Logical Reasoning

PT106 · S1 · Q26 Modern navigation systems, which

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Modern navigation systems, which are found in most of today’s commercial aircraft, are made with low-power circuitry, which is more susceptible to interference than the vacuum-tube circuitry found in older planes.

Conclusion (clearly)

Modern aircraft navigation systems are being put at risk by the electronic devices that passengers carry on board, such as cassette players and laptop computers.

Evidence

Modern navigation systems have low-power circuitry, which is more susceptible to interference than vacuum-tube circuitry found in older planes.

During landing, navigation systems receive radio signals from the airport to guide the plane to the runway.

One plane veered off course during landing and its dials dimmed when a passenger turned on a laptop computer.

Evaluate

We're told that new planes are more vulnerable to interference, but we don't know whether the devices that passengers carry on board actually cause interference.

The only evidence for that idea is this one data point where a dude opened his laptop and the plane seemed to experience interference. Do we know for sure the laptop caused it? Maybe it was a coincidence and the dimming dials and veering off course came from some different cause.

The argument is definitely assuming a causal relationship:

Curious Fact: Why did the plane veer off course / why did the dials dim?

Author's Explanation: The opened laptop caused interference.

To strengthen the argument, we would show more evidence that supports this causal relationship. To weaken it, we would suggest alternative causes of the navigational disruptions or show that the electronic devices are not the source of interference.

Goal

Let's find four answers that help us argue that passenger devices do cause interference for these newer planed.

26.

Which one of the following, if true, LEAST strengthens the argument above?

  1. After the laptop computer was

    Strengthens

    After the laptop computer was turned off, the plane regained course and its navigation instruments and dials returned to normal. This directly supports the causal claim that the electronic device was interfering with navigational equipment in classic "No Cause, No Effect" form. When the laptop wasn't open, there wasn't interference messing up the plane.

    4% picked this

  2. When in use all electronic

    Strengthens

    When in use, all electronic devices emit electromagnetic radiation, which is known to interfere with circuitry. This helps make it more plausible that passenger devices could cause the relevant type of interference that would mess with the airplanes. This statement provides a mechanism—electromagnetic radiation—for why electronic devices might interfere with low-power circuitry.

    6% picked this

  3. No problems with navigational equipment

    Strengthens

    This indicates that the interference occurs only when electronic devices are present, supporting the causal link between these devices and navigation issues, in classic "No Cause, No Effect" fashion. On planes that don't have the passenger devices, we don't have the planes' instruments glitching out.

    5% picked this

  4. Significant electromagnetic radiation from portable

    Strengthens

    Significant electromagnetic radiation from portable electronic devices can travel up to eight meters, and some passenger seats on modern aircraft are located within four meters of the navigation systems. This highlights the proximity of potentially interfering sources (passenger devices) to navigation systems, supporting the argument's case. It rules out a potential objection like, "Wouldn't the passenger's laptop be too far away from the instruments in the cockpit to mess them up?"

    5% picked this

  5. Correct

    Planes were first equipped with

    Why this is right

    Planes were first equipped with low-power circuitry at about the same time portable electronic devices became popular. This fact might suggest a correlation, but it doesn't provide evidence supporting the causal claim that the electronic devices are responsible for interference. Correlation in timing doesn't necessarily imply causation for the navigational issues.

    Skill tested: Strengthen · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    80% picked this

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