ONCE AGAIN ASSUMPTION CR

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ONCE AGAIN ASSUMPTION CR

by gmatmachoman » Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:02 am
For several consecutive years, poultry prices at each of three statewide
grocery-store chains have exceeded the national average by about fifty
percent. Also, the per-pound difference in poultry prices among the three
stores never amounted to more than a few pennies, while among grocery
stores in other states, the prices varied by nearly a dollar over the same
period. The three chains must have conspired to not compete among
themselves and to fix their poultry prices at mutually agreed-upon levels.


The claim that the three grocery-store chains conspired to fix
poultry prices rests on which of the following assumptions for the
time period referred to above?
A. No other grocery store charged higher prices for poultry other
than the three chains.
B. Average poultry prices in the state where the three chains
operate exceeded the national average.
C. The price that grocery stores paid for poultry did not vary
significantly from state to state.
D. Consumers in the state where the three chains operate generally
prefer poultry over other meats, even if poultry is more
expensive than other meats.
E. Other grocery stores operating in the same state as the three
chains also sell poultry to consumers.

OA::-------------

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by hitmewithgmat » Fri Sep 25, 2009 5:57 pm
When it comes to "assumption" question, always remember to use this methods.(from gmat powerscore)
1.Supporter-basically you need to find a gap to fill between premise and conclusion. (this question doesn't seem to apply this method though because there is none to find a gap.)

2.Defender-(this method is a warrior like Hercules. Eliminate all the other possible factors that would weaken the argument. It seems this questions falls for this 2 method.)

A-It's too extreme and we can't assume this statement based on the premises. OUT.
B-It doesn't mention in the premises. OUT.
C-YES. our DEFENDER! by eliminating the possibilities, B statement protects the argument. BINGO!
D-Def. no in the statement. X-out.
E- Other groceries.... out of scope. OUT.

hope this helps.

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Re: ONCE AGAIN ASSUMPTION CR

by crackgmat007 » Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:47 pm
C for me for the above mentioned reasons.

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Re: ONCE AGAIN ASSUMPTION CR

by lunarpower » Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:40 am
the "defender" principle is a good one.
basically, FIND THE ASSUMPTION and WEAKEN THE CONCLUSION are exact opposites. i.e., if X is a weakener, then not-X is an assumption; if X is an assumption, then not-X is a weakener.

this argument claims that the stores were fixing prices. the only evidence given is the fact that prices varied much more in other states than in this particular state.

therefore, you could WEAKEN the argument by finding ANOTHER reason why prices would vary wildly in other states...
...and therefore any statement NEGATING such a reason would be an assumption.

if the prices in other states varied wildly because the price of poultry to the stores themselves varied wildly, then the argument would be compromised severely. therefore, choice (c), which NEGATES this line of reasoning, is an assumption.
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by gmatmachoman » Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:15 am
OA C

hitrates r very high it seems...

Gud Guys..Cheers to u all!!

Thanks Ron for ur effort!!

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by james33 » Sun May 15, 2016 9:43 pm
I think C is the best in this case.