Question

Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows:

Travertons city council wants to minimize the city's average yearly expenditure on its traffic signal lights and so is considering replacing the incandescent bulbs currently in use with arrays of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the incandescent bulbs burn out. Compared to incandescent bulbs LED arrays consume significantly less energy and cost no more to purchase. Moreover the costs associated with the conversion of existing fixtures so as to accept LED arrays would be minimal.
Which of the following would it be most useful to know in determining whether switching to LED arrays would be likely to help minimize Travertons yearly maintenance costs?

• A. Whether the expected service life of LED arrays is at least as long as that of the currently used incandescent bulbs.
• B. Whether any cities have switched from incandescent lights in their traffic signals to lighting elements other than LED arrays.
• C. Whether the company from which Traverton currently buys incandescent bulbs for traffic signals also sells LED arrays.
• D. Whether Travertons city council plan to increase the number of traffic signal lights in travertons.
• E. Whether the crews that currently replace incandescent bulbs in Travertons traffic signals know how to convert the existing fixtures so as to accept LED arrays.

Answer 1

The correct option is A Whether the expected service life of LED arrays is at least as long as that of the currently used incandescent bulbs.

Going through the options here, we note that B has no power whatsoever to influence the question- another alternative to incandescent lights has no relation to the question of whether switching from incandescent to LED lights would help or not. C is a non-issue because the source from which Traverton acquires its lights is unimportant. (D) The increase in the number of traffic signals would anyway increase maintenance cost, whether the lights are LED or incandescent doesn't matter. (E) E is again a non-issue because the argument itself states that the conversion costs would be minimal. The only option that befits the context is option A as unless the life expectancy of LEDs is as long as the incandescent lights, it would not help minimize the maintenance cost. Therefore, it is important to know the answer to this question and so option A is our answer.