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- Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:00 am
#36690
Complete Question Explanation
Resolve the Paradox. The correct answer choice is (C)
The discussion comes from an astronomer, who presents some seemingly paradoxical information,
and also claims to have the solution. Earlier estimates of some stars’ distance from Earth would
dictate that some stars are roughly a billion years older than the universe itself, which of course
is impossible. The astronomer believes that these stars are much farther away from the Earth than
previously estimated, meaning that these stars also must be much brighter than previously thought.
These newer estimates, we are told, help to resolve the apparent paradox that resulted from the older
estimates.
This is a unique Resolve the Paradox question, in that the Astronomer actually provides the
resolution, and our task is to determine how the new information helps to solve the prior paradox.
As we know, earlier approximations had to have overestimated the age of certain stars, because
there is no way that any star in the universe could be older than the universe. This tells us that the
Astronomers’ more recent estimates must either:
brightness, the astronomer’s resolution of the issue is more likely to deal with the age of the stars,
which means that the new information in some way points to those stars’ being younger than
previously believed.
Answer choice (A): The paradox under discussion deals with the issue of stars within the universe
that appear to be a billion years older than the universe itself. Even if the stars under discussion are
the oldest objects discovered so far, this would not allow them to be older than the universe.
Answer choice (B): The paradox discussed in the stimulus could be solved either by estimating
the stars to be younger than previously thought, or by approximating the universe to be older than
previously estimated. This choice, which might support the notion of a younger universe, would
actually worsen the original paradox: the stars discussed had already been believed to be older than
the universe itself, so if the universe is actually younger than previously believed, this would make
for an even greater age gap, and stars that are even more than a billion years older than the universe.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. If it is true that the brighter a star is, the
younger it is, then the astronomer’s more recent approximations, which estimate the stars to be
farther away and brighter than previously thought, would also point to the stars’ being younger than
previously thought. This of course helps to resolve the issue of the stars’ appearing to have been
older than the universe itself.
Answer choice (D): In the stimulus the astronomer alludes to this point with the words, “given their
appearance to us on Earth.” Since this choice provides no new information, it cannot possibly explain
how the paradox has been resolved.
Answer choice (E): This choice would help to explain how astronomers might see such stars, but
provides no resolution to the paradox of stars which in the past had been estimated to predate the
universe itself.
Resolve the Paradox. The correct answer choice is (C)
The discussion comes from an astronomer, who presents some seemingly paradoxical information,
and also claims to have the solution. Earlier estimates of some stars’ distance from Earth would
dictate that some stars are roughly a billion years older than the universe itself, which of course
is impossible. The astronomer believes that these stars are much farther away from the Earth than
previously estimated, meaning that these stars also must be much brighter than previously thought.
These newer estimates, we are told, help to resolve the apparent paradox that resulted from the older
estimates.
This is a unique Resolve the Paradox question, in that the Astronomer actually provides the
resolution, and our task is to determine how the new information helps to solve the prior paradox.
As we know, earlier approximations had to have overestimated the age of certain stars, because
there is no way that any star in the universe could be older than the universe. This tells us that the
Astronomers’ more recent estimates must either:
- I. Estimate those stars to be younger than previously thought; or
II. Estimate the universe to be older than previously thought.
brightness, the astronomer’s resolution of the issue is more likely to deal with the age of the stars,
which means that the new information in some way points to those stars’ being younger than
previously believed.
Answer choice (A): The paradox under discussion deals with the issue of stars within the universe
that appear to be a billion years older than the universe itself. Even if the stars under discussion are
the oldest objects discovered so far, this would not allow them to be older than the universe.
Answer choice (B): The paradox discussed in the stimulus could be solved either by estimating
the stars to be younger than previously thought, or by approximating the universe to be older than
previously estimated. This choice, which might support the notion of a younger universe, would
actually worsen the original paradox: the stars discussed had already been believed to be older than
the universe itself, so if the universe is actually younger than previously believed, this would make
for an even greater age gap, and stars that are even more than a billion years older than the universe.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. If it is true that the brighter a star is, the
younger it is, then the astronomer’s more recent approximations, which estimate the stars to be
farther away and brighter than previously thought, would also point to the stars’ being younger than
previously thought. This of course helps to resolve the issue of the stars’ appearing to have been
older than the universe itself.
Answer choice (D): In the stimulus the astronomer alludes to this point with the words, “given their
appearance to us on Earth.” Since this choice provides no new information, it cannot possibly explain
how the paradox has been resolved.
Answer choice (E): This choice would help to explain how astronomers might see such stars, but
provides no resolution to the paradox of stars which in the past had been estimated to predate the
universe itself.
