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by 800target » Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:54 am

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The number of people flying first class on domestic flights rose sharply in 1990, doubling the increase of the the previous year.

a.
b. doubling that of the increase in
c. double as much as the increase of
d. twice as many as the increase in
e. twice as many as the increase of
OA: A

Can an expert come and explain this question while I am struggling. Why ''twice as many as'', choices D and E are wrong?? Also, what is the split b/w ''increase of'' vs ''increase in'' if there is any?? I reviewed Ron's explanation at MGMAT Forum but I still can not understand in general when to use ''twice as many as'', ''twice as much as''? What is the rule for using ''that of'' and ''those of'' in such these questions??
Also, in general how we should recognize to select ''doubling'' vs. ''double'' in such comparison questions??
gmatGURUNY, Experts plz give us your feedback, thanks in advance.
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by gmat_perfect » Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:02 am

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800target wrote:The number of people flying first class on domestic flights rose sharply in 1990, doubling the increase of the the previous year.

a.
b. doubling that of the increase in
c. double as much as the increase of
d. twice as many as the increase in
e. twice as many as the increase of
OA: A

Can an expert come and explain this question while I am struggling. Why ''twice as many as'', choices D and E are wrong?? Also, what is the split b/w ''increase of'' vs ''increase in'' if there is any?? I reviewed Ron's explanation at MGMAT Forum but I still can not understand in general when to use ''twice as many as'', ''twice as much as''? What is the rule for using ''that of'' and ''those of'' in such these questions??
Also, in general how we should recognize to select ''doubling'' vs. ''double'' in such comparison questions??
gmatGURUNY, Experts plz give us your feedback, thanks in advance.
Twice as many as:

Twice modifies the NOUN immediately before COMMA.

Example:
I have 200 books, twice the number of books Karim has.

--> It means twice has modified 200 books. I have 200 books, which is two times the number of books Karim has.

Now apply the same rule in the options D and E. twice modifies "1990", which is a year. 1990 is not a number.

As much as:

much should be used in case of uncountable NOUN. Number of people is countable. This eliminates C.

That of should be used if and only if "that" has a referent.

Example:

My book is better than that of Karim.
--> Here, that has a referent "book".

In the option B "that of" does not have a referent.

Answer is thus A.
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by 800target » Fri Mar 18, 2011 3:25 am

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Thanks gmat_perfect,
BUT can't we say ''the number of...'' is the antecedent for ''that'' ??? I am NOT clear why ''that'' does not have a CLEAR antecedent!? Need explanation.

Secondly, can you help me on the split b/w ''increase of'' vs. ''increase in'' i GMAT land?

Third, can we generalize the above rule for ''twice'' which you've mentioned for all SC gmat questions??
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by gmat_perfect » Fri Mar 18, 2011 3:55 am

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800target wrote:Thanks gmat_perfect,
BUT can't we say ''the number of...'' is the antecedent for ''that'' ??? I am NOT clear why ''that'' does not have a CLEAR antecedent!? Need explanation.

Secondly, can you help me on the split b/w ''increase of'' vs. ''increase in'' i GMAT land?

Third, can we generalize the above rule for ''twice'' which you've mentioned for all SC gmat questions??
What I can understand:

1. Increase in X" means X is increasing. So, increase in the year" means "year is increasing". It makes no sense.
2. "Increase of X" here X is some number. Example:

There is an increase of $30 in oil price.

3. Yes, you can generalize the rule that COMMA + twice modifies the NOUN immediately before COMMA.

4. Say that has antecedent , the number. What will happen?

That of the increase ==the number of the increase. increase is not countable, but we are saying the number of the increase. does it makes sense? Nope.

I have tried my best.

May be some experts will clarify more on this.

