Q23 - At Southgate Mall, mattresses are sold

[bbirdwell]

Let's start with a good understanding of the argument and then see if you can diagram the choices.
Mattress at the Mall --> Mattress Madness
Mattress at Mattress Madness -->on sale 20%
Therefore: Mattress at the Mall --> on sale 20%.

or

A --> B
B--> C
A --> C

As a general rule, if you do in fact understand the stimulus, then choices that seem convoluted are probably incorrect. Don't get stuck trying to make them fit a format that they don't actually fit. Say "maybe" and move on to the next choice.

(A)
food in apt --> fridge (A --> B)
food within past week --> fridge (C-->B)
therefore, food in apt --> past week (A-->C)

This is not good logic, and therefore not a good match.

(B)
food in fridge --> apt (A-->B)
food in fridge --> past week (A-->C)
therefore: food in apt --> past week (D-->C)

nope.

(C)
food in apt --> food in fridge (A-->B)
food in fridge --> past week (B-->C)
therefore: food in apt --> past week (A-->C)

a match!

(D)
food in apt --> food in fridge (A-->B)
food in fridge --> food past week (B-->C)
therefore: food past week --> food in apt (C-->A)

close, but backwards.

(E)
food past week --> food in fridge (A-->B)
food past week --> food in apt (A-->C)
food in apt --> food in fridge (C-->B)

nope.

#officialexplanation

[bnuvincent]

I have difficulty in diagraming the choices, confound it seems, so could you please explain?

[bbirdwell]

Let's start with a good understanding of the argument and then see if you can diagram the choices.

Mattress at the Mall --> Mattress Madness

Mattress at Mattress Madness -->on sale 20%

Therefore: Mattress at the Mall --> on sale 20%.

A --> B

B--> C

A --> C

Look for that pattern in the choices now and then let me know if you have additional questions!

[bnuvincent]

Er, in fact, I have difficulty in diagraming the choices not the stimulus. I found some of the choices are convoluted, and hard to show in a A --> B way.

[bnuvincent]

It helps much, thanks.

[deddiekated]

Its partly about this stimulus and partly from another but would someone be kind to explain the first sentence of Answer choice A is diagrammed:

Food in the apt --> Fridge

BUT

"The general principle, however, is that only an action whose justification, that is, the reasons for the action, forms an essential part of its explanation is rational" is diagrammed:

rational --> Justification forms a part of explanation ???

(This sentence is the last sentence of PT21 Section 3 #24. I saw on the post for this question in Manhatten Prep that the conditional is diagrammed as above).

THANK YOU!!

[ohthatpatrick]

Generally speaking (99% of all occurrences),
"only" and "only if" are attached to right side ideas.

"the only" is attached to a left side idea.

You can see this with a few different ways of saying the exact same thing:
Only men play in the NFL.
You play in the NFL only if you're a man.
Men are the only people who play in the NFL.

All of these are
Play in the NFL --> Man

"only", "only if" are attached to right side ideas
"only men"
"only if you're a man"

"the only" is attached to a left side idea
"the only people who play in the NFL"

So in choice (A), you have "the only" attached to "food in the apt", hence "food in the apt" goes on the left side.

In the example you cited, you have "only" attached to "an action whose justification is essential part of explanation", so that idea goes on the right side.