OG CR:The difference in average annual

The difference in average annual income in favor of employees who have college degrees, compared with those who do not have such degrees, doubled between 1980 and 1990. Some analysts have hypothesized that increased competition between employers for employees with college degrees drove up income for such employees.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the explanation described above?

fact1) between 1980 and 1990, the avg annual income in favor of employees having college degrees doubled
Reason: increased competition between employers for employees

Weaken the explanation
we have to provide other explanation which can tell the real cause of the situation.


A) During the 1980s a growing percentage of college graduates, unable to find jobs requiring a college degree, took unskilled jobs.
taking unskilled jobs means less pay
example in 1980 suppose there are 100 employees 50% worked for unskilled jobs
and in 1990 suppose 20%
Skilled pay : 100
unskilled pay: 50

1980 avg income : (100)(50)/50 = 100
1990 abg income : (100)(80)/50 = 160

so its not the competition but the higher percentage of people working for skilled jobs.

B) The average age of all employees increased slightly during the 1980s.
for me its a mild weakener because increasing the age we are increasing the range or number of the college degrees employees.

C) The unemployment rate changed very little throughout the 1980s.
OFS

D) From 1980 to 1990 the difference in average income between employees with advanced degrees and those with bachelor’s degrees also increased.
OFS

E) During the 1980s there were some employees with no college degree who earned incomes comparable to the top incomes earned by employees with a college degree.
OFS

Thanks
Fiza Gupta

Hi Experts ,

Please explain why E is wrong?

rsarashi wrote:Hi Experts ,

Please explain why E is wrong?

E is a detail which doesn't tell us whether the demand for graduates caused the income gap to increase..

In fact it's just a part of the entire population of the people with no college degree managed to earn more than graduates.. but the premise clearly mentions that on aggregate the later group has higher income than the former.

E is just a different interpretation of the premise, not impacting the conclusion

E is a detail which doesn't tell us whether the demand for graduates caused the income gap to increase..

In fact it's just a part of the entire population of the people with no college degree managed to earn more than graduates.. but the premise clearly mentions that on aggregate the later group has higher income than the former.

E is just a different interpretation of the premise, not impacting the conclusion

Hi Sun Light ,

Thanks for your reply.

It is that increased competition between employers for employees with college degrees drove up income for such employees.


E says employees with no college degree earned more income compare with the employees with college degree.

So isn't undermines the conclusion?

Also can we eliminate option E, because of uses of SOME?

Please explain.

rsarashi wrote:

E is a detail which doesn't tell us whether the demand for graduates caused the income gap to increase..

In fact it's just a part of the entire population of the people with no college degree managed to earn more than graduates.. but the premise clearly mentions that on aggregate the later group has higher income than the former.

E is just a different interpretation of the premise, not impacting the conclusion

Hi Sun Light ,

Thanks for your reply.

It is that increased competition between employers for employees with college degrees drove up income for such employees.


E says employees with no college degree earned more income compare with the employees with college degree.

So isn't undermines the conclusion?

Also can we eliminate option E, because of uses of SOME?

Please explain.

Hi,

Premise : the gap between income of graduate studies and non graduates doubled..

Conclusion : the increased demand for graduates did this..

Now we can undermine this by proving tht the demand for graduates was not tht high, this is proven by the correct option.

The worst with E is that it is to some degree going against the premise by saying that some of non graduates earned more than graduates... It is gng against the premise and not the conclusion..

Also, some means anything greater than 0.. it can mean all too..

fiza gupta wrote:The difference in average annual income in favor of employees who have college degrees, compared with those who do not have such degrees, doubled between 1980 and 1990. Some analysts have hypothesized that increased competition between employers for employees with college degrees drove up income for such employees.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the explanation described above?

fact1) between 1980 and 1990, the avg annual income in favor of employees having college degrees doubled
Reason: increased competition between employers for employees

Weaken the explanation
we have to provide other explanation which can tell the real cause of the situation.


A) During the 1980s a growing percentage of college graduates, unable to find jobs requiring a college degree, took unskilled jobs.
taking unskilled jobs means less pay
example in 1980 suppose there are 100 employees 50% worked for unskilled jobs
and in 1990 suppose 20%
Skilled pay : 100
unskilled pay: 50

1980 avg income : (100)(50)/50 = 100
1990 abg income : (100)(80)/50 = 160

so its not the competition but the higher percentage of people working for skilled jobs.

B) The average age of all employees increased slightly during the 1980s.
for me its a mild weakener because increasing the age we are increasing the range or number of the college degrees employees.

C) The unemployment rate changed very little throughout the 1980s.
OFS

D) From 1980 to 1990 the difference in average income between employees with advanced degrees and those with bachelor’s degrees also increased.
OFS

E) During the 1980s there were some employees with no college degree who earned incomes comparable to the top incomes earned by employees with a college degree.
OFS

Thanks
Fiza Gupta

Can you please explain wy option D is incorrect here ?