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OG 12 CR 51 Biodegradable plastic containers

Expert replies
by eeeva » Sat Apr 13, 2013 1:13 pm
Hi everyone,

This is my first post. Please help! I am confused by this CR question. I don't understand why the answer is B. The reasoning presented from OG 12 was too vague. I would appreciate if somebody can help me walk through this question. Thank you!


One variety of partially biodegradable plastic beverage container is manufactured from small bits of plastic bound together by a degradable bonding agent such as cornstarch. Since only the bonding agent degrades, leaving the small bits of plastic, no less plastic refuse per container is produced when such containers are discarded than when comparable nonbiodegradable containers are discarded.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument above?

A. Both partially biodegradable and nonbiodegradable plastic beverage containers can be crushed completely flat by refuse compactors.
B. The partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers are made with more plastic than comparable nonbiodegradable ones in order to compensate for the weakening effect of the bonding agents.
C. Many consumers are ecology-minded and prefer to buy a product sold in the partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers rather than in nonbiodegradable containers, even if the price is higher.
D. The manufacturing process for the partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers results in less plastic waste than the manufacturing process for nonbiodegradable plastic beverage containers.
E. Technological problems with recycling currently prevent the reuse as food or beverage containers of the plastic from either type of plastic beverage container.


[color=blue]Would someone help explain why B is the correct answer for the question?[/color]
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Source: — Critical Reasoning |

by GMATGuruNY » Sun Apr 14, 2013 4:00 am
eeeva wrote:Hi everyone,

This is my first post. Please help! I am confused by this CR question. I don't understand why the answer is B. The reasoning presented from OG 12 was too vague. I would appreciate if somebody can help me walk through this question. Thank you!


One variety of partially biodegradable plastic beverage container is manufactured from small bits of plastic bound together by a degradable bonding agent such as cornstarch. Since only the bonding agent degrades, leaving the small bits of plastic, no less plastic refuse per container is produced when such containers are discarded than when comparable nonbiodegradable containers are discarded.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument above?

A. Both partially biodegradable and nonbiodegradable plastic beverage containers can be crushed completely flat by refuse compactors.
B. The partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers are made with more plastic than comparable nonbiodegradable ones in order to compensate for the weakening effect of the bonding agents.
C. Many consumers are ecology-minded and prefer to buy a product sold in the partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers rather than in nonbiodegradable containers, even if the price is higher.
D. The manufacturing process for the partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers results in less plastic waste than the manufacturing process for nonbiodegradable plastic beverage containers.
E. Technological problems with recycling currently prevent the reuse as food or beverage containers of the plastic from either type of plastic beverage container.
Let NB = non-biodegradable plastic containers and PB = partially biodegradable plastic containers.

NB containers are composed of 100% PLASTIC.
PB containers are composed not of 100% plastic but of SMALL BITS OF PLASTIC connected by a bonding agent.
One might expect that discarded PB containers would yield LESS PLASTIC REFUSE, since they are composed only of small bits of plastic.
But the argument concludes that PB containers yield NO LESS plastic refuse.
In other words -- according to the conclusion of the argument -- discarded PB containers yield AT LEAST AS MUCH plastic refuse as discarded NB containers.
The correct answer choice must support this conclusion.

Answer choice B: The partially biodegradable plastic beverage containers are made with more plastic than comparable nonbiodegradable ones in order to compensate for the weakening effect of the bonding agents.
This answer choice states that PB containers are made with MORE PLASTIC than NB containers, supporting the conclusion that discarded PB containers yield at least as much plastic refuse as discarded NB containers.

The correct answer is B.
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by ssbisht » Mon Apr 15, 2013 5:30 am
Statement: New partially biodegradable plastic containers with small bits of plastic bound together by a degradable bonding agent. The bonding agent degrades, leaving the small bits of plastic,
conclusion:
No less plastic refuse per container is produced when such new containers are discarded than when comparable no biodegradable containers are discarded.
In the absence of Option B this will indicate that the new plastic container uses lesser plastic as some space is taken by bio degradable bonding agent and hence option B is the correct answer.
Thanks,
ssbisht
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by veenu08 » Wed May 01, 2013 9:09 am
@ eeeva: kindly don't post the answer before hand or use spoiler
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