Logical Reasoning

PT135 · S2 · Q16 The average length of stay

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The average length of stay for patients at Edgewater Hospital is four days, compared to six days at University Hospital.

Evidence

The average length of stay for patients at Edgewater Hospital is four days, compared to six days at University Hospital.

Studies show that recovery rates at the two hospitals are similar for patients with similar illnesses.

Conclusion

University Hospital could decrease its average length of stay without affecting quality of care.

Evaluate

It could be that University Hospital is keeping their patients for too long. Of course, it also could be that the kinds of illnesses each hospital tends to treat are different. If the University Hospital tends to treat more elderly patients with more serious illnesses, it may not be able to decrease the average length of stay without affecting quality of care.

16.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument

  1. equates the quality of care

    Contradiction

    The argument actually suggests that length of stay at University Hospital is not equivalent to the quality of care. The argument actually asserts that the length of stay at University Hospital could be reduced without affecting quality of care.

    20% picked this

  2. treats a condition that will

    Wrong Flaw

    The argument does not rely on conditional reasoning. Instead it is based on a comparison.

    3% picked this

  3. Correct

    fails to take into account

    Why this is right

    This points out a possible difference between the two hospitals that would suggest the comparison between the two for the length of stay may not be appropriate.

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

    54% picked this

  4. presumes, without providing justification, that

    Too Strong

    The argument assumes that length of time patients stay in the hospital is sometimes not relevant to the recovery rates of patients at University Hospital.

    18% picked this

  5. fails to take into account

    Out of Scope

    The preference of patients at University Hospital is not relevant to the argument.

    4% picked this

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