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need help!

by sana.noor » Sun Apr 28, 2013 11:37 pm
According to surveys by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 20 percent of young adults used cocaine in 1979, doubling those reported in the 1977 survey.

A. doubling those reported in the 1977 survey
B. to double the number the 1977 survey reported
C. twice those the 1977 survey reported
D. twice as much as those reported in the 1977 survey
E. twice the number reported in the 1977 survey

OA is E but i have some issues with D and the right choice. the question says "20% of young adults" its a percentage not a number but correct answer choice says "twice the number" i read in one of the Ron's thread that "Twice the number" after the comma should modify the noun before the comma, however, in the correct answer choice "twice the number" after comma is modifying "in 1979" i need an expert to explain this issue.
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by EducationAisle » Mon Apr 29, 2013 1:40 am
Well, if you can provide reference, it would help. Also, your post was not very clear. You start with the question:

"20% of young adults" its a percentage not a number but correct answer choice says "twice the number"

Later on, you say:

"twice the number" after comma is modifying "in 1979"

Anyway, the sentence says: 20 percent of young adults. This is a "number". For example, 20% of 200 is 40, which is a number.

Also, the following GMATPrep sentence might interest you, since 60% obviously does not refer to 1988.

The European Economic Community exported just under $400 billion in goods in 1988, sixty percent more than the US exported and nearly twice as much as the Japanese did.
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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:05 am
sana.noor wrote:According to surveys by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 20 percent of young adults used cocaine in 1979, doubling those reported in the 1977 survey.

A. doubling those reported in the 1977 survey
B. to double the number the 1977 survey reported
C. twice those the 1977 survey reported
D. twice as much as those reported in the 1977 survey
E. twice the number reported in the 1977 survey

OA is E but i have some issues with D and the right choice. the question says "20% of young adults" its a percentage not a number but correct answer choice says "twice the number" i read in one of the Ron's thread that "Twice the number" after the comma should modify the noun before the comma, however, in the correct answer choice "twice the number" after comma is modifying "in 1979" i need an expert to explain this issue.
About 20 percent of young adults used cocaine in 1979, twice the number reported in the 1977 survey.

The portion in red is an ABSOLUTE PHRASE.
An absolute phrase is composed of NOUN + MODIFIER(S) and serves to modify an ENTIRE CLAUSE.
The noun in an absolute phrase typically refers to the SUBJECT of the modified clause.
Here, twice the number refers to about 20 percent (the subject of the preceding clause).

More about absolute phrases:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/modifier-mis ... 37-15.html
https://www.beatthegmat.com/sir-joseph-t59644-15.html
https://www.beatthegmat.com/need-expert- ... 16255.html
https://www.beatthegmat.com/debatable-oa-t122703.html
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by Mukhvinder » Mon Apr 29, 2013 4:07 am
sana.noor wrote:According to surveys by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 20 percent of young adults used cocaine in 1979, doubling those reported in the 1977 survey.

A. doubling those reported in the 1977 survey
B. to double the number the 1977 survey reported
C. twice those the 1977 survey reported
D. twice as much as those reported in the 1977 survey
E. twice the number reported in the 1977 survey

OA is E but i have some issues with D and the right choice. the question says "20% of young adults" its a percentage not a number but correct answer choice says "twice the number" i read in one of the Ron's thread that "Twice the number" after the comma should modify the noun before the comma, however, in the correct answer choice "twice the number" after comma is modifying "in 1979" i need an expert to explain this issue.
Hi,

Between D & E, remember that 20% of a number will be a number.Hence, 'the number' is correct.
Another thing, the part after the comma will not modify the number before it but the subject (20% of young adults). So, twice is not modifying 1979 but 20% of young adults.

Mukhvinder
Trainer, The Princeton Review
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