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Soru 1281Soru →

Archaeologists studying ancient agricultural settlements along the Zanja River basin found that around 3,000 years ago, crop yields increased dramatically immediately following the adoption of terraced hillside farming. The lead researchers concluded that the construction of terraces was the direct cause of this agricultural surplus, as terraces prevented soil erosion and retained rainfall on cultivated slopes. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the lead researchers' conclusion?

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: Neighboring lowland settlements along the Zanja River that did not adopt terraced farming experienced no increase in crop yields during the same historical period.

Cevap

The argument is strengthened by establishing that lowland settlements without terracing experienced no yield increase, effectively ruling out broader external factors and providing a control group.
The correct answer provides a comparison group: neighboring settlements in the exact same region that did not construct terraces saw no increase in crop yields. This demonstrates that the yield increase was specific to the settlements that implemented terraced farming, ruling out broad environmental factors (such as favorable weather across the whole basin) and strengthening the causal link.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the core argument and conclusion
Premise: Crop yields surged after adopting terraced farming. Conclusion: Constructing terraces directly caused the crop yield increase by preventing erosion and retaining water.
To strengthen a causal argument, one must support the causal connection or rule out alternative explanations.
2
Evaluate potential strengthening mechanisms
Demonstrating that the effect (increased yields) did not occur in similar populations where the cause (terraced farming) was absent acts as a control group, strongly supporting the causal claim.
Ruling out regional confounding variables confirms that terracing was the specific factor driving the yield improvement.
3
Match against the available options
The option comparing neighboring lowland settlements without terracing directly serves as this control group.
It eliminates the possibility that a widespread regional factor increased yields everywhere.

Anahtar Kavram

Causal Argument Strengthening via Control Group / Eliminating Alternative Explanations
Tahmini Süre:2m 0s
Soru 1282Soru →

Recently, local business leaders argued that lowering municipal corporate taxes would automatically spur job creation in the city. However, this argument ignores the fact that businesses base hiring decisions primarily on consumer demand rather than local tax rates. In fact, previous tax cuts in neighboring districts failed to generate any measurable employment growth. Therefore, the proposal to lower corporate taxes is unlikely to achieve its intended goal of increasing local employment.

In the argument above, the two boldface portions play which of the following roles?

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Cevap: The first is a claim presented to undermine a position advocated by local business leaders; the second is the author's main conclusion.

Cevap

The first boldface statement is a claim presented to undermine a position advocated by local business leaders, and the second boldface statement is the author's main conclusion.
The passage begins by presenting a position held by local business leaders. The author then introduces a pivot word ('However') followed by the first boldface statement, which introduces a fact meant to challenge and undermine the business leaders' position. After providing additional evidence, the author concludes with the second boldface statement, introduced by 'Therefore', which represents the argument's main conclusion.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the main conclusion of the passage
The final sentence ('the proposal to lower corporate taxes is unlikely to achieve its intended goal...') represents the author's main conclusion.
It is signaled by 'Therefore' and expresses the ultimate judgment of the author regarding the proposal.
2
Determine the function of the first boldface statement
The statement after 'However' highlights a critical flaw in the business leaders' reasoning, showing why tax cuts won't necessarily lead to hiring.
It acts as a premise/claim that counters the opposing viewpoint and supports the author's final conclusion.
3
Match the identified roles to the correct option choice
The option stating the first statement undermines the business leaders' position while the second statement serves as the main conclusion is correct.
This accurate description maps directly to the logical flow of the passage.

Anahtar Kavram

Analyzing Boldface Statement Roles and Argument Structure
Soru 1283Soru →

A biomedical research consortium establishes the following funding protocol: A clinical study receives financial backing only if the project team secures institutional ethics board certification and implements synthetic biomarker tracking. Securing institutional ethics board certification requires that the study protocol either undergoes double-blind peer review or obtains a regulatory exemption from the central health committee.

Consider the following assertion: If Study X was denied financial backing and did not obtain a regulatory exemption from the central health committee, then Study X must have failed to undergo double-blind peer review.

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: False

Cevap

The statement is False.
Evaluating the statement as False is correct because the rules state that financial backing requires ethics certification. The absence of financial backing does not imply that ethics certification was withheld or that double-blind peer review did not occur; Study X could have fulfilled the peer review requirement but missed financial backing due to another missing requirement (such as synthetic biomarker tracking).

