PrepTest 123, Section 3, Question 22
By Brandon Beaver | Published October 29, 2024
Type: Must Be
Difficulty:
Explanations
It’s a Must Be question, so let’s consider what we know:
- 1.If coffee bean prices increase (let’s call this A), then the shop’s prices will increase (and this B)
- 2.If the shop’s prices increase (so if B), then either the shop will sell noncoffee products (let’s call this C), or its coffee sales will go down (and this D). In other words, if B happens, then either C or D will happen.
- 3.Selling noncoffee products (C) will decrease profitability (let’s call this E)
- 4.If the shop doesn’t decrease profitability (not E), then coffee sales did not go down (not D). So if not E then not D—which is the same thing as saying if D then E. In other words, if coffee sales go down, profitability will decrease.
That means, if coffee bean prices increase, it will set off a chain reaction inevitably resulting in lower profits: if A, then B; if B, then either C or D; if C, then E; if D, then E. This all equals if A, then E (and if B, then E, for that matter).
A
No, this confuses sufficient and necessary. It’s saying if E, then A. We need the opposite of this.
B
Wrong again, for essentially the same reason as A. This is saying if E, then either C or D. There are tons of ways the shop could lose profits—it doesn’t have to be one of these two ways.
C
Perfect. Just as predicted. This means if A, then E.
D
Rephrased, this means if bean prices decrease (not A), profitability will decrease (E). This would mean if not A, then E, which isn’t what we’re looking for.
E
We have no way of knowing if this is true based on the passage. Easy out.
Passage
If the price it pays for coffee beans continues to increase, the Coffee Shoppe will have to increase its prices. In that case, either the Coffee Shoppe will begin selling noncoffee products or its coffee sales will decrease. But selling noncoffee products will decrease the Coffee Shoppe's overall profitability. Moreover, the Coffee Shoppe can avoid a decrease in overall profitability only if its coffee sales do not decrease.
Question 22
Which one of the following statements follows logically from the statements above?
If the Coffee Shoppe's overall profitability decreases, the price it pays for coffee beans will have continued to increase.
If the Coffee Shoppe's overall profitability decreases, either it will have begun selling noncoffee products or its coffee sales will have decreased.
The Coffee Shoppe's overall profitability will decrease if the price it pays for coffee beans continues to increase.
The price it pays for coffee beans cannot decrease without the Coffee Shoppe's overall profitability also decreasing.
Either the price it pays for coffee beans will continue to increase or the Coffee Shoppe's coffee sales will increase.