Q14 - Theoretically, analog systems are superior

[minhtientm249]

The stimulus just state that there's a disadvantage in practice for digital comparing to analog. It doesn't say anything about preference as answer choice E. And why A is wrong? Is it because the stimulus isn't about working well in practice and theory?

Thanks

[timmydoeslsat]

A is wrong due to the word many and due to the fact that it states not well in practice.

To say that (presumably we are talking about analog systems in context of the stimulus) analog systems do not work well in practice is too far of a stretch. We know of a disadvantage of one aspect of digital systems, however that is not equivalent to not working well.

With E, although the word preference is not used in the stimulus, we do know that in regards signals being duplicated, the analog will have errors because of the infinite detail allowed.

So, in regards to this one aspect, we have support that the digital system would be preferable to the analog due to these errors from the analog when a signal is reproduced many times.

[minhtientm249]

But then answer choice E has to make an assumption that in the case when the signal produces many times, this disadvantage of the analog outweighs its advantage against the digital. However, this assumption is not stated. What if the infinitely detail of the analog is preferred nevertheless its noises when many signals are produced.

Correct me if I'm wrong but is this one a "Could Be True" question?

[timmydoeslsat]

I definitely would not categorize this question stem as could be true, as that would make every answer choice a contender.

This is a question stem that requires some support from the stimulus but does not have to be a logical inference as some questions maintain.

With choice E, we are given a situation where the signal will be reproduced many times. We know from the stimulus that this will entail errors on the part of the analog system. It is a small jump to say that these errors would have us err on the side of the digital system in this scenario.

Any other answer choice on this problem would give way to huge leaps and jumps. This is the smallest one.

[sumukh09]

Had it down to B and E on this one and went with E. However I'm not 100% sure why B is wrong. Thanks!

[carlin.odonnell]

For me, E is correct because the stimulus says that although analog systems have a theoretical advantage to digital systems, they also have a practical DISADVANTAGE.

If analog are disadvantaged relative to digital when signals are duplicated many times, that likewise means that digital systems are advantaged.

I would think and advantaged system in the realm of many duplicated signals would be preferable to a disadvantaged one.

[bernard.agrest]

Hey,

This was my reasoning for all the choices... I went wrong on D/E, if you can help me figure it out, it would be much appreciated!

A) Many ideas - we don't know, for all we know this could literally be the ONLY idea ever that was theoretically great, but practically so-so at best.
B) No discussion over whether or not we need infinitely detailed information.
C) We don't know if errors CANT occur, maybe they only occur 1/1000000 times.
D) Analog systems are superior theoretically, however practically they have a disadvantage. (is it that they have a disadvantage overall, but not compared to digital systems?)
E) I now see why its correct, analog systems are worse off when we reproduce the signal multiple times - digital systems don't have the capacity for creating a more precise signal than already given, so they would be better than analog.

I'm still confused about D, I usually narrow my answer choices to 2 choices, and then have trouble deciding.

[maryadkins]

Good analysis, Bernard. You're right on your reasoning. (D) is wrong, however, because we don't know that they're inferior for most practical purposes, we only know they're inferior when a signal has to be reproduced over and over again. What about when it's not being reproduced indefinitely? In that case, analog could be more appropriate because after all, it's more precise. Basically, (D) is just too broad.