Sentence Correction

Hi,

The following question is from a Kaplan test.

Since 1991, the men arrested for aggravated assault decreases by 9.5 percent while the amount of women arrested for the same crime increases by 46 percent

A. men arrested for aggravated assault decreases by 9.5 percent while the amount of women arrested for the same crime increases

B. amount of men arrested for aggravated assault decreases by 9.5 percent while the amount of woment arrested for the same crime increases

C. number of men arrested for aggravated assault has decreased by 9.5 percent while the number of women arrested for the same crime has increased

D. number of men arrested for aggravated assault decreased by 9.5 percent as compared to the number of women arrested for the same crime, which increased

E. number of men arrested for aggravated assault decreased by 9.5 percent while the number of women arrested for the same crime increased

I think that the answer is C simply because it sounds correct to me but could somebody let me know if that is correct and also why answer E is incorrect (if that is the case or else vice versa).

Many Thanks

Definitively C:

Since ... have/has

Thanks Cartera,

Could anybody please explain why answer E is incorrect?

The number always takes a singular form.So C is correct
In E, we have the number......increased but the right usage is the number........has/is increased/increasing.So E loses to C.

Thanks mail.SuhailSharma but why is "The number decreased" less correct than "The number has decreased"?

Many Thanks

jonesd1, Why I selected C over E is, SINCE says its a continuous tense. So, we should use "has increased". If you use INCREASED, then it says the event got over and Its not matching with SINCE.

jonesd1 wrote:Thanks mail.SuhailSharma but why is "The number decreased" less correct than "The number has decreased"?

Many Thanks

take another example

Sine 2000, I lived in New York..
Sine 2000, I have lived in New York ( You lived in New york and also living New York Now)

similarly

Since 1991, the number... has decreased.. ( Its decreased in 1991, also in 1992 .. and at present too)

I hope you got it