Solved Examples for Flaw Questions | Verbal Reasoning for GMAT PDF Download

Q1: Computer Crimes Detective: A suspect monitored by our team was witnessed logging into Website X. Soon thereafter, Website X crashed due to a Trojan virus attack, causing damages estimated at millions of dollars. The same suspect also logged into Website Y. An hour after the suspect signed out of Website Y, it was attacked by the same virus and, subsequently, crashed. This strongly suggests that the suspect is either a hacker who is using this virus to shut websites down, or an unwitting user infected with the virus.
A major flaw in the detective's argument above is that
(a) the detective overlooks the fact that during the second attack, the suspect had already been disconnected
(b) the detective ignores the possibility that two different people could have used the same computer
(c) the detective confuses the person who wrote the virus with the person who deployed it
(d) the detective connects the cases of Websites X and Y and supposes that a pattern exists
(e) the detective ignores the possibility that other people may have also been logged into the websites the same time that the suspect was
Ans: (e)
Explanation: The detective infers that this particular suspect must have introduced the virus solely because the suspect logged in near the time of the attacks. This reasoning ignores the possibility that other users who were logged into the sites at the same times could have been responsible. The premises and conclusion can be seen as follows:
Premise A: the suspect logged into Website X
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Premise B: Website X crashed because of a virus
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Premise C: the suspect logged into Website Y
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Premise D: an hour after the suspect signed out of Y, it too crashed because of the same virus
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Conclusion: the suspect either purposely or accidentally loaded the virus into the sites.
The gap is that the detective assumes a causal connection to this suspect without ruling out other users who had access at those times. Options (a)-(d) either misstate the issue or describe possibilities that do not capture this central failure to consider other users who might have caused the infections.

Q2: Editorial: A recent survey shows that 77 percent of people feel that crime is increasing and that 87 percent feel the judicial system should be handing out tougher sentences. Therefore, the government must firmly address the rising crime rate.
The reasoning in the editorial's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument

(a) appeals to survey results that are inconsistent because they suggest that more people are concerned about the sentencing of criminals than are concerned about crime itself
(b) presumes, without providing justification, that there is a correlation between criminal offenders being treated leniently and a high crime rate
(c) fails to consider whether other surveys showing different results have been conducted over the years
(d) fails to distinguish between the crime rate's actually rising and people's believing that the crime rate is rising
(e) presumes, without providing justification, that tougher sentences are the most effective means of alleviating the crime problem
Ans: (d)

Explanation: The editorial moves from survey respondents' beliefs to the policy conclusion that the government must address a rising crime rate. The crucial weakness is that the argument treats people's belief that crime is increasing as if it were proof that crime is actually increasing. It therefore confuses perception with fact.
(a) is incorrect because the survey percentages are not necessarily inconsistent; they measure different attitudes (belief about crime trend versus opinion on sentencing).
(b) is incorrect because the editorial does not claim a direct link between lenient treatment and higher crime rates; it simply urges government action in response to perceived rising crime.
(c) is not the best criticism: while other surveys might exist, the central flaw is the failure to distinguish perceived rise from an actual rise.
(e) goes beyond the editorial's claim by asserting that it assumes tougher sentences are the best cure; the editorial does not explicitly make that stronger claim. Thus (d) correctly identifies the key vulnerability.

Q3: Journalist: Newspapers generally report on only those scientific studies whose findings sound dramatic. Furthermore, newspaper stories about small observational studies, which are somewhat unreliable, are more frequent than newspaper stories about large randomized trials, which generate stronger scientific evidence. Therefore, a small observational study must be more likely to have dramatic findings than a large randomized trial.
Which one of the following most accurately expresses a flaw in the journalist's reasoning?
(a) It casts doubt on the reliability of a study by questioning the motives of those reporting it.
(b) It fails to consider that even if a study's findings sound dramatic, the scientific evidence for those findings may be strong.
(c) It confuses a claim about scientific studies whose findings sound dramatic with a similar claim about small observational studies.
(d) It overlooks the possibility that small observational studies are far more common than large randomized trials.
(e) It fails to rule out the possibility that a study's having findings that sound dramatic is an effect rather than a cause of the study's being reported on.
Ans: (d)

Explanation: The journalist observes that dramatic studies are reported and that small observational studies appear more often in newspapers than large randomized trials. From this the journalist concludes that a small observational study is more likely to have dramatic findings. The flaw is that the higher frequency of news stories about small studies could simply reflect that small observational studies are far more numerous than large randomized trials; frequency of reporting need not imply greater intrinsic likelihood of dramatic findings per study. The other choices do not pinpoint this specific defect:
(a) misdescribes the passage - the journalist is not attacking reporters' motives.
(b) does not address the logical leap about relative likelihoods.
(c) is not accurate because the journalist is making a probabilistic inference rather than confusing two distinct claims.
(e) suggests reverse causation, but the actual problem is the failure to consider base rates (how many small studies exist compared with large trials). Therefore (d) correctly identifies the core flaw.

