, E is sounding like a better answer choice than C.

(E) states that the legal program duplicates HAVE ALREADY BEEN counted as part of the survey.

Thus, this is not an alternate reason for the under-counting and therefore it doesnt affect the argument. (Had the answer choice mentioned that the legal duplicates have NOT been counted in the survey, it would have weakened the answer choice because it gives a reason for the under-counting.

Similarly, my interpretation of (C) is that the computers purchased outside Germany were counted as part of the survey, however the computer programs for those computers were not counted as part of the survey. This shows an alternate reason for the gap between the computer numbers and computer program numbers, and thus, doesnt qualify as the answer choice.

Would be great if I could get your opinion on this?

rgds
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by FightWithGMAT » Thu Aug 12, 2010 5:48 am

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maihuna wrote:15. A recent survey found that more computers than copies of computer programs were purchased by Germans last year. The best interpretation of this finding is that the practice of illegally duplicating commercial computer programs is widespread among Germans.
Each of the following, if true, would counter some reasonable objection to the interpretation advanced above EXCEPT:
(A) Few German computer users write their own computer programs.
(B) There are few free noncommercial computer programs available in Germany.
(C) Some Germans purchase computers outside of Germany for use in Germany, and such purchases were counted in the survey.
(D) The typical German computer user has several commercially written computer programs on his or her computer.
(E) Many Germans legally make duplicates of commercial computer programs, but such duplicates were counted as purchased copies in the survey.
The only option that does not talk about computer programs is C.
We can not weaken the argument unless we establish the relation between computers and programs.
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by prakhag » Wed Sep 01, 2010 6:29 am

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I have exact doubts as "amaven". Any experts, please advise.
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by srt420 » Wed Jan 18, 2012 11:59 pm

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I don't take this as a tough question as posted by some of our friends. This is a typical weakening question in some other form because it included statistics and research. we can attack simply by pointing the flaw in type of data taken.
Here if we can say that the observation was not unbiased we can attack the argument simply by pointing as choice C has done......some computer...
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