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Difficulty: MediumCommand of Evidence: Textual

Economist Dr. Hannah Vance and her team investigated the economic impact of "micro-transit" systems—flexible, on-demand public shuttle services—in suburban cities. Vance hypothesized that these networks, by connecting low-income residential areas directly to commercial centers, would boost the revenues of local micro-businesses (firms with fewer than five employees) within those centers. Vance's team analyzed commercial activity in several commercial centers before and after the introduction of micro-transit services. Which finding from the study, if true, would most directly support the team's hypothesis?

  1. Commercial centers that received new micro-transit connections experienced a significant increase in the average monthly revenue of micro-businesses, with a majority of new customers reporting they arrived via the shuttles from connected low-income residential areas.Answer
  2. B
    Residents of connected low-income areas reported that they saved an average of thirty minutes per trip and felt much safer using the micro-transit shuttles than they did using traditional fixed-route buses.
  3. C
    Large retail chains located in shopping centers outside of the micro-transit service zones reported higher revenue growth than did micro-businesses situated inside the transit-connected commercial centers.
  4. D
    The municipal government was able to fully fund the operation of the micro-transit shuttle systems using the increased commercial property tax revenues collected from businesses in the suburban cities.

Answer

Commercial centers that received new micro-transit connections experienced a significant increase in the average monthly revenue of micro-businesses, with a majority of new customers reporting they arrived via the shuttles from connected low-income residential areas.
The correct answer is the option describing commercial centers that received new micro-transit connections. This option directly supports the hypothesis by providing evidence that correlates the introduction of the transit service with the predicted outcome: an increase in the monthly revenue of local micro-businesses driven by customers arriving from the connected low-income residential areas.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the researchers' central hypothesis.
The hypothesis is that micro-transit networks, by connecting low-income residential areas to commercial centers, would increase the revenues of local micro-businesses within those centers.
Understanding the specific mechanism and claim of the hypothesis is necessary to determine what evidence would support it.
2
Evaluate the choices to find which one shows the predicted connection and outcome.
The option showing that commercial centers with new connections had higher micro-business revenues, driven by customers arriving via the shuttles from low-income areas, aligns directly with the hypothesis.
This establishes the direct causal link between the transit system and the increased revenue of the micro-businesses.
3
Eliminate choices that address unrelated claims, misread details, or make speculative inferences.
Options about rider satisfaction, large retail chains outside the zones, or municipal tax funding are eliminated.
None of these options provide direct empirical support for the specific hypothesis regarding micro-business revenues inside the connected hubs.

Key Concept

Command of Evidence: Textual
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Command of Evidence: Textual

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