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Nickel jazz

Expert replies
by ssgmatter » Fri May 21, 2010 9:22 pm
00:00

Because mining and refining nickels is costly, researchers have developed an alternative method for extracting nickels using Streptanthus polygaloides, a plant that absorbs and stores nickel from the soil as it grows. The researchers incinerated a crop of Streptanthus they grow in nickel-rich soil. By chemically extracting nickel form the ash, they produced 100 pounds of nickel per acre of land at a total cost per pound slightly above that of current mining.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the conclusion that the use of Streptanthus to extract nickel will be commercially adopted?
A. The season in which the researchers grew Streptanthus was an unusually favorable one, with the right amount of precipitation to maximize the growth rate of Streptanthus.
B. Because lowering the concentration of nickel in the soil can make land much better for agriculture in general, a plot in which Streptanthus has been grown and harvested can be sold for substantially more than it cost
C. More air pollution is generated for each pound of nickel produced by extracting it from Streptanthus than is generated using conventional mining and refining
D. The land on which the researchers planted Streptanthus was unusually free of the various weeds that can compete with Streptanthus for water, nutrients, and sunlight.
E. It is extremely rare for soil to contain higher concentrations of nickel than the concentrations present in the researchers’ experimental plot.

I am just clueless on this one....please explain
Best-
Amit
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Source: — Critical Reasoning |

by gmatmachoman » Fri May 21, 2010 9:41 pm
It's B indeed!

A paradox is introduced & to resolve the paradox we need to strengthen the author( scientists) stands!

What is the paradox? Nickel Mining & refining is a costlier process. To mitigate that , scientist plotted a plant Streptanthus to extract nickel at a lower cost than that of current Mining. But still, the cost is "slightly" higher.

Then going forward, how can scientist support the usage of plants Streptanthus for Nickel Extraction ? What benefit does Streptanthus gives to us?

B says : Because lowering the concentration of nickel in the soil can make land much better for agriculture in general, a plot in which Streptanthus has been grown and harvested can be sold for substantially more than it cost .

Now that the smoke is cleared and scientist can be happy !!
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by ssgmatter » Fri May 21, 2010 9:52 pm
gmatmachoman wrote:It's B indeed!

A paradox is introduced & to resolve the paradox we need to strengthen the author( scientists) stands!

What is the paradox? Nickel Mining & refining is a costlier process. To mitigate that , scientist plotted a plant Streptanthus to extract nickel at a lower cost than that of current Mining. But still, the cost is "slightly" higher.

Then going forward, how can scientist support the usage of plants Streptanthus for Nickel Extraction ? What benefit does Streptanthus gives to us?

B says : Because lowering the concentration of nickel in the soil can make land much better for agriculture in general, a plot in which Streptanthus has been grown and harvested can be sold for substantially more than it cost .

Now that the smoke is cleared and scientist can be happy !!
Thanks buddy for sharing your analysis!.

But I am confused on the fact that option says that the land can be sold.....Dont you think this is too much of an assumption here.....Please advise
Best-
Amit
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by gmatmachoman » Fri May 21, 2010 10:01 pm
ssgmatter wrote:
gmatmachoman wrote:It's B indeed!

A paradox is introduced & to resolve the paradox we need to strengthen the author( scientists) stands!

What is the paradox? Nickel Mining & refining is a costlier process. To mitigate that , scientist plotted a plant Streptanthus to extract nickel at a lower cost than that of current Mining. But still, the cost is "slightly" higher.

Then going forward, how can scientist support the usage of plants Streptanthus for Nickel Extraction ? What benefit does Streptanthus gives to us?

B says : Because lowering the concentration of nickel in the soil can make land much better for agriculture in general, a plot in which Streptanthus has been grown and harvested can be sold for substantially more than it cost .

Now that the smoke is cleared and scientist can be happy !!
Thanks buddy for sharing your analysis!.

But I am confused on the fact that option says that the land can be sold.....Dont you think this is too much of an assumption here.....Please advise
Yeah,look for the keywords "slightly " & "substantially" in the answer choice of B. That should clear the cobwebs!

Identifying the keywords is half battle won. after all in CR, GMAC can screw us only playing ard with words..so we will work ard & surpass them..what say??
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by ssgmatter » Fri May 21, 2010 10:10 pm
gmatmachoman wrote:
ssgmatter wrote:
gmatmachoman wrote:It's B indeed!

A paradox is introduced & to resolve the paradox we need to strengthen the author( scientists) stands!

What is the paradox? Nickel Mining & refining is a costlier process. To mitigate that , scientist plotted a plant Streptanthus to extract nickel at a lower cost than that of current Mining. But still, the cost is "slightly" higher.

Then going forward, how can scientist support the usage of plants Streptanthus for Nickel Extraction ? What benefit does Streptanthus gives to us?

B says : Because lowering the concentration of nickel in the soil can make land much better for agriculture in general, a plot in which Streptanthus has been grown and harvested can be sold for substantially more than it cost .

Now that the smoke is cleared and scientist can be happy !!
Thanks buddy for sharing your analysis!.

But I am confused on the fact that option says that the land can be sold.....Dont you think this is too much of an assumption here.....Please advise
Yeah,look for the keywords "slightly " & "substantially" in the answer choice of B. That should clear the cobwebs!

Identifying the keywords is half battle won. after all in CR, GMAC can screw us only playing ard with words..so we will work ard & surpass them..what say??
Makes sense buddy!

On the other side I chose B because this is the only option that touches the cost factor....Rest all other options seems to be digressing from the soul of the argument.

Cheers!
Best-
Amit
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by kevincanspain » Sat May 22, 2010 12:05 am
ssgmatter wrote: Thanks buddy for sharing your analysis!.

But I am confused on the fact that option says that the land can be sold.....Dont you think this is too much of an assumption here.....Please advise
Remember, we are supposed to consider B a fact, not an assumption!
Kevin Armstrong
GMAT Instructor
Gmatclasses
Madrid
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by ssgmatter » Sat May 22, 2010 5:22 am
kevincanspain wrote:
ssgmatter wrote: Thanks buddy for sharing your analysis!.

But I am confused on the fact that option says that the land can be sold.....Dont you think this is too much of an assumption here.....Please advise
Remember, we are supposed to consider B a fact, not an assumption!
Thankyou for sharing your thoughts.

Please elaborate more on this aspect of considering it as a fact and not as assumption.....I think this is strengthen type question if I am not wrong.....
Best-
Amit
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by kevincanspain » Sat May 22, 2010 6:08 am
If B is assumed to be true, the method proposed makes more sense from an economic standpoint, since apart from extracting the nickel at cost slightly above that of current mining methods, those that use the plant as a means to extract nickel can later sell the land for a substantial profit.

Remember, we are to suppose that B is true and examine, assuming B is true, the likelihood that the use of this plant will form the basis for a commercial ventureplan in that light. We are NOT asked to decide whether B is likely true
Kevin Armstrong
GMAT Instructor
Gmatclasses
Madrid
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by ssgmatter » Sat May 22, 2010 6:16 am
kevincanspain wrote:If B is assumed to be true, the method proposed makes more sense from an economic standpoint, since apart from extracting the nickel at cost slightly above that of current mining methods, those that use the plant as a means to extract nickel can later sell the land for a substantial profit.

Remember, we are to suppose that B is true and examine, assuming B is true, the likelihood that the use of this plant will form the basis for a commercial ventureplan in that light. We are NOT asked to decide whether B is likely true
Got it Kevin!...:-)
Best-
Amit
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