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Formalize the conditional premises from the protocol.
Premise 1: Financial Backing → (Ethics Certification AND Synthetic Biomarker Tracking).
Premise 2: Ethics Certification → (Double-Blind Peer Review OR Regulatory Exemption).
Establishing formal logic notation prevents misinterpreting necessary conditions as sufficient conditions.
2
Analyze the given facts about Study X.
Facts: ¬Financial Backing and ¬Regulatory Exemption.
Identify which components of the conditional statements are known to be true or false.
3
Test the validity of the deduction: ¬Financial Backing → ¬Double-Blind Peer Review.
From Premise 1, Financial Backing requires Ethics Certification. However, the absence of Financial Backing (¬Financial Backing) does not logically imply the absence of Ethics Certification (¬Ethics Certification).
Denying the antecedent (¬Financial Backing) yields no valid inference about the consequent (Ethics Certification).
4
Determine whether double-blind peer review must be false.
Since Ethics Certification could still be true, Double-Blind Peer Review could also be true. Therefore, it is not logically necessary that Study X failed to undergo double-blind peer review.
A statement is only logically necessary if it must be true in all possible valid scenarios consistent with the premises.

Anahtar Kavram

Conditional Logic: Distinguishing Necessary vs. Sufficient Conditions and Avoiding the Mistaken Negation Fallacy
Soru 1284Soru →

To maintain our competitive edge in pharmaceutical research over the next decade, our firm must either double its internal budget dedicated to proprietary drug discovery or acquire small, venture-backed startups specializing in targeted gene therapies. Because doubling our internal discovery budget would overextend our cash reserves and risk severe financial instability, we must pursue aggressive acquisitions of these gene-therapy startups.

The executive's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it

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Cevap: fails to consider that the firm could maintain its competitive edge through alternative strategies, such as joint ventures or licensing agreements

Cevap

The argument is vulnerable to criticism because it fails to consider that the firm could maintain its competitive edge through alternative strategies, such as joint ventures or licensing agreements.
The correct answer correctly points out that the argument relies on a false dilemma. The executive assumes that doubling internal R&D and acquiring startups are the only two available choices to maintain a competitive edge. By failing to account for alternative methods such as licensing or partnerships, the executive prematurely concludes that acquisition is the only viable path.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the main conclusion and key premises.
Conclusion: The firm must pursue aggressive acquisitions of gene-therapy startups. Premise 1: To maintain a competitive edge, the firm must either double internal R&D OR acquire startups. Premise 2: Doubling internal R&D will overextend cash reserves.
Understanding the structure reveals how the author narrows down options.
2
Analyze the logical gap between the premises and the conclusion.
The author sets up a strict false dilemma (either double internal budget OR acquire startups). Eliminating one option leads the author to conclude the second option is mandatory.
A false dilemma flaw occurs when an argument assumes only two options exist without justification, overlooking other viable choices.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to locate the statement identifying this false choice.
The correct choice highlights that the author overlooks alternative avenues for maintaining a competitive edge (e.g., joint ventures, strategic licensing).
Exposing unconsidered alternatives shatters the necessity of the author's recommended option.

Anahtar Kavram

False Dilemma and Unwarranted Assumptions
Soru 1285Soru →

Consider the following argument:

Epidemiologist: Every individual community health clinic in the province operated below its projected budget during the recent regional health initiative. Therefore, the province's overall public health network as a whole must have spent less than its total allocated budget for the initiative.

Evaluate the following statement:

The epidemiologist's argument is vulnerable to criticism because it commits an Error of Composition by inferring that an attribute true of each individual part of a system must also be true of the system as a whole.

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Cevap: True

Cevap

The statement is True.
The statement accurately characterizes the logical vulnerability of the argument. The author moves from a premise concerning every individual clinic (the parts) to a conclusion about the entire public health network (the whole). Because total network expenditures may include overarching administrative costs not captured in local clinic budgets, assuming the whole inherits the properties of its parts is an Error of Composition.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Deconstruct the argument into premises and conclusion.
Premise: Each individual clinic operated below its projected budget. Conclusion: The entire public health network as a whole spent less than its total allocated budget.
Identifying the shift in scope from individual units to the collective entity is essential for analyzing logical structure.
2
Analyze the logical connection between the premise and the conclusion.
The argument assumes that aggregate expenditures are strictly equal to the sum of individual clinic budgets, overlooking unallocated central expenses or network-wide operational overhead.
Characteristics of individual components do not automatically dictate the properties of the aggregate whole.
3
Evaluate whether the statement correctly names the logical flaw.
The statement correctly identifies the fallacy as an Error of Composition.
An Error of Composition occurs precisely when an arguer improperly transfers a characteristic of individual members or parts to the entire group or structure.

Anahtar Kavram

Error of Composition (Part-to-Whole Fallacy)
Soru 1286Soru →

In GMAT Data Sufficiency, if a statement evaluated in a Yes/No question type yields a definitive 'No' for every possible case satisfying the statement, that statement must be classified as insufficient because the answer to the question stem is negative.

