Logical Reasoning

PT131 · S3 · Q12 To cut costs

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To cut costs, a high school modified its air­ conditioning system to increase its efficiency.

Evidence

To cut costs, a high school modified its air conditioning system to increase its efficiency.

The modified system, however, caused the humidity in the school air to decrease by 18 percent.

Twenty-four hours after the decrease in air humidity, a 25 percent increase in the number of visits to the school nurse was reported.

Conclusion

This shows that a decrease in humidity can make people ill.

Evaluate

The argument notes a correlation between decreased air humidity and a 25 percent increase in the number of visits to the school nurse.

It’s possible that decreased air humidity can make people ill. It’s also possible that the two issues were completely unrelated.

Furthermore, the argument does not establish the reason for the trips to the nurse’s office. It’s possible that the trips that day to the nurse’s office were to administer vaccinations to students who were not ill.

12.

The argument depends on assuming which one of the following?

  1. Correct

    At least some of the

    Why this is right

    This connects the trips to the nurse’s office with students who are ill.

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

    84% picked this

  2. Most of the students at

    Too Strong

    The argument does not rely on something being true for most of the students at the high school.

    6% picked this

  3. It takes 24 hours after

    Too Specific

    The argument does not need to connect being ill with a virus. Other pathogens make people ill as well. Furthermore, the 24 hour time period might line up with the argument but if time frame were a bit shorter, the argument would not be undermined.

    5% picked this

  4. A decrease of 18 percent

    Too Strong

    The conclusion is that a decrease in humidity can make people ill, but it does not go so far as asserting the precise increase in likelihood one faces of becoming ill.

    5% picked this

  5. Modifying the air-conditioning system proved

    Out of Scope

    Costs are not relevant to the argument.

    1% picked this

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