Critical Reasoning

In the United States, of the people who moved from one state to another when they retired, the percentage who retired to Florida has decreased by three percentage points over the past ten years. Since many local businesses in Florida cater to retirees, this decline is likely to have a noticeably negative economic effect on these businesses.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Florida attracts more people who move from one state to another when they retire than does any other state.
(B) The number of people who move out of Florida to accept employment in other states has increased over the past ten years.
(C) There are far more local businesses in Florida that cater to tourists than there are local businesses that cater to retirees.
(D) The total number of people who retired and moved to another state for their retirement has increased significantly over the past ten years.
(E) The number of people who left Florida when they retired to live in another state was greater last year than it was ten years ago.

[spoiler]OA: D[/spoiler]

I was thinking about A.

If A is true, then Florida can attract more people means of all the states, Florida will attract more retired persons.
Example:
100 persons moved. if out of this 100 Florida can attract 40 persons, all other states can attract only 60. This means that Florida will have more people.

What is the flaw in my reasoning?

Thanks.

Let me put across 2 scenarios:

Supporting OA D.

Let the number of retirees moving from one state to another ten years ago = 100
Number of retirees to florida ten years ago = 20
Percentage = 20 %

Let the number of retirees moving from one state at present = 1000
Number of retirees to florida at present = 170
Percentage = 17 %

Percentage drop is 3%. But the businesses actually increased.
Hence D weakens the argument.


Contradicting A:
Let the number of retirees moving from one state to another ten years ago = 100
Number of retirees to florida ten years ago = 20
Assume total 100 states. Which means As per A, remaining 99 states, each, are not attracting more than 20.
Percentage = 20 %

Let the number of retirees moving from one state to another at present = 100
Number of retirees to florida at present = 17
Assume total 100 states. Which means As per A, remaining 99 states, each, are not attracting more than 17.
Percentage = 17 %

percentage decreased, Business also decreased. Hence A doesnt clearly help out in weakening.

Hope this helps!!

Hey gmat_perfect, I have noticed a common flaw you make when it comes to CR questions. You are often caught up with facts or what I considered labels that are not relevant to the argument.

For example with this question, whether Florida attracts more retirees than any other state has no effect on the argument. The argument is concerned with the drop in percentage with the assumption that the percentage reflects actual number, and the number can be very big or very small, but the size of the number doesn't matter, because the concern is with the difference in number between 10 years ago and today.

Let's use your example and I'll try to put it in the context; Florida businesses cater to a retiree population of 100 people, and A says that this group of 100 people is the largest group out of all the states. Can you see how it doesn't affect the argument?