A company claims that its new fertiliser increases wheat yield, because farms that used it this season produced 20% more wheat than they did last season. Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the company's claim?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option D — Neighbouring farms with the same weather and seeds that did not use the fertiliser showed no rise in yield this season.
Detailed Solution
The weak point is that the yield might have risen for other reasons, such as better weather.
- gives a comparison group: same weather and seeds but no fertiliser, and no rise. That rules out the other causes and supports the fertiliser. (A), (B) and (C) do not bear on yield.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Critical Reasoning Questions
View all ›- Q1.Which of the following arguments is a "circular argument"?
- Q2.Which of the following will be acceptable for establishing a fact?
- Q3.Cars are safer than planes. Fifty percent of plane accidents result in death, while only one percent of car accidents result in death. Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the argument above?
- Q4.A city enforced an odd-even rule for private cars for two weeks, and air pollution levels fell during that period. The city administration concluded that the odd-even rule reduced pollution. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the administration's conclusion?
- Q5.Choose the correct answer from the options mentioned below.
More Logical Reasoning Questions
- Q1.Six persons A, B, C, D, E, and F are sitting in a row facing north. B sits third to the left of F. A sits to the immediate right of B. D sits second to the right of F. E sits to the immediate right of A. Who sits at the extreme right end?Linear Arrangement
- Q2.Five friends P, Q, R, S, and T are standing in a row. P is to the left of Q but to the right of T. R is to the right of Q. S is between Q and R. Who is standing in the middle?Linear Arrangement
- Q3.Eight people 1 through 8 sit in a row. 3 sits exactly midway between 1 and 5. 5 sits to the immediate left of 7. 2 sits third to the right of 8. 6 sits to the immediate right of 2. 4 sits between 6 and 7. Who sits second from the left?Linear Arrangement
- Q4.A, B, C, D, and E are five houses in a row from left to right. C is to the right of B and to the left of E. A is to the left of B. D is to the right of E. Which house is in the middle?Linear Arrangement
- Q5.Seven students sit in a row. Priya is second from the right. Raj is third to the left of Priya. Meena is immediately to the right of Raj. Sam is between Meena and Priya. Two students sit to the left of Raj. Who sits at the extreme left?Linear Arrangement
Critical Reasoning — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Critical Reasoning, a key topic in the Logical Reasoning section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
Critical reasoning questions test how well you can analyse a short argument. This topic covers strengthening and weakening an argument, identifying the main point or conclusion of a passage, drawing inferences, finding the flaw in reasoning, and paradox resolution. The most important rule is to stay strictly within the information given and avoid bringing in outside knowledge. Start by identifying the main claim and the evidence offered for it. A strengthening option makes the claim more likely to be true, while a weakening option breaks the link between the evidence and the claim. Extreme words such as "only", "always" and "never" often make an option wrong. The classic statement-based question types, such as statement and assumptions, statement and conclusions and cause and effect, are covered on their own Logical Deductions pages. Practise the critical reasoning questions below. Each solution explains why the correct option works and why the others don't.