Evaluate the Argument

Anthropologist: At the Korba archaeological site, the stone tools discovered are highly standardized in shape and size. In contrast, tools found at other hominin sites from the exact same era are highly varied and lack any uniform pattern. Creating highly standardized tools requires the application of precise, consistent manufacturing techniques. Therefore, the standardization of the Korba tools demonstrates that the Korba hominins possessed a more advanced system of communication than their contemporaries, which allowed them to instruct one another in these techniques.

Which one of the following would it be most useful to establish in order to evaluate the anthropologist's argument?

Read the argument below. Apply the Variance Test to evaluate the argument by matching the possible factual discoveries (left) to their logical impact on the agricultural economist's core conclusion (right).

Agricultural Economist: To combat declining yields of the traditional Zea corn crop, valley farmers are being encouraged to switch to a genetically modified variant, Zea-Max. Zea-Max is highly resistant to the region's most common pests, which routinely destroy a large portion of the harvest. Since pest damage is currently the primary cause of crop loss in the valley, adopting Zea-Max will undoubtedly lead to a significant increase in the farmers' overall annual profits.

City Planner: In order to significantly reduce the severe traffic congestion in our downtown commercial district, the municipal government should construct a new high-capacity bypass highway on the western outskirts of the city. Recent engineering studies demonstrate that this proposed bypass highway is designed to handle up to 20,000 vehicles per day. This capacity perfectly matches the estimated volume of excess commuter traffic that is currently clogging the main downtown routes during peak hours.

Statement: To properly evaluate the city planner's argument, it is necessary to determine whether the commuters currently traveling through the downtown district would actually choose to alter their routes to use the new western bypass highway.

Recent excavations at the ancient city of Veridia have uncovered massive quantities of elaborate bronze weaponry. This cache was found concentrated entirely within a single ceremonial structure dating to the late period of the city's occupation. Because surviving historical texts indicate that Veridia underwent a significant cultural shift toward militarism during this era, archaeologists have concluded that the discovery of this weaponry proves Veridia must have maintained a massive, active standing army during its late period.

Which one of the following would be most useful to determine in order to evaluate the archaeologists' argument?

University administrator: Our alumni donation rate has dropped by 15% since we replaced our quarterly printed alumni magazine with a monthly email newsletter. Therefore, to restore our alumni donation rate to its previous level, we must immediately return to sending the printed magazine.

Statement: To logically evaluate the validity of the administrator's argument, it is necessary to determine whether there has been a general economic downturn affecting the disposable income of alumni since the switch to the email newsletter.

Urban Planner: To reduce our municipality's soaring electricity expenses, we should replace all conventional streetlamps in the downtown district with genetically engineered bioluminescent flora. These plants emit a steady glow without drawing any power from the grid. Therefore, implementing this replacement will drastically lower the downtown district's overall operational budget while preserving the area's nighttime usability.

Evaluate the argument by applying the Variance Test. Match each hypothetical factual discovery about the bioluminescent flora (left) to its corresponding logical impact on the planner's conclusion (right).

Industry Analyst: Over the past fiscal year, the average cost to manufacture an electric vehicle (EV) battery fell by 20 percent. During the same period, the retail prices of EVs remained stagnant, yet the average profit margin per vehicle for EV manufacturers declined. Given that the battery constitutes the single largest share of an EV's total component costs, the financial savings from the cheaper batteries must have been completely negated by a substantial surge in the procurement costs of the EVs' non-battery components.

Which of the following would it be most useful to know in order to evaluate the argument?

Cardiologist: In a recent clinical trial, patients with mild hypertension who took a daily dose of compound X experienced a 10 percent greater reduction in blood pressure than patients who received a placebo. Compound X has virtually no side effects, whereas conventional blood pressure medications often cause persistent fatigue and dizziness. Therefore, to minimize patient discomfort while effectively managing their condition, doctors should prescribe compound X instead of conventional medications for patients with mild hypertension.

Which of the following would be most useful to know in order to evaluate the cardiologist's argument?

Marine biologist: In a decisive effort to protect the endangered crested sea turtle, the regional government has recently enacted a comprehensive ban on all commercial net fishing within the Emerald Gulf. This legislative action was primarily justified by extensive ecological studies demonstrating that adult crested sea turtles frequently become fatally entangled in these commercial nets during their migratory patterns. Therefore, by eliminating this specific environmental hazard, the new ban will likely cause the overall crested sea turtle population to increase significantly over the course of the next decade.

Statement: Determining whether the commercial net fishing operations in the Emerald Gulf had been significantly depleting populations of predatory fish that feed heavily on crested sea turtle hatchlings is critical to evaluating the validity of the marine biologist's argument.