reply2spg wrote:According to a study by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, companies in the United States are providing job training and general education for nearly eight million people, about equivalent to the enrollment of the nation's four-year colleges and universities.


(A) equivalent to the enrollment of
(B) the equivalent of those enrolled in
(C) equal to those who are enrolled in
(D) as many as the enrollment of
(E) as many as are enrolled in

Please explain in detail OA E

The splits:

1. Equivalent-- is used to modify UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS. This kills A and B.
2. Equal to is also ambiguous because 5 is equal to 5. nearly 8 million people cannot be equal to nation's four year college and university enrollment. It can be an approximation. This kills C.
3. "the enrollment of the nation's four-year college and university" is misleading because one of the possible misreading can be-----8 million people are about as many as the enrollment of the colleges and universities. More literally, the number of the colleges and universities enrolled in the nation has been compared with the 8 million people. So, D is out.

Answer is E.

Great!!!! Can you provide me the example of equivalant?

gmat_perfect wrote:

reply2spg wrote:According to a study by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, companies in the United States are providing job training and general education for nearly eight million people, about equivalent to the enrollment of the nation's four-year colleges and universities.


(A) equivalent to the enrollment of
(B) the equivalent of those enrolled in
(C) equal to those who are enrolled in
(D) as many as the enrollment of
(E) as many as are enrolled in

Please explain in detail OA E

The splits:

1. Equivalent-- is used to modify UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS. This kills A and B.
2. Equal to is also ambiguous because 5 is equal to 5. nearly 8 million people cannot be equal to nation's four year college and university enrollment. It can be an approximation. This kills C.
3. "the enrollment of the nation's four-year college and university" is misleading because one of the possible misreading can be-----8 million people are about as many as the enrollment of the colleges and universities. More literally, the number of the colleges and universities enrolled in the nation has been compared with the 8 million people. So, D is out.

Answer is E.

I believe equal and equivalent are the same for uncountable nouns.

"Some regulations are equivalent to censorship."

Got it, thanks guys.

uwhusky wrote:I believe equal and equivalent are the same for uncountable nouns.

"Some regulations are equivalent to censorship."