PT9.S2.Q17 - Certain instruments used in veterinary

akistotle

PT9.S2.Q17 - Certain instruments

Since there is no video explanation for this question, I would appreciate it if someone could confirm my understanding below.

It took me so much time to figure out what the second sentence is saying

Second sentence

energy used to sterilize of a set of nylon instruments: SN
energy used to manufacture of a set of nylon instruments: MN

50 x SN = 3.4 x MN
SN = (3.4/50)MN
SN = 0.068 x MN

energy used to sterilize of a set of stainless steel instruments: SS
energy used to manufacture of a set of stainless steel instruments: MS

50 x SS = 2.1 x MS
SS = (2.1/50)MS
SS = 0.042 x MS

Answer choice

(B) is the correct answer (MBF) because SN has to be less than MN. SN = 0.068MN

(A), (C) - (E) could all be true.

inactive

Bumping to the top

jknauf

@akistotle you are exactly right! I remember beating my head over this problem for a while.

For me, now a days, this question would be an automatic skip. I'm not sure if its considered a curve breaker. Proving the correct answer choice is a task indeed, but most of the ACs are fairly easy to eliminate.

I did this problem a long time ago and it was pretty discouraging for me because how difficult it was lol I haven't seen many questions similar so fear not! Either way, we can take some valuable information from it.

This is an inference question. Every answer choice besides B is missing a variable we need to make an inference. B is the only answer choice which all the pieces of information are available as illustrated in your math above.

A) Hmm, we don't know how much energy was used for each. All we know is that the ratio was 3.4 times more to sterilize than produce for nylons and 2.1 times more to sterilize than produce for steels. - missing a variable - Eliminate

C) Sure? This could be true. We don't know how many instruments are in each set. - missing the amount of instruments in each set variable - Eliminate

D) We don't know anything about the raw amounts of energy used to produce the instruments - missing the raw energy variable - Eliminate

E) The cost? We know nothing about the cost. - missing the cost variable - Eliminate

akistotle

Thank you so much for your confirmation! I would definitely skip this question if I see this under timed conditions.

@jknauf said:
I did this problem a long time ago and it was pretty discouraging for me because how difficult it was lol

I eliminated all the answer choices because I mistakenly read the second sentence as SN = 3.4 x MN and SS = 3.4 x MS. Pretty discouraging

I haven't seen many questions similar so fear not!

Ok....! But I'm glad I was right about this