College of Admission Tests Multan

Critical or Logical Reasoning

Solve the question of and select the option from the choices A through D/E. Check your Answer and view the explanation.

Question: 8

Traverton's city council wants to minimize the city's average yearly expenditures on its traffic signal lights and so is considering replacing the incandescent bulbs currently in use with arrays of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the in candescent bulbs burn out. Compared to incandescent bulbs, LED arrays consume significantly less energy and cost no more to purchase. Moreover, the costs associated with the conversion of existing fixtures so as to accept LED arrays would be minimal. Which of the following would it be most useful to know in determining whether switching to LED arrays would be likely to help minimize Traverton's yearly maintenance costs?

  • Whether the expected service life of LED arrays is at least as long as that ofthe currently used incandescent bulbs
  • Whether anycities have switched from incandescent lights in theirtraffic signalsto lighting elements other than LED arrays
  • Whether anycities have switched from incandescent lights in theirtraffic signalsto lighting elements other than LED arrays
  • Whether Traverton's city council plansto increase the numberof traffic signal lights in Traverton
  • Whether the crews that currently replace incandescent bulbs inTraverton's traffic signals know how to convert the existing fixtures so as to accept LED arrays

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Correct Answer: A

None

Option(A) is correct Option A : Correct. Unless the answer to this question were yesrather than no, the switch to LED arrays would not help minimize Traverton's yearly maintenance costs. So it is essential to know the answer to this question in order to determine whether switchingto LEDs would help. Option B : The existence of another possible alternative to incandescent lights does not have any bearing on the question of whether switching from incandescent lights to LEDs would help. Option C : Thesource from which Traverton acquires its lights, be theyincandescent or LEDs, is unimportant. Option D : Increasing the numberof traffic signallightsin Travertonwouldprobably increase the city's yearly maintenance costs, but it woulddo so regardless of whether those lights use LEDs or incandescent bulbs. Option E : Since the goal of switchingto LED arrays is to help minimizeyearly expenditures on maintenance, a potential one-time cost—that of trainingworkers to convert the existing fixtures—is not relevant. Further, it is not necessarily thecase that thecrews that currently replace the incandescent bulbs would be the ones converting the existing fixtures-and even if they were, the accountof the plan statesthat conversion costs would be minimal. The correct answer is A.