Q24 - There are about 75 brands

[ttunden]

Can anyone explain why the answer is B?

Also is the conclusion implying causation? or a weak form of causation? because if so , then I can understand why B would be right since it gives an alternate cause for the effect occurring.

I originally picked E because I thought that it rendered the comparison invalid but in fact it does not. Since it says microwavable popcorn weighs more than conventional, it can mean .1 pounds or 4 pounds more. There is a wide range of possibilities so I believe it would not necessarily render the comparison invalid.

Can someone explain why A is wrong too?

Thank you

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

You've got it ttunden!

The conclusion is positing an explanation--which is a weak form of causation. Be on the lookout for the argument to present some phenomenon; and then present an explanation for how or why it happened in the conclusion. To weaken such an argument, all you need is an alternative explanation.

Answer choice (B) provides an alternative explanation for why people purchase so much microwave popcorn--it's not the convenience, but the health factor!

Incorrect Answers
(A) is consistent with the fact that many people purchase microwave popcorn. We want to address the reason why so many people purchase microwave popcorn.
(C) is irrelevant. If we discovered that microwave popcorn cost less then conventional popcorn, that could be an alternative explanation for why many people purchase it. But we already know that microwave popcorn costs over five times more than conventional popcorn.
(D) doesn't give us a difference that could explain why many people choose microwave popcorn.
(E) may sound tempting, but this means that ounce-for-ounce, one would get even less popcorn. This doesn't sound like a reason one would choose microwave popcorn!

[gteeger]

What confuses me about this question is the usage of 'most' and 'many'. If it is true that most people prefer microwave popcorn because it is less fattening, doesn't that still allow for many people to pay for the extra convenience, and thus not call the conclusion into question?

[WaltGrace1983]

What confuses me about this question is the usage of 'most' and 'many'. If it is true that most people prefer microwave popcorn because it is less fattening, doesn't that still allow for many people to pay for the extra convenience, and thus not call the conclusion into question?

It doesn't have to completely destroy the argument, just show why one can doubt it. "Most" certainly leaves room for "many." However, if we know something about "most" people, then maybe we know something about "many" people too.

In addition, the conclusion is fairly weak..."many people are willing to pay." Examine that too.

[Mab6q]

Would answer choice D strengthen the argument by ruling out an explanation - the ratio popped to unpopped is not the cause of buying microwaved popcorn.

[maryadkins]

Yes, I like that!