Thanks.
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by GMATGuruNY » Fri Mar 18, 2011 5:13 am

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800target wrote:The number of people flying first class on domestic flights rose sharply in 1990, doubling the increase of the the previous year.

a.
b. doubling that of the increase in
c. double as much as the increase of
d. twice as many as the increase in
e. twice as many as the increase of
OA: A

Can an expert come and explain this question while I am struggling. Why ''twice as many as'', choices D and E are wrong?? Also, what is the split b/w ''increase of'' vs ''increase in'' if there is any?? I reviewed Ron's explanation at MGMAT Forum but I still can not understand in general when to use ''twice as many as'', ''twice as much as''? What is the rule for using ''that of'' and ''those of'' in such these questions??
Also, in general how we should recognize to select ''doubling'' vs. ''double'' in such comparison questions??
gmatGURUNY, Experts plz give us your feedback, thanks in advance.
The phrase the number refers to an actual number: 2, 5, 10, etc.

An actual number is singular:

Five are a large number. Incorrect.
Five is a large number. Correct.

Thus, the phrase the number is singular and is considered non-countable:

The number of people flying first class was low.

The verb was is singular because the subject the number is singular and is considered non-countable.

In D and E above, many cannot be used to refer to a non-countable noun such as the number. Eliminate D and E.

In B, the pronoun that has no clear antecedent. Even if that refers to the number, the number of the increase is redundant. Eliminate B.

In C, double as much as is not idiomatic and seems to refer -- incorrectly -- to 1990. A year cannot be double another value. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is A.

An increase in X usually means that X itself is increasing, such as an increase in volume. Since a year cannot increase, the wording in B -- double the increase in the previous year -- is awkward. The wording in A -- doubling the increase of the previous year -- is better.
Last edited by GMATGuruNY on Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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by csmg » Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:21 am

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GMATGuruNY wrote:
800target wrote:The number of people flying first class on domestic flights rose sharply in 1990, doubling the increase of the the previous year.

a.
b. doubling that of the increase in
c. double as much as the increase of
d. twice as many as the increase in
e. twice as many as the increase of
OA: A

Can an expert come and explain this question while I am struggling. Why ''twice as many as'', choices D and E are wrong?? Also, what is the split b/w ''increase of'' vs ''increase in'' if there is any?? I reviewed Ron's explanation at MGMAT Forum but I still can not understand in general when to use ''twice as many as'', ''twice as much as''? What is the rule for using ''that of'' and ''those of'' in such these questions??
Also, in general how we should recognize to select ''doubling'' vs. ''double'' in such comparison questions??
gmatGURUNY, Experts plz give us your feedback, thanks in advance.
The phrase the number refers to an actual number: 2, 5, 10, etc.

An actual number is singular:

Five are a large number. Incorrect.
Five is a large number. Correct.

Thus, the phrase the number is singular and is considered non-countable:

The number of people flying first class was low.

The verb was is singular because the subject the number is singular and is considered non-countable.

In D and E above, many cannot be used to refer to a non-countable noun such as the number. Eliminate D and E.

In B, the pronoun that has no clear antecedent. Eliminate B.

In C, double as much as is not idiomatic and seems to refer -- incorrectly -- to 1990. A year cannot be double another value. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is A.

An increase in X usually means that X itself is increasing, such as an increase in volume. Since a year cannot increase, the wording in B -- double the increase in the previous year -- is awkward. The wording in A -- doubling the increase of the previous year -- is better.
kind of confused with "the phrase the number is singular and is considered non-countable:"
How can a word be both singular and non-countable?
thanks in advance!
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by GMATGuruNY » Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:12 am

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csmg wrote:
GMATGuruNY wrote:
800target wrote:The number of people flying first class on domestic flights rose sharply in 1990, doubling the increase of the the previous year.

a.
b. doubling that of the increase in
c. double as much as the increase of
d. twice as many as the increase in
e. twice as many as the increase of
OA: A

Can an expert come and explain this question while I am struggling. Why ''twice as many as'', choices D and E are wrong?? Also, what is the split b/w ''increase of'' vs ''increase in'' if there is any?? I reviewed Ron's explanation at MGMAT Forum but I still can not understand in general when to use ''twice as many as'', ''twice as much as''? What is the rule for using ''that of'' and ''those of'' in such these questions??
Also, in general how we should recognize to select ''doubling'' vs. ''double'' in such comparison questions??
gmatGURUNY, Experts plz give us your feedback, thanks in advance.
The phrase the number refers to an actual number: 2, 5, 10, etc.

