BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Haglut Corporation

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 502
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:36 pmFollowed by: 21 members
Thanked: 99 times
by vk_vinayak » Wed Aug 01, 2012 8:22 am

Timer

00:00

Answers

A

B

C

D

E

Stats

Difficulty—

Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.

The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?

(A)It takes for granted that the manufacturing division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month.

(B)It takes for granted that if a certain average of amount of overtime is worked each month by each employee of the Haglut Corporation, then approximately the same amount of overtime must be worked each month by each employee of the manufacturing division.

(C)It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.

(D)It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.

(E)It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime.

Source: OG 13
- VK

I will (Learn. Recognize. Apply)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Critical Reasoning |
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 130
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:13 amFollowed by: 4 members
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Thanked: 16 times
GMAT Score:650

by tisrar02 » Wed Aug 01, 2012 6:26 pm
I think its (D)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 435
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2011 7:27 amFollowed by: 16 members
Thanked: 48 times

by alex.gellatly » Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:35 pm
vk_vinayak wrote:Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.

The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?

(A)It takes for granted that the manufacturing division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month.

(B)It takes for granted that if a certain average of amount of overtime is worked each month by each employee of the Haglut Corporation, then approximately the same amount of overtime must be worked each month by each employee of the manufacturing division.

(C)It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.

(D)It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.

(E)It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime.

Source: OG 13
I'd go with D here. Here's why:

The conclusion states that MOST employees CERTAINLY work some overtime. They argument is based on the evidence that the average amount of overtime in the manufacturing division is 14 hours, and that most people work in that division. So, then most people work overtime. However, that is an average. What if, for example a few people work 20, 30, or more hours overtime. Clearly this will throw off the average, and MOST people DO NOT work overtime, only a FEW do. This is what answer D states.

Does this help? What is the OA?
A useful website I found that has every quant OG video explanation:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/useful-websi ... tml#475231
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 502
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:36 pmFollowed by: 21 members
Thanked: 99 times

by vk_vinayak » Wed Aug 01, 2012 11:58 pm
Alex,

The OA is D only. When I first tried solving the question, I found it complicated, and it took me a long time to decide between A and D. Your explanations for D helped.

Can you tell me why A is incorrect?
- VK

I will (Learn. Recognize. Apply)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 130
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:13 amFollowed by: 4 members
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Thanked: 16 times
GMAT Score:650

by tisrar02 » Thu Aug 02, 2012 5:06 am
A doesn't take into consideration the whole company, just the division itself. The author is saying that because employees in one division work overtime, most of the employees in the company work overtime.

What if the Manufacturing division only has 10 employees while the company is comprised of 100 employees. Get the discrepancies. The word "typical division" has no bearing as to how many employees would work in this division so it can be yes most employees work overtime if the division is large or no if the division is a smaller division or equal to the other divisions.

D states that because some employees work overtime, it doesn't necessarily mean that MOST employees in the company work overtime, which is what were looking for. That is what the passage is most vulnerable to.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 150
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 11:19 pm
Thanked: 4 times

by mv12 » Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:35 am
I also picked D
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 503
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:53 pmFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 31 times

by mmslf75 » Thu Aug 15, 2013 10:10 am
mv12 wrote:I also picked D
Why is E wrong ?

D and E almost say the same thing right ?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 10392
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pmFollowed by: 511 members
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Thanked: 2867 times
GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Thu Aug 15, 2013 2:38 pm
Hi mmslf75,

Notice the wording in E:

"....any one corporate employee may....work no overtime..." This answer seems to focus on an individual employee.

The conclusion in the prompt states:

"...most employees...almost certainly work at least some overtime."

Notice how the Answer E doesn't line up with the prompt (one employee vs. most employees). The correct answer (D) matches the Focus of the prompt (..."many members of that group...")

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:56 pm

by thuyduong91vnu » Mon Aug 29, 2016 8:15 pm
Could someone help to explain what (A) exactly means, and why it should be ruled out?
I still find this choice hard to understand :(

Many thanks!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Thu Sep 01, 2016 3:01 am
vk_vinayak wrote:Debater: The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the manufacturing division of the Haglut Corporation is 14 hours. Most employees of the Haglut Corporation work in the manufacturing division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month worked by any employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Haglut Corporation almost certainly work at least some overtime.

The debater's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of these grounds?

(A)It takes for granted that the manufacturing division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month.

(B)It takes for granted that if a certain average of amount of overtime is worked each month by each employee of the Haglut Corporation, then approximately the same amount of overtime must be worked each month by each employee of the manufacturing division.

(C)It confuses a claim from which the argument's conclusion about the Haglut Corporation would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion only with a high degree of probability.

(D)It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.

(E)It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime.
I received a PM requesting that I comment.

Premise: The average amount of overtime worked by an employee in the manufacturing division -- the division in which most employees work -- is 14 hours per month, and the average for each employee does not generally fluctuate.
Conclusion: Each month, most employees almost certainly work at least some overtime.

The correct answer choice must weaken the conclusion.

D: Many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
Here, it's possible that many members of the manufacturing division -- the most popular division -- work no overtime at all, WEAKENING the conclusion that most employees almost certainly work at least some overtime.
The correct answer is D.

Reasons to eliminate:

A)
If the manufacturing division is not a typical division, who cares?
Since MOST employees work in the manufacturing division, the argument can still conclude that most employees work at least some overtime.
Eliminate A.

B)
If the same amount of overtime is not worked each month by each employee, who cares?
The argument can still conclude that most employees work at least SOME overtime.
Eliminate B.

C)
The passage does not make a claim that would follow from the argument's conclusion.
The argument concludes that most employees work at least some overtime.
It does not make a claim based upon this conclusion.
Eliminate C.

E)
If one employee may, in some months, work no overtime, who cares?
The argument can still conclude that MOST employees work at least SOME overtime.
Eliminate E.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2630
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 3:32 pmFollowed by: 119 members
Location: East Bay all the way
Thanked: 625 times
GMAT Score:780

by Matt@VeritasPrep » Thu Sep 01, 2016 4:03 pm
thuyduong91vnu wrote:Could someone help to explain what (A) exactly means, and why it should be ruled out?
I still find this choice hard to understand :(

Many thanks!
"Takes for granted" = "We're assuming this is true, even though we haven't given any evidence for it."

So A essentially says "The argument assumes (without any evidence) the manufacturing division works the same amount of overtime hours as the other divisions in the company do."

It isn't a huge deal in this argument because we were told that most employees at Haglut work in the manufacturing division, so whether the other (smaller, less representative) divisions work as much overtime is irrelevant.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2018 8:16 am

by kapstone1996 » Wed Nov 07, 2018 9:50 am
-D-

Argument takes an ambiguous claim, and does not think about the of even at least one person, who does work OT.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1