In the Business program at a university, all candidates for the MBA

In the Business program at a university, all candidates for the MBA in International Business who entered the program after 1990 took a seminar on Microeconomics, and all candidates for the MBA in International Business who entered the program after 1994 took a seminar on Applied Economics.

If a student in the Business program described above took a seminar on Microeconomics but did not take a seminar on Applied Economics, which of the following must be true?

(A) The student entered the Business program prior to 1995.
(B) The student entered the Business program after 1990 and prior to 1995.
(C) If the student was a candidate for the MBA in International Business, then the student entered the program prior to 1994.
(D) If the student was a candidate for the MBA in International Business, then the student entered the program prior to 1991.
(E)If the student was a candidate for the MBA in International Business, then the student entered the program after 1990 and prior to 1995.

Solution:

(A): This option does not mention whether the student is an MBA candidate or not. May or may not be true. Incorrect.

(B): Same as (A). Incorrect.

(C): CORRECT. If the student was an MBA candidate and did not take a seminar on Applied Economics, then it is certain that he or she entered the program before 1994, because all candidates entering the program after 1994 took the seminar on Applied Economics. However, this does not mean that the candidate entered the program between 1990 and 1994, because although all candidates who entered after 1990 took the seminar on Microeconomics, it is not true that all candidates who entered the course prior to 1990 did not take the seminar in Microeconomics. This option covers this possibility and is the best answer.

(D): The student could have entered the program anytime prior to 1994. Not accounting for 1991-1994 has no basis. Incorrect.

(E): Misleading and incorrect. See the explanation for option (C) above.

The answer is therefore (C)

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