An actual number is singular:

Five are a large number. Incorrect.
Five is a large number. Correct.

Thus, the phrase the number is singular and is considered non-countable:

The number of people flying first class was low.

The verb was is singular because the subject the number is singular and is considered non-countable.

In D and E above, many cannot be used to refer to a non-countable noun such as the number. Eliminate D and E.

In B, the pronoun that has no clear antecedent. Eliminate B.

In C, double as much as is not idiomatic and seems to refer -- incorrectly -- to 1990. A year cannot be double another value. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is A.

An increase in X usually means that X itself is increasing, such as an increase in volume. Since a year cannot increase, the wording in B -- double the increase in the previous year -- is awkward. The wording in A -- doubling the increase of the previous year -- is better.
kind of confused with "the phrase the number is singular and is considered non-countable:"
How can a word be both singular and non-countable?
thanks in advance!
I was making the following distinction.

A number is considered plural and is used to refer to a countable noun:

A number of people flying in first-class are eating dinner.

In the sentence above, a number refers to the countable noun people and requires a plural verb such as are eating. We can use the word many to refer to a number of people:

A number of people flying in first-class are eating dinner, and many are quite hungry.

The number, however, is considered singular, regardless of what it refers to:

The number of people flying in first-class is high.

The word many cannot be used to refer to the number of people.
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by 800target » Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:07 am

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Thanks so MUCH Mitch, you are awesome like always. All of us owe you.
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by csmg » Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:09 am

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Got it! Thanks a lot!:)
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by Mo2men » Mon May 06, 2019 4:20 pm

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GMATGuruNY wrote:
800target wrote:The number of people flying first class on domestic flights rose sharply in 1990, doubling the increase of the the previous year.

a.
b. doubling that of the increase in
c. double as much as the increase of
d. twice as many as the increase in
e. twice as many as the increase of
OA: A

Can an expert come and explain this question while I am struggling. Why ''twice as many as'', choices D and E are wrong?? Also, what is the split b/w ''increase of'' vs ''increase in'' if there is any?? I reviewed Ron's explanation at MGMAT Forum but I still can not understand in general when to use ''twice as many as'', ''twice as much as''? What is the rule for using ''that of'' and ''those of'' in such these questions??
Also, in general how we should recognize to select ''doubling'' vs. ''double'' in such comparison questions??
gmatGURUNY, Experts plz give us your feedback, thanks in advance.
In D and E above, many cannot be used to refer to a non-countable noun such as the number. Eliminate D and E.

In B, the pronoun that has no clear antecedent. Even if that refers to the number, the number of the increase is redundant. Eliminate B.

In C, double as much as is not idiomatic and seems to refer -- incorrectly -- to 1990. A year cannot be double another value. Eliminate C.
Dear GMATGuru,

1- If choice E were "twice as much as the increase of the previous year" would this be correct?

2- If the above is correct, can we omit 'as much as' to be 'twice the increase of the previous year'

3- I recall one of your posts mentioning that 'twice......' is an absolute modifier:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/need-help-t227224.html

Does this apply for question at hand?

4- Is it this also absolute modifier or apposite (as it is modifies NOUN before Comma)
Companies in the United States are providing job training and general education for nearly eight million people, as many as are enrolled in the nation's four-year colleges and universities.

Thanks
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by GMATGuruNY » Tue May 07, 2019 1:41 pm

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Mo2men wrote:Dear GMATGuru,

1- If choice E were "twice as much as the increase of the previous year" would this be correct?
Here, much and the increase are redundant, since both words refer to an amount.
2- If the above is correct, can we omit 'as much as' to be 'twice the increase of the previous year'
Proposed revision:
The number of people flying first class on domestic flights rose sharply in 1990, twice the increase of the previous year.
Implied comparison:
The NUMBER OF PEOPLE flying in 1990 was twice THE INCREASE of the previous year.
This comparison is illogical.
One NUMBER can be twice another NUMBER.
One INCREASE can be twice another INCREASE.
A NUMBER cannot be twice an INCREASE.
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