BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

And vs. Or in this OG SC

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 5:23 pm
Followed by:1 members

And vs. Or in this OG SC

by saad.ahmed » Sat Feb 12, 2011 9:22 am
I know this is a very easy question and I should be getting it right, but the last two times I came across this question, I made the same error. Someone please help!

From the OG 12th edition, page 693 #17, I am having a challenging time figuring out why the proper usage is "Or" vs. "And".... here is the question:

The commission has directed advertisers to restrict the use of the word "natural" to foods that do not contain color or flavor additives, chemical preservatives, or nothing that has been synthesized.

a - or nothing that has been
b - or that has been
c - and nothing that is
d - or anything that has been
e - and anything

Can anyone explain why "Or" is the logical conjunction here?

Thanks,

Saad
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 208
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 3:10 pm
Thanked: 20 times
Followed by:2 members

by hja379 » Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:53 am
Use of 'and' changes the meaning of the sentence.

For eg: I want to buy a car, a bike and a plane.
The sentence above means that I want to buy all three at once.

Take this one for instance: I want to eat an apple, an orange or a pear.
This one means, I only want to eat one of the three.

Hope that helps.
Google "GMAT Pill"<--really helpful, worth checking out--especially for RC passages.
e-gmat SC: Never thought it would be fun learning SC.
India School Fund: Education through Innovation - A HBS start-up.
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:44 pm
saad.ahmed wrote:I know this is a very easy question and I should be getting it right, but the last two times I came across this question, I made the same error. Someone please help!

From the OG 12th edition, page 693 #17, I am having a challenging time figuring out why the proper usage is "Or" vs. "And".... here is the question:

The commission has directed advertisers to restrict the use of the word "natural" to foods that do not contain color or flavor additives, chemical preservatives, or nothing that has been synthesized.

a - or nothing that has been
b - or that has been
c - and nothing that is
d - or anything that has been
e - and anything

Can anyone explain why "Or" is the logical conjunction here?

Thanks,

Saad
When or is negated, it means "and": not X or Y means not X and not Y.

Thus, in answer choice D (the correct answer), foods that do not contain color or flavor additives, chemical preservatives, or anything that has been synthesized means foods that do not contain color additives and do not contain flavor additives and do not contain chemical preservatives and do not contain anything that has been synthesized.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
User avatar
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 5:23 pm
Followed by:1 members

by saad.ahmed » Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:20 pm
Mitch,

Thank you for the well explained answer! I was able to find a wikipedia article that explains this as well:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Morgan's_laws

Thanks for chiming in.

-Saad
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:39 am
Location: Bengaluru, India
Thanked: 6 times
Followed by:3 members
GMAT Score:640

by sachindia » Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:22 am
Hi Mitch,
When or is negated, it means "and": not X or Y means not X and not Y.
Is this a mathematical concept? I vaguely remember having studied this in my maths class.
Regards,
Sach
Top
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1