A worker for a power company trims the branches of trees that overhang power lines as a prevention against damage to the lines anticipated because of the impending stormy season. The worker reasons that there will be no need for her to trim the overhanging branches of a certain tree because the owners of the tree have indicated that they might cut it down anyway.
Which one of the following decisions is based on flawed reasoning that is most similar to the worker's flawed reasoning?
(A) A well inspector has a limited amount of time to inspect the wells of a town. The inspector reasons that the wells should be inspected in the order of most used to least used, because there might not be enough time to inspect them all.
(B) All sewage and incoming water pipes in a house must be replaced. The plumber reasons that the cheaper polyvinyl chloride pipes should be used for sewage rather than copper pipes, since the money saved might be used to replace worn fixtures.
(C) A mechanic must replace the worn brakes on a company's vans that are used each weekday. The mechanic reasons that since one of the vans is tentatively scheduled to be junked, he will not have to replace its brakes.
(D) A candidate decides to campaign in the areas of the city where the most new votes are concentrated. The candidate reasons that campaigning on other areas is unnecessary because in those areas the candidate's message is actually liable to alienate voters.
(E) None of the children in a certain kindergarten class will take responsibility for the crayon drawing on the classroom wall. The teacher reasons that it is best to keep all the kindergarten children in during recess in order to be certain to punish the one who did the drawing on the wall
Can some experts explain to me this question?
OA C
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A worker for a power company
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Think about the initial argument as abstractly as possible - replace the concrete details with variables. A worker typically does X to prevent some type of negative consequence. Because Y might happen in one instance, he deems X unnecessary. (X would be trimming the branches and Y would be the owners of the tree cutting the tree down.)lheiannie07 wrote:A worker for a power company trims the branches of trees that overhang power lines as a prevention against damage to the lines anticipated because of the impending stormy season. The worker reasons that there will be no need for her to trim the overhanging branches of a certain tree because the owners of the tree have indicated that they might cut it down anyway.
Which one of the following decisions is based on flawed reasoning that is most similar to the worker's flawed reasoning?
(A) A well inspector has a limited amount of time to inspect the wells of a town. The inspector reasons that the wells should be inspected in the order of most used to least used, because there might not be enough time to inspect them all.
(B) All sewage and incoming water pipes in a house must be replaced. The plumber reasons that the cheaper polyvinyl chloride pipes should be used for sewage rather than copper pipes, since the money saved might be used to replace worn fixtures.
(C) A mechanic must replace the worn brakes on a company's vans that are used each weekday. The mechanic reasons that since one of the vans is tentatively scheduled to be junked, he will not have to replace its brakes.
(D) A candidate decides to campaign in the areas of the city where the most new votes are concentrated. The candidate reasons that campaigning on other areas is unnecessary because in those areas the candidate's message is actually liable to alienate voters.
(E) None of the children in a certain kindergarten class will take responsibility for the crayon drawing on the classroom wall. The teacher reasons that it is best to keep all the kindergarten children in during recess in order to be certain to punish the one who did the drawing on the wall
Can some experts explain to me this question?
OA C
This is the same logic expressed in C. (Now X is 'replacing the breaks,' and Y is one of the vans being junked.) Anytime the specifics of the answer choice can be swapped seamlessly with the variables you've established, you know you have the correct answer.
