Question

For the following argument, select which premise will make the argument strong: Ninety percent of students at Boston College graduate with a B.A. degree. Li Fong will probably graduate from Boston College with a B.A. degree.

a) Li Fong has a 4.0 GPA.
b) Li Fong is majoring in sociology.
c) Li Fong is majoring in physics.
d) Li Fong goes to Boston College.

Answer 1

To strengthen the argument about Li Fong's likelihood of graduating with a B.A. from Boston College, the most relevant choice is that Li Fong goes to Boston College, as the initial statistic directly pertains to students of this institution.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks to select a premise that would strengthen the argument that Li Fong will probably graduate from Boston College with a B.A. degree, given that ninety percent of students at Boston College graduate with a B.A. The most directly relevant choice that would make the argument strong is d) Li Fong goes to Boston College. This is because the initial statistic applies to Boston College students specifically, so for the statistic to be relevant to Li Fong, he must be a student at this institution. Other options such as Li Fong's GPA or major may provide some indirect evidence about Li Fong's likelihood of graduation, but they are not as directly tied to the statistic provided as Li Fong's attendance at the college itself.