You are asked to find the answer choice that is most supported by the stimulus.
The stimulus establishes that there are 4 random market research companies estimating the populations of 3 middle-sized cities. For the 2 cities with relatively stable populations, there was little variation from company to company. For the 1 city that was growing rapidly, however, the estimates varied greatly.
Answer choice (D) states that the market research companies are likely to be equally reliable in estimating the population of stable cities. This claim finds some support in stimulus, which tells us there was little variation between the different companies' estimates for stable cities' populations.
Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any additional questions.
LucasAugust 6, 2019
struggling with this question, I went with D but I'm not 100% sure
RaviAugust 6, 2019
@Lucas, (D) is the correct answer, as Mehran noted above. What exactly were you struggling with on this question? Let us know, and we'll be happy to walk through any specific questions you have on this one!
KathOctober 12, 2019
Just to follow up. I have the same question as AE95. 'Little variation" - >"equally reliable"? Is It because the answer D says "likely" that D is the correct answer choice? Is it proper to be shown in the answer choice of must be true questions? If it is a likely too be true, or probably true, then D is more acceptable.
mprezzyApril 10, 2020
@lucas and/or @EA95 I am struggling with D as well, and I have read all the comments for this question. Is the fact that the stimulus states that there are stable populations, that is what determines that it is reliable? Please help. Thank you.
Brett-LindsayJuly 23, 2020
Hi @mprezzy, I think that by "equally reliable," it just means that they are similar estimates. We have no idea whether they are good or bad estimates. The accuracy isn't in question. The estimates could be equally bad or equally good.
