Computer store manager: Last year

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct76% picked this

   The argument fails to consider the possibility that the money earned on each high-end computer is significantly higher than the money

   Why this is right

   When a Flaw answer begins with fails to consider / ignores the possibility, we can ask ourselves whether the idea that follows would Weaken. Can we object to the author by saying, "Hey, bud -- we earn significantly more money on each high-end computer than we do on each low-end computer"? Sure! "How is it going to maximize our profits to sell only low-end computers, if we make significantly less money on each low-end computer?!" If we solved the Relative vs. Absolute riddle and realized that a product with a higher profit margin might nonetheless make less profit, then we'll understand why this answer is saying this idea. But even if we didn't work out that mathematical objection when we read the argument, we should still be able to ask ourselves, "Would it weaken this argument to say that each high-end model makes significantly more money than each low-end model? Yes, that seems to go against the author's recommendation!"

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

   76%
2. B

   Not an Objection7% picked this

   The argument fails to address the possibility that, despite the price differential, the store sold as many high-end models

   When a Flaw answer begins with fails to consider / ignores the possibility, we can ask ourselves whether the idea that follows would Weaken. Can we object to the author by saying, "Hey, author -- it's possible that last year the store sold as many high-end models as low-end models"? No, the author doesn't care at all about what the ratio of high-end to low-end sales were last year. She's trying to make a recommendation for the upcoming year, strategizing what ratio would be most profitable.

   7%
3. C

   Not an Objection5% picked this

   The argument ignores the possibility that some customers who come into a computer store expecting to purchase a low-end model end

   When a Flaw answer begins with fails to consider / ignores the possibility, we can ask ourselves whether the idea that follows would Weaken. Can we object to the author by saying, "Hey, author -- some people come into the store to buy a low-end one but end up buying a high-end one"? No. In the author's Plan, the store will only stock low-end computers, so there won't be any people who "upgrade" from their intended low-end to a high-end. But the author isn't saddened by a customer who is forced to still buy a low-end, rather than a high-end. The author thinks forcing that customer to buy the low-end maximizes profit for the store (since the profit margin on the low-end computer is 25% but would only be 13% on the high-end model).

   5%
4. D

   Not Assumed / Too Strong: sole2% picked this

   The argument presumes, without providing justification, that the sole objective in managing the computer store

   When a Flaw answer begins with takes for granted / presumes, we can ask ourselves whether the idea that follows qualifies as Necessary Assumption. Was the author assuming that "the sole objective in managing the computer store is maximizing profits"? No, just because she mentions "maximizing profit" as a reason for following her recommendation, that doesn't commit her to thinking that "maximizing profit is the only objective in managing the store". When someone says "we should do X", they are assuming that the upsides outweigh the downsides. So a correct answer could have said that the author, "presumes, without providing justification, that the manager does not have objectives beyond maximizing profits that would be badly undermined by this plan".

   2%
5. E

   Not an Objection10% picked this

   The argument fails to recognize that future sales of low-end computers may not be the

   When a Flaw answer begins with fails to consider / ignores the possibility, we can ask ourselves whether the idea that follows would Weaken. Can we object to the author by saying, "Hey, author -- the future sales of low-end computers may not be the same as past sales"? No, the author wasn't assuming that they would be the same. In fact, according to her plan, she's assuming that future sales of low-end computers would be higher than before (because she's planning to send more low-end computers, in order to reach the same grand total of computers that would be sold if they offered both low-end and high-end).

   10%