OG 11 - CR # 112

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OG 11 - CR # 112

by adi_800 » Sun Aug 21, 2011 9:56 pm
In tests for pironoma, a serious disease, a false positive result indicates that people have pironoma when, in fact, they do not; a false negative result indicates that people do not have pironoma when, in fact, they do. To detect pironoma most accurately, physicians should use the laboratory test that has the lowest proportion of false positive results.

Which of the following, if true, gives the most support to the recommendation above?
(A) The accepted treatment for pironoma does not have damaging side effects.
(B) The laboratory test that has the lowest proportion of false positive results causes the same minor side
effects as do the other laboratory tests used to detect pironoma.
(C) In treating pironoma patients, it is essential to begin treatment as early as possible, since even a week of
delay can result in loss of life.
(D) The proportion of inconclusive test results is equal for all laboratory tests used to detect pironoma.
(E) All laboratory tests to detect pironoma have the same proportion of false negative results.

OA is E..I know rest of the options are out of scope but i want to know how E strengthens the argument..

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by sunnyjohn » Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:27 am
adi_800 wrote:In tests for pironoma, a serious disease, a false positive result indicates that people have pironoma when, in fact, they do not; a false negative result indicates that people do not have pironoma when, in fact, they do. To detect pironoma most accurately, physicians should use the laboratory test that has the lowest proportion of false positive results.

Argument:
In order to test Pironoma --> use test with lowest % of false +ve


Which of the following, if true, gives the most support to the recommendation above?
"Two possible way to strengthen this -->
1) treatment of Pironoma when you dont have desease has some serious side effects thats why author wants to minimize false +ve cases.
2) Its impossible to do anything about false -ve. so lets focus on minimizing +ve."


(A) The accepted treatment for pironoma does not have damaging side effects.
> This is against my first thought for answer.
(B) The laboratory test that has the lowest proportion of false positive results causes the same minor side effects as do the other laboratory tests used to detect pironoma.
> This is against my first thought for answer.
(C) In treating pironoma patients, it is essential to begin treatment as early as possible, since even a week of delay can result in loss of life.
> Irrelevant.
(D) The proportion of inconclusive test results is equal for all laboratory tests used to detect pironoma.
> This is against second throught, This says its impossible to reduce all kind of false results.
(E) All laboratory tests to detect pironoma have the same proportion of false negative results.
> This is in confirmation with my second thought. It says that its impossible to reduce false negative results, so less the false positive, better the test.
OA is E..I know rest of the options are out of scope but i want to know how E strengthens the argument..

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by navami » Mon Aug 22, 2011 5:33 am
If all tests give same false negative results then there is no further scope of improvement in that area.
Only we can improve on false positive part. Which is the recommendation in conclusion.\Hence E
This time no looking back!!!
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by GmatKiss » Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:09 am
Its a tough one.
Need an expert's explanation!

TIA,
GK