#7 - Economist: ChesChem, a chemical manufacturer located

[Adam Tyson]

I didn't find conditional diagramming to be required here, GGIBA003, because the numbers/percentages flaw seemed to be more obvious, and an Assumption will, in the face of such a flaw, supply the numeric information we need to fix that problem.

Don't diagram just because conditional reasoning is present. Diagram because doing so will help you analyze the argument and prephrase the answer. If you don't need the diagram, don't bother with it!

[g_lawyered]

Thanks for your recommendation Adam.
So for necessary assumption, if the argument has the percentage/numbers flaw as you mentioned this question does. Will the assumption and correct answer choice to this question type need to ID that flaw? In this case, answer choice B addresses the number flaw (cost) stating: "the PRICE of natural gas in T WILL NOT increase".
Going forward and to improve, am I to look for an answer choices that addresses either percentage or number?

Thanks for your help!

[Adam Tyson]

Generally yes - the assumption will be one that addresses the flaw and helps to mitigate or eliminate that flaw. One caveat, though, and that is that many arguments have multiple flaws, and the correct answer in such a case could address any one of them but may not address them all! So if the argument has some sort of number/percentages flaw but also has, say, a causal reasoning error, the correct answer might be about there being no alternate cause or the cause and effect not being reversed. But in all likelihood, if both of those flaws are present, the correct answer will address both flaws by pointing out a problem with the data, since that is both a numbers issue AND a problem with many causal arguments. Two birds with one stone!