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OG 13th edition Question No: 94

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OG 13th edition Question No: 94

by ihatemaths » Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:36 pm
As a construction material, bamboo is as strong as steel and sturdier than concrete. Moreover, in tropical areas bamboo is a much less expensive construction material than either steel or concrete and is always readily available. In tropical areas, therefore, building with bamboo makes better economic sense than building with steel or concrete, except where land values are high.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the exception noted above?

(A) Buildings constructed of bamboo are less likely to suffer earthquake damage than are steel and concrete buildings.
(B) Bamboo is unsuitable as a building material for multistory buildings.
(C) In order to protect it from being damaged by termites and beetles, bamboo must be soaked, at some expense, in a preservative.
(D) In some tropical areas, bamboo is used to make the scaffolding that is used during large construction projects.
(E) Bamboo growing in an area where land values are increasing is often



OA after some replies and suggestions
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by ihatemaths » Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:03 am
Any takers ? experts ? most active members ? would love to hear from all .
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by akashkumar1987 » Tue Oct 09, 2012 3:43 am
I am confused b/w B and E and what does "land values are high" means .....

Does it mean costly ????
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by sujaynadkarni » Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:08 am
Cant be E. Because it doesnt explain the discrepancy. Must be B.
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by GMATGuruNY » Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:46 pm
As a construction material, bamboo is as strong as steel and sturdier than concrete. Moreover, in tropical areas bamboo is a much less expensive construction material than either steel or concrete and is always readily available. In tropical areas, therefore, building with bamboo makes better economic sense than building with steel or concrete, except where land values are high.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the exception noted above?

Buildings constructed of bamboo are less likely to suffer earthquake damage than are steel and concrete buildings.

Bamboo is unsuitable as a building material for multistory buildings.

In order to protect it from being damaged by termites and beetles, bamboo must be soaked, at some expense, in a preservative.

In some tropical areas, bamboo is used to make the scaffoldingthat is used during large construction projects.

Bamboo growing in an area where land values are increasing is often cleared to make way for construction.
FACT 1: In tropical areas, building with bamboo makes better economic sense than building with steel or concrete.

FACT 2: There is one EXCEPTION: WHERE LAND VALUES ARE HIGH, building with bamboo DOES NOT make better economic sense.

Why does building with bamboo NOT make better economic sense WHERE LAND VALUES ARE HIGH (in other words, where land is MORE EXPENSIVE)?
Prediction: Building with BAMBOO is somehow linked to using MORE LAND.

B: Bamboo is unsuitable as a building material for multistory buildings.
The implication is that bamboo buildings will need to be single-story and thus will require MORE LAND -- making it less economical to use bamboo WHERE LAND VALUES ARE HIGH.

The correct answer is B.
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by akashkumar1987 » Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:07 pm
@mitch -> Can you please tell why E is not the answer as it also gives an alternate explanation for not being used.
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by GMATGuruNY » Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:32 pm
akashkumar1987 wrote:@mitch -> Can you please tell why E is not the answer as it also gives an alternate explanation for not being used.
E: Bamboo growing in an area where land values are increasing is often cleared to make way for construction.

Where land values are INCREASING ≠ where land values are HIGH.
In E, land values could be increasing from an EXTREMELY LOW number to a MODERATELY LOW number.
Since the passage is about where land values are HIGH, E is beyond the scope.

CLEARED ≠ DESTROYED.
In E, bamboo removed from the ground could still be used for construction.
Moreover, E implies that someone wishing to obtain bamboo will not have to PAY to have it removed from the ground, since building constructors are removing it AS A MATTER OF COURSE.
The result is that bamboo could be MORE ECONOMICAL in these areas.
Since the correct answer must explain why bamboo is LESS ECONOMICAL in these areas, eliminate E.
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by ihatemaths » Wed Oct 10, 2012 12:45 am
@GMATguruNY are we bringing in outside knowledge that "MULTISTORY buildings are the only way of construction in areas where land values are high ?"
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by GMATGuruNY » Wed Oct 10, 2012 6:14 am
ihatemaths wrote:@GMATguruNY are we bringing in outside knowledge that "MULTISTORY buildings are the only way of construction in areas where land values are high ?"
Nowhere in the passage or in my explanation is it stated that multi-story buildings are the ONLY kind possible.
The correct answer here must explain WHY bamboo is LESS economical in areas where land values are HIGH.
Where land is COSTLY, multi-story buildings are likely to be more PROFITABLE, because they can accommodate MORE PEOPLE (since they have MULTIPLE STORIES), while requiring LESS LAND (since they can be built VERTICALLY rather than horizontally).
Thus, the OA explains why bamboo is of little benefit in these areas: it cannot serve to construct multi-story buildings, which are likely to be more profitable where land is COSTLY.
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