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: False

Cevap

False
The statement is false because Data Sufficiency logic classifies any statement as sufficient if it yields a single, definitive answer to the question stem. Whether that answer is 'Yes' or 'No' is irrelevant to sufficiency; both provide complete conclusive proof.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Analyze the core rule for sufficiency in Yes/No GMAT Data Sufficiency questions.
A statement is sufficient if it yields a unique binary response (always 'Yes' or always 'No').
Data Sufficiency measures determinacy, not whether the resulting answer is positive or negative.
2
Evaluate the condition where a statement yields a consistent 'No'.
If all valid values under the statement result in 'No', the answer to the stem is conclusively known.
A consistent 'No' leaves no ambiguity regarding the answer to the question.
3
Compare with the claim in the prompt statement.
The claim incorrectly asserts that a negative ('No') answer renders a statement insufficient.
This represents a classic Data Sufficiency misconception; a definitive 'No' is fully sufficient.

Anahtar Kavram

Yes/No Data Sufficiency Decision Logic
Soru 1287Soru →

If kk is a real number, is k>0k > 0?

(1) k2+5k+6=0k^2 + 5k + 6 = 0
(2) ∣k∣=2|k| = 2

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

Cevap

Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
The correct option states that Statement (1) alone is sufficient while Statement (2) alone is not. Factoring Statement (1) yields k=−2k = -2 or k=−3k = -3. Since both values are negative, we can definitively answer 'No' to whether k>0k > 0, making Statement (1) sufficient. In contrast, Statement (2) yields k=2k = 2 or k=−2k = -2, giving both 'Yes' and 'No' as possible outcomes, which makes Statement (2) insufficient.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Analyze the question stem to identify the target logic
The target is a Yes/No question: 'Is k>0k > 0?' A statement is sufficient if it yields a definitive 'Yes' OR a definitive 'No'.
In Data Sufficiency Yes/No questions, a consistent negative answer is completely sufficient.
2
Evaluate Statement (1): k2+5k+6=0k^2 + 5k + 6 = 0
Factoring gives (k+2)(k+3)=0(k + 2)(k + 3) = 0, so k=−2k = -2 or k=−3k = -3. In either case, kk is not greater than 0. The answer to 'Is k>0k > 0?' is a definitive 'No'.
Since every possible value of kk yields the answer 'No', Statement (1) is ALONE sufficient.
3
Evaluate Statement (2): ∣k∣=2|k| = 2
Solving gives k=2k = 2 or k=−2k = -2. If k=2k = 2, the answer is 'Yes'. If k=−2k = -2, the answer is 'No'.
Because Statement (2) allows both 'Yes' and 'No' answers, it is NOT sufficient.

Anahtar Kavram

Value vs. Yes/No Data Sufficiency Decision Logic
Soru 1288Soru →

A commercial vineyard introduced autonomous weeding robots designed to eliminate weeds using targeted laser bursts instead of traditional chemical herbicides. After one year of using the robots, the vineyard recorded a 20 percent increase in grape yield per acre compared to the previous year. The vineyard manager concluded that eliminating chemical herbicides in favor of laser weeding directly improved the productivity of the grapevines. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the vineyard manager's argument?

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: Neighboring vineyards in the same region that continued using traditional chemical herbicides during the same year experienced no increase in grape yield per acre.

Cevap

Neighboring vineyards in the same region that continued using traditional chemical herbicides during the same year experienced no increase in grape yield per acre.
The conclusion asserts a direct cause-and-effect relationship between switching to laser weeding robots and increased grapevine productivity. The statement showing that neighboring vineyards subject to the same climate experienced no yield increase while continuing herbicide use serves as a control group. This rules out broader environmental factors (like ideal weather) as the true cause of the yield increase, thereby significantly strengthening the manager's causal conclusion.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the premise and conclusion of the argument.
Premise: Grape yield per acre increased by 20% after switching from chemical herbicides to laser weeding robots. Conclusion: Replacing chemical herbicides with laser weeding directly improved grapevine productivity.
Understanding the precise causal link asserted by the author is essential for evaluating candidate strengthening statements.
2
Determine the underlying assumption and potential vulnerabilities.
The argument assumes that no other factor (such as weather, irrigation, or pest changes) was responsible for the increased yield during that year.
Causal conclusions in GMAT Critical Reasoning are vulnerable to alternative causes; ruling out an alternative cause strengthens the conclusion.
3
Evaluate the options to find evidence that eliminates alternative explanations or confirms the causal link.
The statement regarding neighboring vineyards acting as a control group confirms that regional factors (like weather) alone were not responsible for the yield jump, thus isolating laser weeding as the primary driver.
A control group finding directly strengthens a causal claim by ruling out confounding environmental variables.

