"Surprising" Phenomenon
Students found computers helpful for studying arithmetic, but not so helpful for studying other subjects.
Objective
A satisfactory hypothesis must state a difference between the study of arithmetic and the other subjects. This difference may relate to the subjects themselves or to the way computers are used to study those subjects, and it must result in computer-assisted education being more useful for arithmetic than for the other subjects.
A
Students in these schools began reading and doing arithmetic before learning to use computers.
This fails to draw a distinction between arithmetic and the other subjects. It does not state that students started learning science and writing after first using computers, so it does not explain why computers were more helpful for learning arithmetic than for other subjects.
B
Of the disciplines and skills mentioned, the exactness of arithmetic makes it most suitable to computer-assisted education.
This explains the success of computer-assisted learning in arithmetic. Arithmetic is the best-suited for computer-based education, and unsurprisingly, students have found computers most helpful for studying that subject.
C
Many elementary school teachers are reluctant to use computer technology in their classrooms.
This does not identify a difference between arithmetic and the other subjects. It does not imply that teachers who are reluctant to use computer technology favor using it for one subject over another.
D
Young students are more likely to maintain interest in training programs that use the newest computers and video graphics than in those that do not.
This distinguishes between newer and older computers, not between arithmetic and the other subjects. It does not state whether arithmetic is more often taught on newer computers with more modern graphics.
E
The elementary schools have offered more computer-assisted programs in reading and writing than in arithmetic and science.
This places arithmetic and science in the same category rather than distinguish between arithmetic and the other subjects. It does not explain why students find computers more useful for arithmetic than for science.