Which is the best INFERENCE from the following: 'Cities with extensive public-transit systems exhibit lower per-capita carbon emissions than comparably-sized cities that rely on private cars, even after controlling for population density.'
APublic transit is associated with lower per-capita emissions, suggesting it may contribute (though correlation is not proof of causation).
BAll cities should ban private cars.
CPopulation density is irrelevant to emissions.
DPublic transit causes lower emissions.
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. Public transit is associated with lower per-capita emissions, suggesting it may contribute (though correlation is not proof of causation).
The statement establishes correlation, even controlling for density, which strengthens the inference. But strict logic says correlation ≠ causation, so (A) overclaims. (B) is appropriately cautious. (C) is policy, not inference. (D) misreads ('controlling for density' means density was held constant, not that it doesn't matter).
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