Anahtar Kavram

Strengthening Causal Arguments by Ruling Out Alternative Causes
Soru 1289Soru →

A winery recently released thousands of beneficial predatory beetles into its vineyards to combat vine mites, which damage grape crops. At the end of the harvest season, the winery reported a 20 percent increase in usable grape yield compared to the previous year. The vineyard manager concluded that introducing the predatory beetles was the primary reason for the increased crop yield.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the vineyard manager's conclusion?

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: Vineyards in the same immediate region that did not introduce predatory beetles experienced no increase in grape yield over the same period.

Cevap

Vineyards in the same immediate region that did not introduce predatory beetles experienced no increase in grape yield over the same period.
The argument attributes the 20 percent yield increase specifically to the introduction of predatory beetles. The correct response strengthens this causal claim by providing a control group: neighboring vineyards under similar environmental conditions that did not use beetles saw no increase in yield. This eliminates general regional factors (like weather or rainfall) as alternative causes, making it much more likely that the beetles caused the increase.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the conclusion and premises
Premise: Beetles were released and grape yield increased by 20%. Conclusion: The beetles caused the yield increase.
Isolating the causal assertion is required before evaluating strengthening evidence.
2
Determine how to strengthen a causal claim
A causal claim is strengthened by showing that when the cause is absent, the effect does not occur, or by ruling out alternative explanations.
Establishing a control comparison isolates the proposed cause as the key variable.
3
Evaluate the choices for a valid control group or eliminated alternative cause
The statement showing neighboring vineyards without beetles had no yield increase serves as a control group, supporting the conclusion.
This makes it significantly more likely that the beetles, rather than general regional conditions, caused the yield increase.

Anahtar Kavram

Strengthening Causal Arguments via Control Groups
Soru 1290Soru →

A logistics company recently replaced its human-driven delivery fleet with autonomous electric vans in City Y. Over the subsequent six months, management noted a sharp decrease in parcel delivery delays across the city. Management concluded that switching to autonomous electric vans was directly responsible for the improved delivery timeliness. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports management's conclusion?

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Cevap: During the six-month period, City Y experienced no major changes in traffic congestion, road construction, or total parcel volume.

Cevap

The statement that City Y experienced no major changes in traffic congestion, road construction, or total parcel volume during the six-month period provides the strongest support for the conclusion.
The correct answer strengthens the argument by ruling out potential confounding factors (such as decreased traffic or reduced package volume). If traffic and workload remained constant, it becomes significantly more likely that the new autonomous vans were indeed the factor responsible for the reduced delivery delays.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the conclusion and premises of the argument.
Premise: Delay times dropped after introducing autonomous vans. Conclusion: The autonomous vans caused the reduction in delays.
Understanding the precise causal claim (autonomous vans -> reduced delays) is essential to strengthening it.
2
Determine what assumptions or vulnerabilities exist in the causal argument.
The argument assumes that no other external factor (like lighter traffic or fewer packages) caused the delay reduction.
In Causal Strengthening questions, ruling out alternative potential causes solidifies the author's proposed cause.
3
Evaluate the options to find the statement that eliminates alternative causes.
Confirming that traffic, roadwork, and parcel volume remained stable eliminates potential confounding variables.
If external conditions remained unchanged, the introduction of the autonomous vans stands as the primary difference responsible for the outcome.

Anahtar Kavram

Ruling out alternative explanations to strengthen a causal claim
Soru 1291Soru →

Consider the following argument regarding financial market stability:

'In a stress test of national financial reserves, every individual commercial bank evaluated maintained sufficient liquid assets to independently settle all immediate obligation demands under isolated distress. Therefore, the national commercial banking network as a whole is guaranteed to withstand a simultaneous, market-wide liquidity crisis without systemic insolvency.'

True or False: The argument commits an error of composition by inferring that a property held by each individual component of a system under isolated conditions necessarily applies to the entire system operating under aggregate conditions.

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Cevap: True

Cevap

True. The statement accurately identifies that the argument commits an error of composition by improperly transferring a property of individual entities to the aggregate network.
The statement is True because the argument erroneously projects the solvency and liquidity traits of individual banks operating in isolation onto the entire banking network operating during a systemic crisis, exemplifying the fallacy of composition.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the logical structure of the argument.
Premise: Every single commercial bank independently possesses sufficient liquidity to withstand an isolated distress event. Conclusion: The banking network as a whole is guaranteed to withstand a simultaneous, market-wide liquidity crisis.
Analyzing the scope of the premise versus the conclusion reveals structural shifts between parts and the whole.
2
Examine the shift in context from individual parts to the combined whole.
The reasoning assumes that because a condition holds true for each individual bank operating in isolation, it must also hold true for all banks operating collectively during a simultaneous, systemic crisis.
Systemic network interactions and feedback loops frequently invalidate simple aggregation of individual traits.
3
Match the logical error to standard error taxonomies.
The flaw of assuming that what applies to each individual part of a system necessarily applies to the whole system is an Error of Composition.
This confirms that the evaluation statement is True.

