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Question about comparisons

by Balrog1978 » Tue Dec 28, 2010 12:03 pm
Senior executives had a larger percentage increase in pay in 1990 than the wages of other salaried workers.
(A) Senior executives had a larger percentage increase in pay in 1990 than
(B) The percentage of senior executives' pay increase in 1990 was larger than for
(C) The 1990 increase in pay for senior executives was larger in terms of percentage than
(D) In 1990 senior executives had a larger pay increase in terms of percentage than did
(E) The pay of senior executives increased in 1990 by a larger percentage than did
OA : E

In the question above - I've tried applying the strategy of breaking down modifier questions by :
1) Identify the comparison indicator : "than"
2) Identify the items that are being compared
3) Check whether the items in (2) above are structurally and logically parallel!

My question was around how to identify WHAT are these items are (ie, the approach to identify and list these items so as to attack the question armed with the CORRECT information). In this question, If I were to list the items, would the strategy employed to list items be:
Larger Percentage Increase in Pay vs Wages?
Increase in Pay vs Wages?
Pay vs Wages?
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by Geva@EconomistGMAT » Wed Dec 29, 2010 12:52 am
As a general rule, go by the second item, which should whatever follows "than". Once you've established what the second item is, go back and hunt for the right first item.

In your sentence above, It helps to focus on the part outside of the underlined part: whatever we compare must eventually be compared to "wages", so we're looking for an answer choice where the first item is something akin to wages: not increase in wages (answer choices A, C, D) nor the percentage of increase (Answer choice B), but the actual pay itself, which is a synonym to wages (answer choice E).

Does this answer your query?
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by EducationAisle » Wed Dec 29, 2010 3:46 am
As in all these kind of questions involving comparisons/ellipsis, where few words are omitted, always try to frame the ideal sentence:

Ideal sentence:

In 1990, the pay of senior executives increased by a larger percentage than the wages of other salaried workers increased.

Essentially, following two events that occurred in 1990 are being compared:

1. The pay of senior executives increased

2. The wages of other salaried workers increased

Comparison: #1 above was more than #2.

A has a big issue. At worst, it can be interpreted as: Senior executives had a larger percentage increase in pay in 1990 than (in) the wages of other salaried workers.

B is illogical, since it reads: ..pay increase was larger for the wages of other salaried workers..

C would read: The 1990 increase in pay for senior executives was larger in terms of percentage than (in terms of) the wages of other salaried workers.

D would read: In 1990 senior executives had a larger pay increase in terms of percentage than the wages of other salaried (had a pay increase) - Seems to suggest that wages had a pay increase!!
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by Balrog1978 » Wed Dec 29, 2010 7:29 am
Thanks - this plugs the hole !! :)
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by Balrog1978 » Thu Dec 30, 2010 11:17 am
Hmm - This was a good strategy - but I think I messed up again. tried using it to solve this SC

42. According to a survey of graduating medical students conducted by the Association of American Medical Colleges, minority graduates are nearly four times more likely than are other graduates in planning to practice in socioeconomically deprived areas.
(A) minority graduates are nearly four times more likely than are other graduates in planning to practice
(B) minority graduates are nearly four times more likely than other graduates who plan on practicing
(C) minority graduates are nearly four times as likely as other graduates to plan on practicing
(D) it is nearly four times more likely that minority graduates rather than other graduates will plan to practice
(E) it is nearly four times as likely for minority graduates than other graduates to plan to practice

OA : C

I used the strategy:
1) Find the Comparison signal : Than
2) Identify the items being compared : minority graduates are vs are other graduates
3) Eliminated C since : minority graduates are did not seem parallel to other graduates

Looks like I haven't grasped it completely! Any pointers?
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