gmatnmein2010 wrote:The children in the second grade at a local elementary school scored lower on tests of math skills this year than the second graders did last year. The school board blames the disappointing results on the budget cuts that forced the school to consolidate several classes of second-grade students, thus depriving them of the individualized attention that they had previously enjoyed.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the explanation offered by the school board for the students' lower test scores?


Students at other elementary schools in the area also scored poorly on the same test of math skills this year.
irrelevant

No new textbooks were purchased by the school board this year.
irrelevant

The test that the second graders took this year was not more difficult than the test that the second graders took last year.
correct:This eliminates the possibility that the students received lower scores because the test was harder. By doing so, this supports the claims of the school board

Students in the third grade at the elementary school performed better in math this year than the third graders did last year.
seems to contradict the school board's claims rather than support them.


Other schools in the area also experienced severe budget cuts.
irrelevant

gmatnmein2010 wrote:The children in the second grade at a local elementary school scored lower on tests of math skills this year than the second graders did last year. The school board blames the disappointing results on the budget cuts that forced the school to consolidate several classes of second-grade students, thus depriving them of the individualized attention that they had previously enjoyed.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the explanation offered by the school board for the students' lower test scores?

According to the explanation offered by the school board :
cause : budget cuts
effect : students scored lower on maths skills than last year

Students at other elementary schools in the area also scored poorly on the same test of math skills this year.
Incorrect : This does nothing to support the causal relationship stated above.

No new textbooks were purchased by the school board this year.
Incorrect : 'new' textbooks does not mean 'new math textbooks'. Eliminated.

The test that the second graders took this year was not more difficult than the test that the second graders took last year.
Correct : This clearly supports the causal relationship by eliminating any alternate cause (difficulty level of the test) for the stated effect (low score).

Students in the third grade at the elementary school performed better in math this year than the third graders did last year.
Incorrect : Comparison between scores of third graders this year and last year is irrelevant here.

Other schools in the area also experienced severe budget cuts.
Incorrect : Budget cuts of other schools is clearly out of scope.

komal wrote:

gmatnmein2010 wrote:The children in the second grade at a local elementary school scored lower on tests of math skills this year than the second graders did last year. The school board blames the disappointing results on the budget cuts that forced the school to consolidate several classes of second-grade students, thus depriving them of the individualized attention that they had previously enjoyed.
Which of the following, if true, best supports the explanation offered by the school board for the students' lower test scores?

According to the explanation offered by the school board :
cause : budget cuts
effect : students scored lower on maths skills than last year

Students at other elementary schools in the area also scored poorly on the same test of math skills this year.
Incorrect : This does nothing to support the causal relationship stated above.

No new textbooks were purchased by the school board this year.
Incorrect : 'new' textbooks does not mean 'new math textbooks'. Eliminated.

The test that the second graders took this year was not more difficult than the test that the second graders took last year.
Incorrect : This clearly supports the causal relationship by eliminating any alternate cause (difficulty level of the test) for the stated effect (low score).

Students in the third grade at the elementary school performed better in math this year than the third graders did last year.
Incorrect : Comparison between scores of third graders this year and last year is irrelevant here.

Other schools in the area also experienced severe budget cuts.
Incorrect : Budget cuts of other schools is clearly out of scope.

harsh.champ wrote: Hey komal,
You have written that all the 5 options are incorrect.Is this a wrong question that is posted over here??
Alternatively,I think that while doing the question you were thinking "which of the following opposes the explanation"
and hence wrote Incorrect in option C(since I find your reasoning is matching with the answer).
This can happen to many test-takers that although they have solved the complete question,they have tick-marked the wrong answer choice in haste.
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