Advice from a computer security expert, on passwords used for accessing online accounts: Computer users should use a different password...
GMAT Two Part Analysis : (TPA) Questions
Advice from a computer security expert, on passwords used for accessing online accounts: Computer users should use a different password for each online account. They should also use strong passwords, which are hard for hackers to decipher. However, strong passwords are difficult to remember, and this is especially the case for users who have multiple online accounts. Fortunately, software is available for little or no cost that can store and encrypt a user's passwords: the user need only remember one password to access the rest. For users willing to take the time to install the software on a computer and enter all the required data, such software provides one way to comply with security expert's advice. Some versions of the software can even be copied to a portable device, such as a USB drive, whereby a user can access passwords from any compatible computer. For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account, the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains.
Indicate by appropriate selections in the first and second column which of the items in the third column would describe a sacrifice for this user and which would be a gain. Make only two selections, one in each column.
Phase 1: Owning the Dataset
Argument Analysis Table
| Passage Statement | Analysis & Implications |
|---|---|
| "Computer users should use a different password for each online account. They should also use strong passwords" |
|
| "Strong passwords are difficult to remember, and this is especially the case for users who have multiple online accounts" |
|
| "Software is available for little or no cost that can store and encrypt a user's passwords" |
|
| "Users willing to take the time to install the software on a computer and enter all the required data" |
|
| "For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account, the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains" |
|
Key Patterns Identified
- Established Facts: Software requires time to implement, costs little/nothing, enables strong unique passwords
- Relationships: Time investment → ability to use strong passwords → improved security
- Boundaries: Passage only discusses users who "would not otherwise" follow best practices
Phase 2: Question Analysis & Prethinking
Understanding Each Part
- Part 1 (Sacrifice): What must the user give up to implement the solution?
- Part 2 (Gain): What benefit does the user receive from the solution?
- Relationship: These represent the two sides of the trade-off mentioned in the passage
Valid Inferences (Prethinking)
- Sacrifice: Time is explicitly mentioned as required ("take the time to install")
- Gain: Security improvement through ability to use strong, unique passwords
Phase 3: Answer Choice Evaluation
Money
- What it claims: Financial cost
- Fact Support: Passage states "little or no cost"
- Logical Validity: Cannot be a significant sacrifice given minimal cost
- Part Suitability: Neither part
Computing Speed
- What it claims: Performance impact
- Fact Support: No mention in passage
- Logical Validity: Cannot infer any speed impact
- Part Suitability: Neither part
Security
- What it claims: Protection level
- Fact Support: Entire premise is improving security through strong passwords
- Logical Validity: Must be improved by following advice
- Part Suitability: Gain only
Number of Online Accounts
- What it claims: Account quantity
- Fact Support: No suggestion to reduce accounts
- Logical Validity: Cannot infer any change in account numbers
- Part Suitability: Neither part
Time
- What it claims: Temporal investment
- Fact Support: "take the time to install the software...and enter all the required data"
- Logical Validity: Explicitly stated as requirement
- Part Suitability: Sacrifice only
Final Answer Selection
Sacrifice: Time - The passage explicitly states users must "take the time" for installation and data entry
Gain: Security - The entire purpose is enabling strong, unique passwords for better security
These selections perfectly capture the trade-off: users invest time to achieve security improvements.