medium · GMAT Verbal
The national park service reported a 20% increase in trail-related injuries last year. During the same period, sales of high-performance hiking boots also increased by 20%. The park's safety director therefore concluded that the rise in injuries was caused by inexperienced hikers purchasing specialized equipment they did not know how to use properly.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the conclusion?
- High-performance hiking boots provide markedly better ankle support than standard athletic sneakers.
- The total number of park visitors increased by 25% last year, outpacing the rise in both injuries and boot sales.
- Most trail injuries involve simple sprains rather than serious fractures requiring hospitalization.
- A survey showed that most hikers who bought the new boots had over five years of hiking experience.
- The park installed additional warning signs at trailheads at the start of the year to alert hikers to hazardous conditions.
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