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Question

Difficulty: MediumIdentifying Premises and Evidence

Consider the following argument:

A recent study of regional agricultural yields found that farms implementing automated drip-irrigation systems saw a 15 percent increase in crop output compared to farms using traditional flood-irrigation methods. Thus, modern technology adoption is the primary driver of agricultural efficiency in the region.

True or False: In the argument above, the claim that farms implementing automated drip-irrigation systems saw a 15 percent increase in crop output functions as a premise supporting the main conclusion.

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is True. The specified claim provides factual, empirical evidence that directly supports the argument's main conclusion.
Evaluating the statement as True is correct because the referenced sentence reports specific study results that provide the evidentiary basis for the author's conclusion about technology adoption.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the main conclusion of the argument.
The main conclusion is 'thus, modern technology adoption is the primary driver of agricultural efficiency in the region.'
The structural indicator 'thus' signals the author's primary claim being established.
2
Analyze the structural role of the statement in question.
The statement 'farms implementing automated drip-irrigation systems saw a 15 percent increase in crop output' presents observational study data.
This empirical finding is offered to justify and validate the broader inference made in the conclusion.
3
Evaluate whether the statement functions as a premise.
Since the claim provides evidence for the conclusion rather than being inferred from other claims, it is a supporting premise.
Premises are claims offered as evidence or justification for a conclusion.

Key Concept

Identifying premises as supporting factual evidence in an argument structure.
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Topics

Identifying Premises and Evidence

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