Verbal questions from any Manhattan Prep GMAT Computer Adaptive Test. Topic subject should be the first few words of your question.
Pencheva
 
 

According to hotel guest statistics

by Pencheva Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:37 pm

This question appears in the In-Action, Q# 11, ch. 5, Draw a Conclusion of the MGMAT Strategy book for CR.

The correct answer is C. I read the explanation, but I cannot understand it. Could you provide a different perspective? (may be it will help me)

According to hotel guest statistics collected by the state Tourism
Bureau, the town of Sunville is the most visited weekend destination in
the state for out-of-state tourists. The Tourism Bureau also indicates
that the Shadyville Inn in the town of Shadyville is the largest and
most popular hotel in the state for weekend visits by out-of-state
tourists. Shadyville is in the same state, but on the other side of the
state many hours away by car. If the Tourism Bureau is correct in all of
its statements, then it must NOT be the case that _______.

a) the Shadyville Inn is the only hotel in Shadyville
b) the Shadyville Inn is the most expensive hotel in the state
c) there is only one hotel in Sunville
d) there are at least two hotels in Sunville
e) visitors to the Shadyville Inn do not also visit Sunville on other
weekend trips
StaceyKoprince
ManhattanGMAT Staff
 
Posts: 9360
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:05 am
Location: Montreal
 

by StaceyKoprince Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:12 pm

This is not a favorite of mine.

Here's the logic. Then I'll tell you why I don't like it either. :)

Sunville has the most out-of-state tourists.

Shadyville, though, has the largest and most popular hotel (that is, more people stay in this hotel than in any other in this state).

Sunville and Shadyville aren't anywhere near each other - in other words, it isn't the case that people are staying in Shadyville to visit Sunville.

So the idea is that if there are more out-of-state tourists visiting Sunville than Shadyville, but Shadyville has the hotel with the highest occupancy, then there must be at least two hotels in Sunville (because more people are staying in that town). That's the justification for the right answer here.

Here's why I don't like it: this assumes that out-of-state tourists are staying in hotels. Perhaps a large portion of the out-of-state tourists have family in Sunville and stay with them. In other words, you don't have enough info to say that Sunville MUST have two or more hotels because you haven't established that all of these tourists definitely stay in hotels.

This isn't a strong enough question, in my opinion, to pass muster on the real test and, if I have anything to do with it, this will be re-written for or removed from the next version of this book. :)
Stacey Koprince
Instructor
Director, Content & Curriculum
ManhattanPrep