Logical reasoning PrepTest 104 · Section 4 · Question 2

Question prompt

The average cable television Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: B

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Argument or Facts

Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed

Question Type

Strengthen Questions

Stimulus Summary

Cable TV company - 50 channels
Telephone companies - New fiber lines allow 100-150 channels at the same price
Conclusion - Telephone TV offerings will replace cable TV

Answer Anticipation

This stimulus relies heavily on a comparison between cable TV companies and telephone companies, as far as potential TV options are concerned. We learn that telephone companies will soon be able to offer more channels for the same price as cable companies offer fewer channels. From this, the argument concludes that the telephone company TV will replace cable TV.
Whenever an argument makes such a comparative prediction (here, we can rephrase the conclusion as, “People will soon prefer telephone TV to cable TV”), it needs to establish the criteria by which such a prediction/comparison can be made. The stimulus does compare the two on the number of channels available and the price of those channels, but it doesn’t establish that these are the relevant considerations.
Maybe people prioritize specific channels, or a variety of channels. Maybe there are additional services that come with cable, or maybe there’s more reliable service with fiber.
Since we don’t know what the relevant criteria are, the correct answer can do one of a few things:
Establish that the number of channels (or price per channel) is the criteria that most people use Establish a benefit of the telephone offerings over cable offerings Eliminate a benefit of the cable offerings over telephone offerings

Answer choices

  1. A
    The initial cost per Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    This answer brings up a reason that people might stick with cable over fiber - it costs more to install the latter. This answer thus weakens the argument that people will switch to fiber.

  2. B
    The most popular movies Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B matches the stem
    This answer eliminates a potential benefit of cable over fiber. If the two offerings have the same movies/programs, then people won’t pick cable over fiber because of the options it provides. In eliminating a potential benefit of cable over fiber, and allowing the establishing benefit of fiber to stand, this answer strengthens the argument that people will switch.

  3. C
    Cable television companies will Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    This answer presents a reason that people might stick with cable, as the companies will change their offerings to eliminate the advantage of the telephone company offerings.

  4. D
    Some telephone companies own Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    It’s unclear what impact this has on the argument. Will these phone companies not install fiber lines in these areas? Will they? Will other phone companies install fiber lines and offer TV here? There are too many open questions here for us to analyze the impact, so we can eliminate it.

  5. E
    The new fiber–optic services Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    This answer brings up a relative downside of the telephone TV offerings, thus providing a reason to believe that people might not switch.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 5%
  2. B Credited 89%
  3. C 1%
  4. D 3%
  5. E 2%

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