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Difficulty: MediumStrengthening Arguments

To reduce fuel costs, a regional cargo airline operating primarily in high-altitude mountainous terrain plans to retrofit its turboprop fleet with newly engineered lightweight winglets. Flight tests conducted at sea level demonstrated that these winglets reduced fuel consumption by 8 percent by minimizing aerodynamic drag. Based on these sea-level test results, executives conclude that retrofitting the fleet with these winglets will significantly decrease the carrier's overall fuel expenditure on its mountain routes.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest support for the executives' conclusion?

  1. A
    The initial capital expense of acquiring and retrofitting the winglets exceeds the estimated fuel cost savings during the fleet's first year of operation.
  2. B
    Competing cargo carriers operating exclusively on flat coastal routes reported high overall reliability after installing similar winglet modifications.
  3. C
    At high altitudes, lower air density reduces engine efficiency, causing aircraft to burn more fuel per flight hour regardless of winglet installation.
  4. Aerodynamic drag accounts for a greater proportion of total engine workload during flight maneuvers in high-altitude mountain conditions than during sea-level flight.Answer
  5. E
    The price per gallon of aviation fuel in mountain regions is projected to fluctuate at the same rate as the price of fuel in coastal areas.

Answer

The argument is most strongly supported by the statement indicating that aerodynamic drag accounts for a greater proportion of total engine workload during flight maneuvers in high-altitude mountain conditions than during sea-level flight.
The correct answer directly connects the premise (sea-level drag reduction) with the target scenario (high-altitude mountain flights). By establishing that aerodynamic drag represents a larger share of engine workload in mountain conditions, it confirms that reducing drag will yield significant fuel savings in the specific environment where the fleet operates.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the argument's premises and conclusion.
Premise: Winglets reduced fuel consumption by 8% during tests at sea level by cutting aerodynamic drag. Conclusion: Installing the winglets will significantly cut overall fuel expenditure on high-altitude mountain routes.
Deconstructing the argument reveals the logical gap between sea-level test results and real-world high-altitude performance.
2
Identify the unstated assumption required for the argument to hold.
The argument assumes that aerodynamic drag reduction observed at sea level remains significant and effective under high-altitude mountain flight conditions.
If high-altitude conditions alter aerodynamic workload, sea-level results might not guarantee expected savings.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to find the statement that confirms or enhances this core connection.
Showing that aerodynamic drag plays an even larger role in engine workload at high altitudes validates and strengthens the assumption that drag-reducing winglets will generate substantial fuel savings on mountain routes.
Direct evidence confirming the relevance of drag reduction in the target operating environment directly strengthens the conclusion.

Key Concept

Strengthening Arguments by Confirming Key Assumptions across Environments
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Strengthening Arguments

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