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Plastic Sleds

Default Asked on February 27, 2013 in Critical Reasoning.
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9 Answer(s)
20. In the past, most children who went sledding in the winter snow in Verland used wooden sleds with runners and steering
bars. Ten years ago, smooth plastic sleds became popular; they go faster than wooden sleds but are harder to steer and
slow. The concern that plastic sleds are more dangerous is clearly borne out by the fact that the number of children injured
while sledding was much higher last winter than it was 10 years ago.
Which of the following, if true in Verland, most seriously undermines the force of the evidence cited?
(A) A few children still use traditional wooden sleds.
(B) Very few children wear any kind of protective gear, such as helmets, while sledding.
(C) Plastic sleds can be used in a much wider variety of snow conditions than wooden sleds can.
(D) Most sledding injuries occur when a sled collides with a tree, a rock, or another sled.
(E) Because the traditional wooden sleds can carry more than one rider, an accident involving a wooden sled can result
in several children being injured.
Here the argument compares 2 kinds of sleds and concerns about the dangerousness of the plastic sled. Answer option C doesn’t talks about the safety with plastic sleds….   can someone please explain why option C is correct please ?
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Default Answered on February 27, 2013.
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C states that plastic sleds can be used in a much wider variety of snow conditions than wooden sleds can.

Lets say the winter goes for 6 months. Plastic sleds can be used for whole 6 months but wooden sleds can be used only in 2 months. That means more people are going to use plastic sleds so their might be more accidents. For ex. out of 800 people using plastic 200 got injured but out of 200 people using wooden 100 got injured. So the concern with the no. of children using plastic sleds got injured while sledding is undermined.

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Beginner Answered on February 27, 2013.
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a) You are assuming safety of plastic sleds Vs safety of wooden sleds. You shouldn’t do that.

b) Option B is very tempting, hope you didn’t fall for it.
c) The deal here is to understand that 10yrs ago plastics were also popular but the conclusion is about last year Vs 10 yrs ago. Lets look at the options

A) Out of scope
B) Very tempting but DO NOT fall for it. You do not know whether children used more protective gear now or whether they used them 10yrs back. This is just a generalized statement intended to trap you.
C) Two things can break this argument 1) if more children are sledding now as compared to 10yrs back. OR 2) if the same number of children are sledding in MORE WAYS than they did 10 yrs back. This option caters to (2). 
D) Out of scope
E) Out of scope again.
So, the answer is C for Charlie. 

Food for thought: 15 years back cartridge razors became a household thing because they were touted to be the safest to use, and men stopped using straight razors. However, a recent survey by a leading mens magazine has published that the number of people who get nicks and cuts while using a cartridge razor has increased significantly in the last 2 years. Clearly straight razors were safer than cartridge razors. What is the flaw in this argument? – I made this up now, but it is more or less along the lines of the original question. Gowri/Arun please do not kill me for making up questions 🙂

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Default Answered on February 28, 2013.
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Never, Vasu!
You seem to be “engaging with”and “internalizing” GMAT questions, congrats! 😛

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Intermediate Answered on March 4, 2013.
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Thanks! I am just fierecely determind to convert my 620 to 780. So…

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Default Answered on March 4, 2013.
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Basically , we need to find the flaw between absolute numbers and percentages. Now a classic answers hould say in the last 10 years #of sledders have increased by so and so folds. 

A says very few use wood, so almost every1 uses plastic–> more use of plastic
C. Plastic can be used under various situations ( how do we know this usage was not popular 10 years back)?
P.S I am not doubting OA, i am just trying to convince myself. 
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Beginner Answered on December 21, 2014.
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You are jumping to a conclusion with option A. Remember, that if very few use wood, it is NOT necessary that they use plastic 🙂

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Expert Answered on December 23, 2014.
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While i partially agree with you on this 1 , in C last year #accdidents increased while it is true that plastic gained popularity 10 years back. How exactly do we handle that? Why last year? It could have been 2 years bk..

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Beginner Answered on December 23, 2014.
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Subhojyoti, 

Remember that plastic sleds became popular ten years back but the evidence stated is only last year’s. Try not to question the reasoning of the argument when it comes to logic. Instead view them as separate entities and try to find the link that weakens or strengthens 🙂 
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Expert Answered on January 2, 2015.
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