@Crystal the correct answer choice here is actually (A), not (C).
(A) is the correct answer because it serves as a possible explanation for the discrepancy in the stimulus, i.e. 1/2 of respondents reported they were in the top quarter of the graduating class.
So let's assume that there were 40 alumni in the class of 1960 at Aurora University. The top quarter would be the top 10 alumni.
Imagine only half those surveyed responded (i.e. 20 alumni) but that all 10 top quarter alumni responded.
This would result in half of the respondents (i.e. 10/20) reporting that they were in the top quarter so (A) is a possible explanation for this discrepancy.
Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions.
JCarterJanuary 22, 2019
Im still confused as to why B is not the correct answer.
RaviFebruary 13, 2019
@JCarter,
Happy to help.
(B) says, "Few, if any, respondents were mistaken about their class rank."
(B) rules out the potential explanation that some of the respondents were mistaken about their class ranking. However, given what (B) says, the paradox would now be EVEN MORE confusing because we still don't have an answer for why over half of the respondents reported they were in the top 25% of their class. Something's still fishy.
It sounds like you might've misread (B) to say that few of the respondents were NOT mistaken. If (B) actually said that, then yes, it would help, but (B) actually says the opposite of that, so it only makes the contradiction even more apparent and worse, and it doesn't help.
Does this make sense? Let us know if you have any other questions!
gmaramaraJune 5, 2020
Why isn't E the correct answer? I was between A & E and went with E?
