Critical Reasoning

In the course of her researches, a historian recently found two documents mentioning the same person, Erich Schnitzler. One, dated May 3, 1739, is a record of Schnitzler's arrest for peddling without a license. The second, undated, is a statement by Schnitzler asserting that he has been peddling off and on for 20 years.
The facts above best support which of the following conclusions?
(A) Schnitzler started peddling around 1719.
(B) Schnitzler was arrested repeatedly for peddling.
(C) The undated document was written before 1765.
(D) The arrest record was written after the undated document.
(E) The arrest record provides better evidence that Schnitzler peddled than does the undated document.

definitely C

When dealing with Inference questions such as this, it's important to remember you're looking for an answer with definite support in the stimulus.

In this case we know two definite things:

(1) Schnitzler (awesome name) was arrested for peddling in 1739.
(2) Schnitzler (still awesome) made an undated statement claiming to have been peddling on and off for 20 years.

If we take all the statements at face value (which we must on the GMAT), then only (C) has clear support. Schniztler must have made the statement before 1765 seeing as over twenty-five years earlier he was certainly peddling (his arrest in 1739).

All of the other answer choices COULD be true, but that is not enough for a valid GMAT inference.

IMO - C

maihuna wrote:In the course of her researches, a historian recently found two documents mentioning the same person, Erich Schnitzler. One, dated May 3, 1739, is a record of Schnitzler's arrest for peddling without a license. The second, undated, is a statement by Schnitzler asserting that he has been peddling off and on for 20 years.
The facts above best support which of the following conclusions?
(A) Schnitzler started peddling around 1719.
(B) Schnitzler was arrested repeatedly for peddling.
(C) The undated document was written before 1765.
(D) The arrest record was written after the undated document.
(E) The arrest record provides better evidence that Schnitzler peddled than does the undated document.

Why C??
(C) The undated document was written before 1765

Cant we assume that undated document(may be a autobiography) could be wriiten in 1777 or later??

How can we prove with certainity that (C) is valid answer.

Even other options also doesn't hold that strong.

Comments plz

gmatmachoman wrote: Why C??
(C) The undated document was written before 1765

Cant we assume that undated document(may be a autobiography) could be wriiten in 1777 or later??

How can we prove with certainity that (C) is valid answer.

Even other options also doesn't hold that strong.

Comments plz

My honest opinion is you may be trying too hard to make (C) invalid. Look at it this way, if Schnitzler did in fact make the statement in 1765 (or even later as you suggest), then he would have been lying when he claimed to have been peddling for the last 20 years (because he would have been peddling for much longer). We must take every statement as true; therefore, the latest he could have made the undated statement was May 3, 1759 -twenty years from the exact date we know for certain he was peddling.

I concede you may have a point in claiming that documenting the statement and making the statement verbally are two separate things (if this is indeed the point you are making). That's certainly the reason the question stem says "best support". The fact remains, the other answers are possible at best (and thus wrong). Answer (C) has direct support from the passage, and is extremely likely to be true.

In fact, as a test taker I would have selected (C) even if I wasn't 100% convinced in its validity. I very quickly eliminated the other answers and (C) seemed to make some sense. To spend more time on it would be a waste.

Thats an awesome explanation Brad I was puzzled why C is the answer. Now its crystal clear... Thanks once again..