To reduce the crowding at the Sitapur passport office, its manager plans to extend working hours by two hours every day.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the plan's chances of reducing the crowding?

The passport office building was painted last year.Correct answerYour answerLonger working hours will slightly increase the office's electricity bill.Correct answerYour answerMost of the crowd is made up of applicants waiting for a document check that only one officer is authorised to carry out, and that officer's hours will not change.Correct answerYour answerMany applicants would prefer to visit the office in the evening.Correct answerYour answer

Show the answer and explanation

CorrectNot quiteAnswer C

Correct answer: C

The plan assumes that longer office hours will let more applicants be served.
If the crowd is caused by a check that only one officer does, and that officer does not work longer, the extra hours will not clear the crowd. That weakens the plan directly.
The painting is irrelevant, and a higher electricity bill is a cost, not a reason the plan would fail. Evening demand actually supports the plan.

Worth noting

Weaken a plan by showing it misses the real bottleneck. A mere cost of the plan does not weaken its chance of working.

Concept: Weakening a plan by exposing the real bottleneck
Typical timeTypical: 105 s
Your timeYours: —

The rule this testsArguments: strengthen and weaken

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Ten questions from Statements, Conclusions and Assumptions, at your own pace.

To reduce the crowding at the Sitapur passport office, its manager plans to extend working hours by two hours every day.Which of the following, if true, most weakens the plan's chances of reducing the crowding?

Explanation

To reduce the crowding at the Sitapur passport office, its manager plans to extend working hours by two hours every day.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the plan's chances of reducing the crowding?