Anahtar Kavram

Error of Composition
Soru 1292Soru →

In 2025, an agricultural cooperative in Colombia introduced a dense shade-tree canopy across its member farms to protect organic coffee crops from intense summer heat. Agricultural sensors confirmed that the canopy successfully reduced crop microclimate temperatures by several degrees during peak summer months, eliminating heat stress on the plants. Furthermore, total rainfall and soil nutrient levels remained identical to historical averages. Nevertheless, during the summer harvest, the average yield of harvestable coffee beans per acre across these farms fell by nearly 20 percent compared to previous unshaded years.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to account for the unexpected decrease in coffee bean yield?

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: The shade-tree canopy provided an ideal nesting habitat for a local bird species that feeds heavily on ripening coffee cherries just prior to harvest.

Cevap

The resolution is that the new shade-tree canopy created a habitat for a bird species that consumed a significant portion of the ripening coffee cherries before they could be harvested.
The correct answer provides an unintended consequence of installing the shade canopy: attracting birds that ate mature coffee cherries. This explains why physical plant health and reduced heat stress did not translate into higher harvested yield, resolving both facts simultaneously.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the two conflicting facts presented in the stimulus.
Fact 1: The shade canopy successfully lowered temperatures and eliminated heat stress under stable moisture and nutrient conditions. Fact 2: Despite these favorable growing conditions, the per-acre yield of harvestable coffee beans dropped by 20%.
Resolving a paradox requires understanding both facts without disputing either one.
2
Determine the required mechanism for resolution.
A valid resolution must introduce a new factor associated with the shade canopy or lower temperatures that negatively impacts harvestable yield despite healthy plant growth.
The correct option must reconcile the reduced yield with the absence of heat, water, or nutrient stress.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the statement that explains the discrepancy.
The option noting that the shade canopy attracted seed-eating birds explains how healthy crops produced fewer harvestable beans due to pre-harvest consumption by birds.
This bridges the gap between healthy plant growth and lower harvested output.

Anahtar Kavram

Resolving Paradoxes and Apparent Discrepancies
Soru 1293Soru →

In a GMAT Data Sufficiency 'Yes/No' question, if a statement allows multiple possible numerical values for a variable, but every permitted value yields a consistent 'Yes' answer to the question stem, that statement must be declared insufficient because it fails to determine a single unique value for the variable.

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: False

Cevap

The statement is False.
The correct evaluation is False. In GMAT Data Sufficiency, a 'Yes/No' question requires only that a statement produces a single, consistent binary answer (always 'Yes' or always 'No'). Even if a statement allows a variable to take on multiple values, the statement is completely sufficient if every one of those values leads to an identical 'Yes' outcome. Requiring a single unique numerical value is the benchmark for 'Value' questions, not 'Yes/No' questions.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the question type being described.
The statement concerns a 'Yes/No' Data Sufficiency question.
GMAT Data Sufficiency questions are divided into 'Value' questions and 'Yes/No' questions.
2
Recall the sufficiency criteria for 'Yes/No' Data Sufficiency questions.
A statement is sufficient if it yields a definitive 'Yes' or a definitive 'No'.
A single unique numerical value is required only for 'Value' questions, not for 'Yes/No' questions.
3
Evaluate whether multiple variable values yielding a consistent 'Yes' result in sufficiency.
Since every permitted value leads to a consistent 'Yes', the question stem is answered conclusively, making the statement sufficient.
Failing to narrow a variable down to a single value is irrelevant in a Yes/No question if all valid values yield the same binary outcome.

Anahtar Kavram

Distinction between sufficiency criteria for Value vs. Yes/No Data Sufficiency questions
Tahmini Süre:45s
Soru 1294Soru →

To reduce the loss of native pollinator populations, agricultural planners in Region X recommend that almond growers replace synthetic pesticides with a newly developed bio-fungicide derived from soil bacteria. The planners argue that adopting this bio-fungicide will significantly increase total annual crop yields across Region X. They base this claim on field tests showing that orchards treated with the bio-fungicide sustained 40 percent less honeybee mortality than orchards treated with synthetic alternatives.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest support for the agricultural planners' argument?

