Read the following short passages and choose the best answers to the questions following the passage.
The average amount of overtime per month worked by an employee in the design division of the Diva Corporation is 18 hours. Most employees of Diva Corporation work in the design division. Furthermore, the average amount of overtime per month per employee in the company generally does not fluctuate much from month to month. Therefore, each month, most employees of the Diva Corp. almost certainly work at least some overtime.
The argument is most vulnerable to criticism on which of the following grounds?
Options
It confuses a claim from which the argument’s conclusion about the Diva Corp. would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument’s conclusion only with a high degree of probability
It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime.
It takes for granted that the design division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month.
It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
Solution
It overlooks the possibility that even if, on average, a certain amount of overtime is worked by the members of some group, many members of that group may work no overtime at all.
Explanation:
The conclusion is that 'most' employees work at least some overtime. This cannot be criticized on the grands of being probably true "It confuses a claim from which the argument’s conclusion about the Diva Corp. would necessarily follow with a claim that would follow from the argument’s conclusion only with a high degree of probability." as the facts stated clearly lead to it. Even if anyone employee "It overlooks the possibility that even if most employees of the corporation work some overtime each month, anyone corporate employee may, in some months, work no overtime." may in some months not work overtime, the conclusion is valid. The ground in "It takes for granted that the design division is a typical division of the corporation with regard to the average amount of overtime its employees work each month." is already stated in the passage. However, there is a possibility that some members of a group may work much overtime with many of that group not working any overtime. In this case, too, the average amount of overtime projected or computed for that group will remain stable. So, the argument that most employees work overtime falls flat on this ground that many of a group with high average may not work overtime at all.
