OG Expln
Choices A, B, and E use it incorrectly to suggest that the same quake strikes both the eastern and the western United States.
whats wrong with comparing the destruction the same earthquake might have caused if it had occurred in western US .

it in A,B and E refers to the instance(NOUN) quake and not the adjective 'Same magnitude".
IMO C is right choice

mad2011 wrote:it in A,B and E refers to the instance(NOUN) quake and not the adjective 'Same magnitude".
IMO C is right choice

obviously if its the same quake , then it should have the same magnitude

D is the answer here.

Earthquake in the east is comparable to one in the west while C states

Earthquake does X while one in the west......

That isn't parallel.

+1 for D.

In C: 100 times the area ... than looks unidiomatic.

Crick

Comparison : Devastated area by similar earthquake in 2 cities.

Good part of the comparison is - X is given. ( an earthquake ) so I need to make sure that I compare X's action with another eathquake's action.


(A) of a given magnitude typically devastates an area 100 times greater in the eastern United States than it does in the West

X devastates an area 100 times greater in A than it does in B. ( This is comparing devastated area of same earthquake in 2 cities), but presense of "it" is wrong.
Good comparison would be -

X devastates an area 100 times greater in A than in B.

B) of a given magnitude will typically devastate 100 times the area if it occurs in the eastern United States instead of the West
X will devastate 100 times the area if quake occurs in A instead of B.

C) will typically devastate 100 times the area in the eastern United States than one of comparable magnitude occurring in the West

X devastate 100 times the area in A than earthquake (occuring in B).
Wrong comparison.

D) in the eastern United States will typically devastate an area 100 times greater than will a quake of comparable magnitude occurring in the West

X in A will devastate an area 100 times greater than [area] will a Y in B [devastate].
Looks ok.

E) that occurs in the eastern United States will typically devastate 100 times more area than if it occurred with comparable magnitude in the West

X that occurs in A will devastate 100 times more area than (condition).
Illogical comparison..


Out of B and D ( somehow I am more inclined towards D because its plain comparison, B is comparison + condition )...
Looking for someone who can shed light on exact mistake with B.

Hi All, Please see the solution posted by Ron Purewal in MGMAT forum. He has given a detailed answer to this question.

https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/bec ... t8008.html