Sentence Correction

This is question from MGMAT question bank.

Teachers in this country have generally been trained either to approach mathematics like a creative activity or that they should force students to memorize rules and principles without truly understanding how to apply them.


a) to approach mathematics like a creative activity or that they should force students to memorize rules and principles

b) to approach mathematics like a creative activity or to force students to memorize rules and principles

c) to approach mathematics as a creative activity or to force students to memorize rules and principles

d) that they should approach mathematics as a creative activity or to force students to memorize rules and principles

e) that they should approach mathematics like a creative activity or that they should force students to memorize rules and principles

OA is c

I chose (b), since my understanding is that "like" is used for nouns/prepositions and as is used for clauses. Also are there any rules
for using such as vs as. The MGMAT guide says that 'such as' should be used for examples. Does that rule apply to 'as' also?

I read the link that you pointed to, but I am still confused.

Aren't we comparing mathematics to creative activity? In this case shouldn't it be "mathematics like a creative activity" Why is it "mathematics as a creative activity".

I also read somewhere that, use "like" to compare "unlike" items. And use "as" when you want to say the two items are the same.

And now we have more rules when comparing noun to noun and noun with action to noun with action.

Can anyone please summarize "like vs as" in as simple a manner as possible?

Thanks,
Calista.

I read the link too and that was really helpful.

I think we are comparing the " approach mathematics" rather than just a noun mathematics.

jaiswaln wrote:I read the link too and that was really helpful.

I think we are comparing the " approach mathematics" rather than just a noun mathematics.

Jaiswaln is correct... the comparison is between approaching math and forcing students, so "as" is proper.

On the GMAT, "as" will be correct over "like" 9 times out of 10. If you're guessing or unsure, "as" is a safer bet.