If the economy is weak, then prices remain constant although unemployment rises. But unemployment rises only if inve...
cupton22October 14, 2017
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Could you please explain why answer choice D cannot be the correct answer? I see how A cannot be true but I need further explanation as to why D could be true.
Thanks.
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Because the question stem asks you to select the answer choice that Must Be False/Cannot Be True, you are looking for an answer that is directly contradicted by the stimulus.
The stimulus here presents you with three facts: P: If the economy is weak, then prices remain constant although unemployment rises P: Unemployment rises only if investment decreases. P: Investment is not decreasing.
These facts establish that if the economy is weak, unemployment rises, and if unemployment rises, investment decreases. In other words (by the transitive property) when the economy is weak, investment decreases. The contrapositive is that if investment is not decreasing, unemployment does not rise, and the economy is not weak.
Answer choice (A) cannot be true on the basis of the facts set forth in the stimulus. This answer says that EITHER the economy is weak OR investment is decreasing, but we have just seen that when the economy is weak it means that investment is also decreasing, and the stimulus has established that investment is NOT decreasing (3rd factual premise).
