Low-Fat Milk Contains 50% Fewer Calories than does Whole Milk.

Question: Low-fat milk contains 50% fewer calories than does whole milk. Thus, a glass of low-fat milk is healthier than a glass of whole milk.

The above argument relies on which of the following assumptions?

1. Skim milk contains fewer calories than low-fat milk and is thus healthier.
2. Low-fat milk is tastier than whole milk.
3. Whole milk is tastier than low-fat milk.
4. Milk is healthy for lactose-tolerant people only.
5. The fewer calories a beverage contains, the healthier it is.

Answer: E

Explanation: In Strengthen/Weaken the Argument GMAT critical reasoning question type, we need to strengthen an argument by providing a piece of supportive evidence or statement. We need to start with solving by studying the argument of the passage.

Let us consider the given arguments to consider the conclusion:

Hypothesis: low-fat milk contains low calories than whole milk
Assumption: low-calorie drinks are healthier
Conclusion: low-fat milk is healthier than whole milk

1. Skim milk contains fewer calories than low-fat milk and is thus healthier.

Incorrect.
Option A contains ‘skim milk’ which is out of the scope of the argument. It compares low-fat and whole milk which does not add any new factors but links the existing ones. This given argument also contains the conclusion word ‘thus’. Hence option is eliminated as we are looking for an assumption and not a conclusion.

2. Low-fat milk is tastier than whole milk.

Incorrect.
Option B contains ‘taste’ which is out of the scope of the argument. This does not add any new factors but links the existing ones.

100. Whole milk is tastier than low-fat milk.

Incorrect.
Option C contains ‘taste’ which is out of the scope of the argument. This does not add any new factors but links the existing ones.

500. Milk is healthy for lactose-tolerant people only.

Incorrect.
Option D contains ‘lactose-tolerant’ which is out of the scope of the argument. This does not add any new factors but links the existing ones.

5. The fewer calories a beverage contains, the healthier it is.

Correct.
In option E, the author implies that low-calorie milk is healthier than whole milk. The author also states that low-fat milk contains fewer calories. Hence option E is the correct answer.

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