Critical Reasoning: Assumption Questions

A well-known bicycle company released a new model called the X10 onto the market. The X10 was different from its predecessor, the X9, in a number of ways, but mainly because it was foldable, so it could be stored easily without taking up too much space. However, the X10 did not sell nearly as well as the X9. It could be said, therefore, that the folding feature is not an important feature to bicycle buyers.

Which of the following is an assumption underlying the conclusion?

Incorrect.

If the author assumed marketing was important, he or she wouldn't have come to a conclusion that ignores marketing and puts all the blame for the X10 sales on its folding feature.

Incorrect.

If the author assumed timing was important, he or she wouldn't have come to a conclusion that ignores the release timing and puts all the blame for the X10 sales on its folding feature.

Incorrect.

If the author assumed the popularity of X9 was so high, he or she wouldn't have come to a conclusion that ignores X9 previous success and puts all the blame for the X10 sales on its folding feature.

Incorrect.

This answer choice presents a new premise about bicycle owners. It is irrelevant whether this new data supports the conclusion; what you are looking for is the assumption, which should explain how the author drew the conclusion based on the existing premises.

Nicely done!

In order to compare between the X9 and X10, and in that way draw the conclusion, the author had to assume that the folding feature was the only difference that could have affected the sales of both models.