Q4: Argument:

Economic Analyst: The recent increase in the price of dairy products has led to a significant reduction in their consumption. However, the overall expenditure on dairy products has remained unchanged. This indicates that consumers are spending the same amount of money on fewer dairy products, implying that the demand for dairy products is inelastic.
Which of the following is a major flaw in the analyst's argument?
(a) The analyst does not consider the possibility of consumers switching to alternative products.
(b) The argument does not account for the potential increase in the cost of production for dairy products.
(c) The analyst assumes that the consumption pattern of all dairy products is identical.
(d) The argument overlooks the potential impact of seasonal variations on dairy product prices.
(e) The analyst assumes that the unchanged expenditure indicates inelastic demand without considering other factors that might affect consumer spending.
Ans: (e)
Explanation: The analyst infers inelastic demand from unchanged total expenditure despite reduced quantity consumed. That inference assumes there are no other explanations for the unchanged spending. However, unchanged expenditure could result from factors such as increased overall consumer income, substitution of spending from other goods to dairy, or consumers switching to more expensive dairy varieties. Because these alternatives are not ruled out, the analyst's conclusion about demand elasticity is unjustified. Options (a)-(d) point to particular considerations, but (e) captures the general failure to consider other plausible explanations for unchanged expenditure.

Q5: Argument:
City Planner: To reduce traffic congestion in the city center, we implemented a high parking fee. Since then, the number of cars in the city center has decreased significantly. Therefore, the high parking fee is effective in reducing traffic congestion.
Which of the following is a major flaw in the city planner's argument?
(a) The argument does not consider that the reduction in cars might be due to factors other than the high parking fee.
(b) The argument assumes that traffic congestion is only caused by the number of cars.
(c) The argument overlooks the possibility that the high parking fee could negatively affect local businesses.
(d) The city planner does not consider the long-term sustainability of high parking fees.
(e) The argument assumes that the reduction in cars is a permanent change.
Ans: (a)
Explanation: The planner attributes the drop in cars directly to the high parking fee without ruling out other causes that could have produced the same effect - for example, improvements in public transport, changes in work patterns (more remote work), roadworks that discourage driving, or seasonal factors. Because the argument does not eliminate these alternative explanations, it commits a causal assumption fallacy. Options (b)-(e) raise legitimate concerns but (a) identifies the primary logical flaw: a failure to consider other possible causes for the observed decrease.

Q6: Argument:
HR Manager: Our company has seen a decrease in employee turnover after introducing flexible work hours. Therefore, offering flexible work hours is an effective strategy to reduce employee turnover.
Which of the following is a major flaw in the HR manager's argument?
(a) The argument assumes that the introduction of flexible work hours is the only change that has occurred in the company.
(b) The argument does not consider the overall industry trend in employee turnover.
(c) The HR manager overlooks the potential costs associated with implementing flexible work hours.
(d) The argument assumes that flexible work hours are valued equally by all employees.
(e) The HR manager does not consider the possible negative impact of flexible work hours on productivity.
Ans: (a)
Explanation: The manager infers causation from a temporal correlation: turnover fell after flexible hours were introduced. That conclusion assumes no other changes occurred that could explain the reduction, such as pay increases, better management, hiring freezes, or improved external labour market conditions. Without ruling out alternate explanations, the claim that flexible hours are the effective cause is unwarranted. Options (b)-(e) point to other relevant issues but do not capture the central failure to control for other simultaneous changes; (a) correctly identifies this flaw.

Q7: Argument:

Environmental Activist: Areas with strict environmental regulations have lower levels of pollution. This clearly shows that strict environmental regulations are effective in reducing pollution.
Which of the following is a major flaw in the activist's argument?
(a) The argument assumes that the only way to reduce pollution is through strict environmental regulations.
(b) The argument does not consider the possibility that low pollution levels could lead to the implementation of strict regulations.
(c) The activist overlooks the potential economic impact of strict environmental regulations.
(d) The argument assumes that the areas with strict regulations are representative of all areas.
(e) The activist does not consider the long-term effectiveness of strict environmental regulations.
Ans: (b)
Explanation: The activist assumes a causal relationship from regulations to low pollution. However, the observed correlation could equally be explained by reverse causation: areas that already have low pollution may be those most able or willing to adopt strict rules, or communities with low pollution may face fewer barriers to implementing regulations. Because the argument fails to rule out this reverse causation, its claim that regulations caused the low pollution is flawed. Other options raise valid concerns but do not identify this primary causal ambiguity as directly as (b) does.

Q8: Argument:

Marketing Director: Our latest advertising campaign led to a 20% increase in sales. This proves that the campaign was successful in attracting new customers.
Which of the following is a major flaw in the marketing director's argument?
(a) The argument does not consider the effectiveness of previous advertising campaigns.
(b) The argument assumes that an increase in sales is solely attributable to the advertising campaign.
(c) The director overlooks the cost of the advertising campaign relative to the increase in sales.
(d) The argument assumes that the increased sales are due to new customers rather than repeat customers.
(e) The director does not consider the possible impact of competitors' activities on our sales.
Ans: (d)
Explanation: The director equates a rise in total sales with the acquisition of new customers, but increased sales can come from existing customers buying more frequently or purchasing higher-value items. The argument therefore assumes a specific source for the sales growth without evidence. While (b) also points to a causal assumption, (d) more precisely identifies the mistaken assumption about the composition of the increased sales (new versus repeat customers), which is the core flaw in the director's claim.