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: The bio-fungicide is at least as effective as synthetic pesticides at controlling the fungal infections that typically cause severe almond crop losses in Region X.

Cevap

The argument is most strongly supported by the statement establishing that the bio-fungicide is at least as effective as synthetic pesticides at controlling fungal infections in Region X.
The conclusion asserts that replacing synthetic pesticides with bio-fungicides will increase overall crop yields because reduced honeybee mortality improves pollination. However, for total yields to increase, the bio-fungicide must also successfully perform its primary job: protecting crops against fungal disease. The correct option establishes that the bio-fungicide is at least as effective as synthetic pesticides in preventing fungal crop losses. By ruling out the possibility that fungal damage will spike and offset pollination gains, this choice provides essential support for the conclusion.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Analyze the argument structure
Premise: Orchards treated with bio-fungicide showed 40 percent lower honeybee mortality compared to synthetic pesticides. Conclusion: Adopting bio-fungicide will significantly increase total annual almond crop yields.
Identifying the premises and conclusion reveals the underlying logic gap between lower bee mortality and total crop yield.
2
Identify the unstated logical gap
The argument assumes that saving honeybees will raise yields without introducing new yield-reducing factors, such as failing to protect crops from fungal disease.
If the bio-fungicide fails to suppress fungal outbreaks, crop loss from disease could outweigh the pollination benefits of reduced bee mortality.
3
Evaluate the option that closes this logical gap
Confirming that the bio-fungicide matches synthetic pesticides in controlling disease removes a major potential weakness, ensuring a net yield gain.
A strengthening statement must validate key assumptions or eliminate competing explanations that would undermine the conclusion.

Anahtar Kavram

Strengthening Causal & Comparative Arguments by Ruling Out Deficits in Alternative Functions
Soru 1295Soru →

Coastal towns along Gulf Bay recently enacted mandatory nocturnal light-shielding regulations near beach areas to encourage endangered loggerhead sea turtles to nest. Marine biologists observed a 25 percent increase in recorded turtle nests on Gulf Bay beaches in the season following the mandate's implementation. Consequently, conservationists concluded that the light-shielding regulations were directly responsible for the increased nesting activity along Gulf Bay.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the conservationists' conclusion?

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: Beaches in adjacent regions that experienced identical weather and tidal conditions but did not implement light-shielding regulations saw no increase in loggerhead nesting activity during the same period.

Cevap

Beaches in adjacent regions that experienced identical weather and tidal conditions but did not implement light-shielding regulations saw no increase in loggerhead nesting activity during the same period.
The correct option provides a control comparison that isolates the light-shielding policy as the cause of the increased nesting. By showing that adjacent beaches sharing identical environmental factors (weather and tides) but lacking the policy did not see any nesting increase, it effectively eliminates alternative environmental explanations.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Analyze the argument structure.
Premise: Mandatory light-shielding regulations were enacted, followed by a 25% increase in loggerhead turtle nests. Conclusion: Light-shielding regulations directly caused the increase in nesting activity.
Identifying the core causal premise and conclusion is essential before evaluating potential strengthening evidence.
2
Identify logical vulnerabilities in the causal leap.
The argument assumes correlation implies causation and overlooks alternative potential causes, such as favorable weather, tidal changes, or regional turtle population growth.
Causal arguments on the GMAT can be strengthened by ruling out alternative explanations or supplying a control comparison.
3
Evaluate the choices for a strengthening mechanism.
Showing that nearby control beaches with identical environmental conditions but no lighting regulations experienced no change in nesting activity isolates the light regulations as the primary cause.
A control group confirms that the observed effect occurs only when the proposed cause is present.

Anahtar Kavram

Strengthening Causal Arguments via Control Comparison
Tahmini Süre:1m 30s
Soru 1296Soru →

A logistics company recently replaced human inspectors with an automated software system designed to audit shipping manifests for tariff misclassifications. Whenever discrepancies are flagged, the affected containers undergo mandatory physical inspections. Management claims that adopting this software will decrease total vessel departure delays attributable to documentation errors, despite critics pointing out that the automated software flags twenty percent more paperwork discrepancies than human inspectors previously identified.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest support for management's claim?

Cevabı ve açıklamayı göster

Cevap: The automated software audits manifests days prior to vessel arrival, enabling inspections of flagged containers to finish before loading begins, whereas human inspectors flagged errors during active loading.

