Critical Reasoning

Q. In the course of her researches, a historian recently
found two documents mentioning the same person,
Erich Schnitzler. One, dated May 3, 1739, is a
record of Schnitzler’s arrest for peddling without a
license. The second, undated, is a statement by
Schnitzler asserting that he has been peddling off
and on for 20 years.

The facts above best support which of the following
conclusions?
(A) Schnitzler started peddling around 1719.
(B) Schnitzler was arrested repeatedly for peddling.
(C) The undated document was written before 1765.
(D) The arrest record was written after the undated
document.
(E) The arrest record provides better evidence that
Schnitzler peddled than does the undated
document.

The OA is C. Can anybody explain how?

Regards
MSD

I will try to explain why the answer is (C).

(A) is False. Schnitzler could have been peddling on and off after his arrest in 1739.

(B) is False. No information is given to justify this.

(C) is True. In 1739 there is an arrest for peddling. Also it is stated that at some point in time Schnitzler has been peddling on and off for 20 years.

So the time Schnitzler has been possibly peddling on and off can be formulated as follows (range [first, last]):

[1739-20, 1739 + 20] which equals [1719, 1759]. 1759 is before 1765, so (C) is the conclusion that is best supported by the facts.

(D) is False. No information is given to justify this chronological relation between the two documents.

(E) is False. There is no reason for thinking that one of the sources is better.

Here is the comprehensive discussion

vishu

https://www.beatthegmat.com/historian-t24388.html

I dont think C is right, because if u say, he started paddling in 1938 then got fined in 1939 and 20 yrs completion is 1968 and document can be written that time. so, how C is possible.
I

My mistake. 1938+20 = 1958...hence C holds....Sorry
Hope i dont commit such mistakes on D DAy

@vishubn I think my explanation is simple and clear. Finding the answer is less difficult than it seems.

gmatman1 wrote:@vishubn I think my explanation is simple and clear. Finding the answer is less difficult than it seems.

Ya it is , i am sorry my intention was to pitch in more ideas ... nothing apart from tthat


vishu

vishubn wrote:

gmatman1 wrote:@vishubn I think my explanation is simple and clear. Finding the answer is less difficult than it seems.

Ya it is , i am sorry my intention was to pitch in more ideas ... nothing apart from tthat


vishu

No problem! I hope to learn a lot on this baord.

I agree with option C