Hazardous waste

[sam2304]

In response to mounting public concern, an airplane manufacturer implemented a program with the well-publicized goal of reducing by half the total yearly amount of hazardous waste generated by its passenger-jet division. When the program began in 1994, the division's hazardous waste output was 90 pounds per production worker; last year it was 40 pounds per production worker. Clearly, therefore, charges that the manufacturer's program has not met its goal are false.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

A. The amount of nonhazardous waste generated each year by the passenger-jet division has not increased significantly since 1994.
B. At least as many passenger jets were produced by the division last year as had been produced in 1994.
C. Since 1994, other divisions in the company have achieved reductions in hazardous waste output that are at least equal to that achieved in the passenger-jet division.
D. The average number of weekly hours per production worker in the passenger-jet division was not significantly greater last year than it was in 1994.
E. The number of production workers assigned to the passenger-jet division was not significantly less in 1994 than it was last year.

Please explain your pick.

[avik.ch]

In response to mounting public concern, an airplane manufacturer implemented a program with the well-publicized goal of reducing by half the total yearly amount of hazardous waste generated by its passenger-jet division. - an initiative taken
When the program began in 1994, the division's hazardous waste output was 90 pounds per production worker; last year it was 40 pounds per production worker. - result of an action/initiative
Clearly, therefore, charges that the manufacturer's program has not met its goal are false. - conclusion.

here, the result signifies the changes in the output/production workers and the conclusion of the goal being effective is based on this statistics.

Only E deals with the number of production workers. Hence this is the correct option.

if we negate E - the number of production workers was significantly less in 1994 than last year. : this completely destroy the argument.

1994 --- 100 workers --- output 9000 pounds ---- 90 pounds/person
last year --- X -------- Y ----- 40 pounds/person.

If X decreases then Y too decreases then this would show some other factor for the result to stand, thus undermining the conclusion.

Hope this helps !!

[sam2304]

@avik: I just have one query. Do you try negating every answer choice while solving assumption questions or do you use it to cross check it ? Either way it takes time for me and I mess it up .

[avik.ch]

@avik: I just have one query. Do you try negating every answer choice while solving assumption questions or do you use it to cross check it ? Either way it takes time for me and I mess it up .

In this CR, negation technique is a good way to find the correct answer as we are looking for "necessary assumption".

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends ?

But if the question were phrased as :

The conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

and E were changed to :

The number of production workers assigned to the passenger-jet division was same in 1994 as it was last year.

After negation : The number of production workers assigned to the passenger-jet division was not same in 1994 as it was last year.

"not same" can be increase or decrease.

Increase : this would support the argument
Decrease : this would weaken the assumption.

so here the complete negation technique does not work.
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Please refer testluv's post on this concept:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/verdland-t48086.html#203040
https://www.beatthegmat.com/west-side-sc ... 56337.html
https://www.beatthegmat.com/private-indu ... 81524.html

And refer Og-12 #58, which is a sufficient assumption question.


Hope this helps !!

[avik.ch]

sorry !! duplicate post