Cevap

The argument is most strongly supported by the statement indicating that automated auditing occurs prior to vessel arrival, allowing physical inspections to finish before loading begins rather than interrupting active loading.
The correct response bridges the logical gap between increased discrepancy flags and reduced departure delays. By establishing that automated audits occur before vessel arrival, inspections are completed prior to loading. This eliminates the active loading disruptions caused by human inspectors, directly supporting management's claim.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the conclusion and premises of the argument.
Conclusion: Adopting the software will decrease vessel departure delays caused by paperwork errors. Premise: The software flags 20% more discrepancies than human inspectors did, leading to mandatory physical inspections.
To strengthen an argument, one must first identify the logical gap between the premise (more flagged discrepancies creating inspections) and the conclusion (fewer departure delays).
2
Evaluate the missing assumption or logical gap.
The critics argue that more flags equal more inspections, which should cause more delays. Management's claim can only hold true if the inspections triggered by the software do not interfere with departure schedules.
A valid strengthening statement must explain why an increase in flagged discrepancies will not translate into vessel departure delays.
3
Assess the correct option against the logical gap.
If automated auditing takes place prior to vessel arrival, physical inspections are completed before loading starts. Under human inspection, errors were caught during loading, directly holding up departures.
Shifting the inspection window entirely out of the active departure timeline explains how total departure delays decrease even though more containers are inspected.

Anahtar Kavram

Strengthening Arguments via Timing and Operational Mechanisms
Soru 1297Soru →

Which phrase logically completes the passage below?

Aşağıdaki boşlukları doldurun

Over the past decade, several major semiconductor manufacturers transitioned from 28nm to 7nm lithography processes, expecting dramatic reductions in unit production costs. However, while 7nm chips offer superior power efficiency and transistor density, the capital expenditure required for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment and cleanroom upgrades increased exponentially rather than linearly with smaller node sizes. Consequently, unless a semiconductor manufacturer operates at an exceptionally high production volume capable of amortizing these massive upfront equipment investments, transitioning to 7nm lithography will .
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Cevap

The transition to 7nm lithography will result in higher per-unit production costs overall than remaining on older fabrication nodes.
The passage establishes that transitioning to 7nm lithography involves exponentially higher upfront capital costs. These high fixed costs must be amortized over a high volume of units to reduce average cost per unit. Therefore, without exceptionally high volume, the amortized fixed costs per unit will outweigh operational savings, resulting in higher per-unit costs compared to older nodes.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Analyze the premises provided in the passage.
Manufacturers expected node shrinkage (28nm to 7nm) to lower unit costs. However, upfront capital costs for equipment increased exponentially.
Establishing the premise relationships helps determine what logically follows.
2
Synthesize the conditional relationship regarding production volume.
Massive upfront capital expenditures can only be amortized across very high unit volumes. Without such exceptionally high volume, fixed capital costs per unit remain very large.
High fixed costs distributed over a smaller volume increase the average cost per unit.
3
Deduce the logical continuation of the final sentence.
Since the sentence begins with 'unless a manufacturer operates at an exceptionally high production volume...', the outcome for low-to-moderate volume producers must be an increase in total per-unit costs compared to staying on older nodes.
The conclusion directly completes the logical contrast established by the premises without introducing external assumptions.

Anahtar Kavram

Completing the Passage Logically
Soru 1298Soru →

In 2025, a commercial real estate management firm equipped all thirty of its downtown office towers with automated occupancy-sensing climate control and lighting systems designed to reduce energy consumption. Independent audits confirmed that the automated systems operated flawlessly, reducing electricity usage per occupied floor during working hours by 25 percent. Nevertheless, total annual electricity consumption across all thirty towers increased by 8 percent over the following year, even though overall building occupancy rates and local weather patterns remained virtually unchanged.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above?

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Cevap: The automated system's software default overrode manual overnight shutdown protocols, causing main ventilation chillers to run continuously at baseline levels after business hours rather than shutting off.

Cevap

The statement explaining that the automated system's default software overrode overnight shutdown protocols, causing HVAC equipment to run continuously after business hours, resolves the paradox.
The correct answer provides a missing factor that reconciles both seemingly contradictory facts. If the automated control software prevented heating and cooling equipment from shutting down overnight as it previously did manually, the new off-hours electricity consumption could easily outweigh the 25 percent energy savings achieved during business hours, resulting in an overall 8 percent annual increase.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the two conflicting facts in the stimulus.
Fact 1: Electricity usage per occupied floor during working hours decreased by 25%. Fact 2: Total annual electricity consumption increased by 8%, despite constant occupancy rates and weather.
Resolving a paradox requires finding a missing piece of information that allows both premises to be true simultaneously.
2
Evaluate the scope of the two facts.
Fact 1 is limited to working hours and occupied floor efficiency. Fact 2 measures overall annual consumption across all 24 hours of the day.
A discrepancy between a subset rate (working hours) and a total measure (annual consumption) often hinges on what happens outside the subset (non-working hours).
3
Select the option that introduces a mechanism bridging the gap between working hours and non-working hours.
The option introducing continuous overnight operation of major HVAC chillers accounts for substantial new off-hour consumption without contradicting the working-hour efficiency gains.
This explains how total consumption could rise despite decreased working-hour consumption per floor.

