paradox

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bupbebeo: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 134; Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 7:08 am; Thanked: 3 times

by bupbebeo » Wed May 05, 2010 6:54 pm

The powdered U.S. cocaine epidemic is still rampant and shows no signs of abating. Last year in the United States, the total quantity of powder cocaine bought by users has risen, even though there was a decrease in the number of adults who use it.

Each of the following, if true, could explain the simultaneous increase in cocaine sales and decrease in the number of adults who use it EXCEPT:

A.Last year, the number of men who began to use was higher than the number of women who quit using cocaine.

B. Last year, the number of teenage children who began using was higher than the number of adults who have quit using cocaine during the same period.

C. During the last year, the number of cocaine non-users who began using crack cocaine "rocks," made from powdered cocaine, was higher than the number of people who have quit using cocaine.

D.The people who continue to use consume more cocaine per capita than in past years.

E. Much of the cocaine brought into the U.S. by dealers was then smuggled into Canada for resale.

The OA is A. But I doubt E also can't explain the paradox Because E may only explain how the total sale can increase but it can't explain about how the consumption of powder cocaine by adult decreased.

Any one can help

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Critical Reasoning | Wed May 05, 2010 6:54 pm

rockeyb: Legendary Member; Posts: 537; Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 7:15 amFollowed by: 1 member; Location: Nagpur , India; Thanked: 41 times

by rockeyb » Wed May 05, 2010 10:21 pm

Look carefully at what E says .

E. Much of the cocaine brought into the U.S. by dealers was then smuggled into Canada for resale.

Although I agree with your point that it dose not say the consumption in US decreased . But it dose say although the sale increased ,the cocaine bought in US was not consumed in US and hence resulting in no increase in consumption . At best we can infer that the consumption did not increase or may be remind constant.

"Know thyself" and "Nothing in excess"

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gmatmachoman: Legendary Member; Posts: 2326; Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:54 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 173 times; GMAT Score:710

by gmatmachoman » Wed May 05, 2010 11:12 pm

bupbebeo wrote:The powdered U.S. cocaine epidemic is still rampant and shows no signs of abating. Last year in the United States, the total quantity of powder cocaine bought by users has risen, even though there was a decrease in the number of adults who use it.

Each of the following, if true, could explain the simultaneous increase in cocaine sales and decrease in the number of adults who use it EXCEPT:

A.Last year, the number of men who began to use was higher than the number of women who quit using cocaine.

B. Last year, the number of teenage children who began using was higher than the number of adults who have quit using cocaine during the same period.

C. During the last year, the number of cocaine non-users who began using crack cocaine "rocks," made from powdered cocaine, was higher than the number of people who have quit using cocaine.

D.The people who continue to use consume more cocaine per capita than in past years.

E. Much of the cocaine brought into the U.S. by dealers was then smuggled into Canada for resale.

The OA is A. But I doubt E also can't explain the paradox Because E may only explain how the total sale can increase but it can't explain about how the consumption of powder cocaine by adult decreased.

Any one can help

Its clearly A.
There is a subtle scope shift in A from the argument.Let us take couple of numbers to demystify the scenario.

Last year scenario "
Total Number consumed : 100
Women :90
Male:10

This Year{Adult consumption has DECREASED}
Total Number :80
Women consumption:60
Male consumption of cocaine: 20

Even though there is a "Increase in Male population "consuming cocaine, the overall "adult " population has "lessened " its consumption. SO A does NOT add any contribution to the "increased brought out of cocaine ".

Pick A.

E seems to be out of scope.but thats teh trick. As Rockeyb rightly pointed out, Americans are very shrewd enuf to but & resale them even though they are not consuming them directly.

Here our focus would be Consumption Vs Procurement(boughtout).

Its a good question. I have seen it somewhere dealing with ciggarettes. Org.Poster can u plz post the source!!

R&D on GMAT algorithm:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/r-d-on-gmat- ... tml#305739

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paddle_sweep: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 379; Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:53 am; Location: Chennai,India; Thanked: 3 times

by paddle_sweep » Thu May 06, 2010 1:10 am

What's the difference between 'A' & 'B'?

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paes: Legendary Member; Posts: 995; Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2010 11:56 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 31 times

by paes » Thu May 06, 2010 10:03 pm

A and B, both looking plausible

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diebeatsthegmat: Legendary Member; Posts: 1119; Joined: Fri May 07, 2010 8:50 amFollowed by: 3 members; Thanked: 29 times

by diebeatsthegmat » Fri May 28, 2010 12:48 am

bupbebeo wrote:The powdered U.S. cocaine epidemic is still rampant and shows no signs of abating. Last year in the United States, the total quantity of powder cocaine bought by users has risen, even though there was a decrease in the number of adults who use it.

Each of the following, if true, could explain the simultaneous increase in cocaine sales and decrease in the number of adults who use it EXCEPT:

A.Last year, the number of men who began to use was higher than the number of women who quit using cocaine.

B. Last year, the number of teenage children who began using was higher than the number of adults who have quit using cocaine during the same period.

C. During the last year, the number of cocaine non-users who began using crack cocaine "rocks," made from powdered cocaine, was higher than the number of people who have quit using cocaine.

D.The people who continue to use consume more cocaine per capita than in past years.

E. Much of the cocaine brought into the U.S. by dealers was then smuggled into Canada for resale.

The OA is A. But I doubt E also can't explain the paradox Because E may only explain how the total sale can increase but it can't explain about how the consumption of powder cocaine by adult decreased.

Any one can help

i chose A because i think it simply that the argument say the number of adult people who use cocain decrease while A states that the number of women { adults) starting using cocain increased... these 2 statements dont get along. the are opposite! thus A weaken the argument

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Gyan: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 21; Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:32 am; Location: India; Thanked: 1 times

by Gyan » Fri May 28, 2010 5:14 am

The arguement reads like consumption of powdered increased without increase in number of adults. The question that is asked is what and all factors strengthen the arguement Except...

A It says number of adult(Men) who began vs More than No of those (women) who quit. It doesnt support the arugment and is the answer.
B No of Teanage(Non adults) was more than those(Adults) who quit. It could be thus one of the reason for the argument and it supports.
C No of users who use a by product(made from cocaine) was more than adults who quit..This also supports the arguement.
D Per capita consumption has increase Year on Year. Its like a situation where choclate consumption has increased by number of kids who use them has reduced. Lets say earlier consumption was 100 units and No of kids were 50 and average consumption was 2 per kid. Now Kids (say 30) started liking more and they demand more and eat 4 units...some kids have become adults and started taking say beer!!..So the consumption is increased 120 units(30*4) and decrease in number of kids.
E this is another possibilty when the cocaine is bought by the user in larger quantity for say 1$ and sold in canada for 10$.

E

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kevincanspain: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 613; Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:17 amFollowed by: 64 members; Location: madrid; Thanked: 171 times; GMAT Score:790

by kevincanspain » Fri May 28, 2010 8:27 am

Don't make the mistake of calling this an argument. Nor are we asked to strengthen anything or find the one statement that does not strengthen something. We are asked to find the one statement that does not generate an explanation for the fact that users bought more powder coke even though the number of adult users fell. In other words, which statement cannot help us understand how they two facts could co-exist?

Kevin Armstrong
GMAT Instructor
Gmatclasses
Madrid

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