- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 493
- Joined: Feb 06, 2024
- Thu Jul 10, 2025 5:11 pm
#113531
Hey Bynum,
In 1970, the price of heating homes via oil was > heating via gas - that's part of the reason why people switched to gas in the first place. Since we don't know that gas prices have changed at all since 1970, saying that oil prices are back to their starting price really tells us nothing. Oil could still be more expensive than gas. Furthermore, the information that the use of oil to heat homes has declined adds nothing - the stimulus already told us that was happening. So answer choice (E) isn't right.
Instead, look at answer choice (D). This tells us, importantly, that the cost of oil is now < gas. In addition, the cost of equipment to heat homes via oil has fallen sharply. These two factors indicate that people might want to switch back to using oil, because (much like gas back in 1970) there could be overall savings. The factor that was dissuading people from wanting to switch - their investment into gas equipment - has been minimized by the lower oil costs and much lowered cost of oil equipment.
hope that helps!
In 1970, the price of heating homes via oil was > heating via gas - that's part of the reason why people switched to gas in the first place. Since we don't know that gas prices have changed at all since 1970, saying that oil prices are back to their starting price really tells us nothing. Oil could still be more expensive than gas. Furthermore, the information that the use of oil to heat homes has declined adds nothing - the stimulus already told us that was happening. So answer choice (E) isn't right.
Instead, look at answer choice (D). This tells us, importantly, that the cost of oil is now < gas. In addition, the cost of equipment to heat homes via oil has fallen sharply. These two factors indicate that people might want to switch back to using oil, because (much like gas back in 1970) there could be overall savings. The factor that was dissuading people from wanting to switch - their investment into gas equipment - has been minimized by the lower oil costs and much lowered cost of oil equipment.
hope that helps!