Anahtar Kavram

Resolving Paradoxes and Apparent Discrepancies
Soru 1299Soru →

In a GMAT Data Sufficiency 'Value' question asking for the numerical value of an expression EE, if a statement allows multiple distinct numerical values for a variable xx, but every permitted value of xx yields the exact same unique numerical value for EE, the statement is sufficient to answer the question.

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Cevap: True

Cevap

The statement is True.
The statement is True because Data Sufficiency 'Value' questions only require a single, unique value for the specific expression requested in the question stem. Even if an underlying variable xx can take on multiple values, if all of those values produce identical results for expression EE, the question stem is answered conclusively.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the target of the Data Sufficiency question.
The target is the numerical value of the specific expression EE, not the isolated value of variable xx.
Data Sufficiency decision logic evaluates sufficiency based on whether the specific question asked in the stem can be answered uniquely.
2
Evaluate the impact of multiple possible values for variable xx.
Variable xx can take multiple values (e.g., x=2x = 2 and x=−2x = -2).
We must test whether variations in xx cause variations in the target expression EE.
3
Determine if EE yields a single unique output across all permitted values of xx.
All permitted values of xx yield the exact same numerical result for EE.
Since EE is constrained to exactly one value regardless of which permitted value xx takes, there is no ambiguity regarding the target output.
4
Conclude the sufficiency status under GMAT DS rules.
The statement is sufficient.
Obtaining a single unique value for the target expression satisfies the strict criteria for sufficiency in a Value DS question.

Anahtar Kavram

Target Expression Uniqueness vs. Variable Uniqueness in Value Data Sufficiency
Soru 1300Soru →

If xx and yy are real numbers such that x≠0x \neq 0, is ∣x∣<y|x| < y?

(1) x2<y2x^2 < y^2
(2) y>0y > 0

Which of the following correctly describes the sufficiency of the statements?

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Cevap: BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

Cevap

BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
Combining both statements is sufficient. Statement (1) establishes that ∣x∣<∣y∣|x| < |y| because taking the square root of x2<y2x^2 < y^2 yields absolute values. Statement (2) specifies y>0y > 0, meaning ∣y∣=y|y| = y. Substituting yy for ∣y∣|y| gives ∣x∣<y|x| < y, which conclusively answers the question stem with 'Yes'.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Rephrase the target question
The target question asks whether ∣x∣<y|x| < y. Since ∣x∣≥0|x| \ge 0 for all real numbers xx, a necessary condition for ∣x∣<y|x| < y to be true is y>0y > 0.
Simplifying absolute value conditions clarifies what values of variables are required.
2
Evaluate Statement (1): x2<y2x^2 < y^2
Taking the principal square root of both sides gives x2<y2\sqrt{x^2} < \sqrt{y^2}, which simplifies to ∣x∣<∣y∣|x| < |y|.
The square root of a squared real number is its absolute value.
3
Test sufficiency of Statement (1) alone
If x=1x = 1 and y=2y = 2, then 12<221^2 < 2^2 is true, and ∣1∣<2|1| < 2 (Yes). If x=1x = 1 and y=−2y = -2, then 12<(−2)21^2 < (-2)^2 is true, but ∣1∣<−2|1| < -2 is false (No). Since both Yes and No are possible, Statement (1) alone is NOT sufficient.
Knowing ∣x∣<∣y∣|x| < |y| does not determine the sign of yy.
4
Evaluate Statement (2): y>0y > 0
Statement (2) gives no information about xx. For example, if y=5y = 5 and x=2x = 2, ∣2∣<5|2| < 5 (Yes). If y=5y = 5 and x=10x = 10, ∣10∣<5|10| < 5 is false (No). Thus Statement (2) alone is NOT sufficient.
No bound on xx is provided.
5
Evaluate Statements (1) and (2) together
From Statement (1), ∣x∣<∣y∣|x| < |y|. From Statement (2), y>0y > 0, which implies ∣y∣=y|y| = y. Substituting ∣y∣=y|y| = y into ∣x∣<∣y∣|x| < |y| gives ∣x∣<y|x| < y. This definitively answers 'Yes' to the question stem.
Combining the magnitude inequality with the sign constraint produces a unique, definitive Yes answer.

Anahtar Kavram

Absolute Value Inequalities and Number Ranges in Data Sufficiency
ÖncekiSayfa 65 / 110Sonraki
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