percentage CR

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percentage CR

by hey_thr67 » Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:07 pm
The proportion of women among students enrolled in higher education programs has increased over the past decades. This is partly shown by the fact that in 1959, only 11 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college, while in 1981, 30 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college.
To evaluate the argument above, it would be most useful to compare 1959 and 1981 with regard to which of the following characteristics?

(A) The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-one who were not enrolled in college
(B) The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-five who graduated from college
(C) The percentage of women who, after attending college, entered highly paid professions
(D) The percentage of men between twenty and twenty-one who were enrolled in college
(E) The percentage of men who graduated from high school

OA is D. My doubt is why not B
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by Ashujain » Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:32 am
hey_thr67 wrote:The proportion of women among students enrolled in higher education programs has increased over the past decades. This is partly shown by the fact that in 1959, only 11 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college, while in 1981, 30 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college.
To evaluate the argument above, it would be most useful to compare 1959 and 1981 with regard to which of the following characteristics?

(A) The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-one who were not enrolled in college
(B) The percentage of women between twenty and twenty-five who graduated from college
(C) The percentage of women who, after attending college, entered highly paid professions
(D) The percentage of men between twenty and twenty-one who were enrolled in college
(E) The percentage of men who graduated from high school

OA is D. My doubt is why not B
Conclusion of the argument is The proportion of women among students enrolled in higher education programs has increased over the past decades. Therefore, something which can give us an idea about the proportion of female students to male students will help in evaluating the argument.
Hence the answer is D which will give us an idea about the required proportion.

Hope it helps!

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by ice_rush » Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:39 pm
the stem does NOT tell us anything about women who graduated college - we are only provided information about enrollment.


hope this helps.

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by Kasia@EconomistGMAT » Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:48 am
An important word to notice in this question is "proportion." You need to be aware that you are comparing the proportion of female students to male students.
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