A recent survey conducted in the New Homes magazine indicate

[itsmeaakash3]

A recent survey conducted in the New Homes magazine indicated that more than 70% of its readers are planning to purchase or build a new home over the next two years. Based on the results of the survey, the editor of the magazine concluded that over the next two years, the real estate industry is likely to experience rapid growth driven by the high market demand for new homes. Which of the following statements, if true, would be the most damaging to the conclusion of the magazine’s editor?
A) The survey included over 50,000 respondents representing all major age categories.
b) The survey was mailed to all the subscribers of the magazine and included prepaid postage to facilitate returning the questionnaire.
c) Readers of the New Homes magazine are much more likely to be interested in buying or purchasing a home than the rest of the public.
d) The number of the magazine’s readers has more than doubled over the past 2 years.
e) All survey respondents received one free issue of the magazine as a token of appreciation
for filling out the survey.

[Willy]

Option C is the correct answer. We are asked to weaken the argument and option C does the same perfectly.

c) Readers of the New Homes magazine are much more likely to be interested in buying or purchasing a home than the rest of the public.

If the readers of the magazine are more interested in buying the home than the rest of the public then the editor's claim that the real estate industry is likely to experience rapid growth driven by the high market demand for new homes is NOT valid because we are taking one sample and comparing it to the rest of the public.

Also, all other options are irrelevant.

[jlucero]

As per forum rules, please give the source of this problem before we can discuss.