Summary
A new computer system will only really increase an organization’s efficiency if the new system forces employees into more productive work habits. The Ministry of Transportation is getting a new system that accommodates its employees’ existing work habits. So, what can we conclude?
In Lawgic:
P1: new system improves efficiency → requires more productive work habits
P2: Ministry’s new system → /requires change in work habits
C: ?
In Lawgic:
P1: new system improves efficiency → requires more productive work habits
P2: Ministry’s new system → /requires change in work habits
C: ?
Strongly Supported Conclusions
Based on these facts, we can conclude that the Ministry’s new system does not force employees into more productive work habits. We can further conclude that it will not meaningfully increase the Ministry’s efficiency.
A
the new computer system will not increase the efficiency of the Ministry of Transportation to any appreciable degree
This is strongly supported. We know that to significantly increase efficiency, a new system must require employees to work more productively. The Ministry’s new system doesn’t require employees to change how they work at all, so it won’t significantly increase efficiency.
B
it is likely that the new computer system will not function correctly when it is first installed
This is not supported. The stimulus suggests nothing about how likely new computer systems are to work or not, so we can’t draw any conclusions about this.
C
the leaders of the Ministry of Transportation must not be concerned with the productivity of the ministry’s employees
This is not supported. The stimulus doesn’t inidcate anything about the intentions or concerns of the Ministry’s leadership, so we just can’t say.
D
the new computer system will be worthwhile if it automates many processes that are currently performed manually
This is not supported. The stimulus isn’t about whether computer systems are worthwhile, it’s about whether they increase efficiency. Because we don’t know what makes a system worthwhile, we cannot support this conclusion.
E
it will be easy for employees of the Ministry of Transportation to learn to use the new computer system
This is not supported. The stimulus doesn’t give us any information about how easily employees can learn to use a new computer system, so this would just be a baseless assumption.
Summarize Argument
The stimulus concludes that a meeting must have a clear time frame and be no longer than 30 minutes to be maximally productive. It draws this conclusion from a company study about meeting productivity.
Identify Conclusion
The conclusion states conditions for a meeting to be maximally productive: “it needs to have a clear time frame and be no more than 30 minutes long.”
A
In general, a meeting at the company that is no more than 30 minutes long and has a clear time frame will achieve maximum productivity.
This answer is confusing necessary and sufficient. Our stimulus tells us what a meeting must do to be maximally productive. Here, we’re talking about what will guarantee a meeting being maximally productive.
B
Most meetings at the company show diminishing returns after 30 minutes, according to a study.
This is a premise that supports the conclusion, not a conclusion itself.
C
A meeting at the company will be maximally productive only if it has a clear time frame and lasts no more than 30 minutes.
This answer rephrases the last sentence in our stimulus, which is what the rest of the argument supports. What does a meeting need to be maximally productive? A clear time frame and a duration no longer than 30 minutes.
D
According to a study, meetings at the company were the most productive when they had clear time frames.
This is a premise supporting our partial conclusion that meetings must have clear time frames to be maximally productive.
E
A study of meetings at the company says that little productivity should be expected after the 60-minute mark.
This is a premise that supports our conclusion. The study isn’t what the stimulus is arguing for, but rather the conditions that a meeting must have to be maximally productive.