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Another new 700 level SC problem

by e-GMAT » Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:13 pm
Hi Folks,

As they say, "the more, the merrier", we bring in another SC problem, fresh from the oven. Solve this one, post your analysis, and we will "Thank" the correct analysis. :)

Planned reduction in orders for components for the iPhone 5 is due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined from 23% to 14% since the last year while Samsung's share has steadily increased from 8.8% to 31% during the same time period.

A. due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined

B. because of weaker-than-expected demand: Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments declined

C. due to weaker-than-expected demand: Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments has declined

D. because of weaker-than-expected demand, declining Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments

E. because of weaker-than-expected demand that decreased Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments

Happy Practicing. :)
Official answer and detailed solution will be posted after a few responses.
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by e-GMAT » Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:19 pm
Hi Everyone,

Let me begin by thanking you all for your detailed responses. Here comes the detailed solution of this question.

Planned reduction in orders for components for the iPhone 5 is due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined from 23% to 14% since the last year while Samsung's share has steadily increased from 8.8% to 31% during the same time period.

Image

"¢ Apple has reduced orders for iPhone 5 components.
"¢ The reason for this decision is weaker-than-expected demand.
"¢ Since last year,
o Apple's share has declined from 23% to 14%.
o However, Samsung's share has increased from 8.8% to 31%.

Image

Error Analysis

"¢ Clause 1: Planned reduction in orders for components for the iPhone 5 is due to weaker-than-expected demand
"¢ Clause 2: because Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined from 23% to 14% since the last year
"¢ Clause 3: while Samsung's share has steadily increased from 8.8% to 31% during the same time period.

Error 1 - Illogical Meaning - The sentence implies that demand if weaker because Apple's share has declined over a certain time period. The causal relationship in this context does not make much sense since the demand did not become weak because the shipments decreased. In fact the correct relationship should be as follows: Demand has weakened as evidenced by the decrease in number of shipments. So the correct sentence should present such relationship.

Error 2 - Plural verb "have declined" does not agree in number with singular subject "Apple's share".

PoE

A. due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined: Incorrect for the reasons stated above.

B. because of weaker-than-expected demand: Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments declined: Incorrect.

Correct Part - This choice uses correct construction to express the logical intended meaning. The clause after the colon is used to present the idea that explains the weaker than expected demand.
Error 1 - Use of "because of" is incorrect because it modifies the noun entity "Planned reduction". "Due to" should be used to modify nouns.
Error 2 - Use of past tense "declined" is incorrect because the word "since" has been used to present the sequencing decline in shipments started in the recent past and may still be continuing. Hence we need present perfect tense.

C. due to weaker-than-expected demand: Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments has declined: Correct Answer

D. because of weaker-than-expected demand, declining Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments: Incorrect.

Error 1 - Use of "because of" is incorrect because it modifies the noun entity "Planned reduction".
Error 2 - The comma + verb-ing modifier "declining" modifies the preceding clause. It presents the result of the modified clause. This modification is illogical as discussed in original choice.

E. because of weaker-than-expected demand that decreased Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments: Incorrect.

Error 1 - Use of "because of" is incorrect because it modifies the noun entity "Planned reduction".
Error 2 - Use of past tense "decreased" is not correct. We need present perfect.
Error 3 - Illogical meaning. This choice implies that weaker than expected demand decreased Apple's share of shipments. This is not logical intended meaning.

Image

1. "Because of" cannot be used to refer to a noun entity. Use of "Due to" is correct for such usages.
2. Subject and Verb must agree in number with each other.
3. Use present perfect tense with "since", when "since" is used to present sequencing.
4. Comma + Verb-ing modifies the preceding clause. It either presents additional information about the preceding clause or it presents the result of the preceding clause.

Thanks. :)
Payal
Last edited by e-GMAT on Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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by hutch27 » Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:41 pm
IMO: C
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by patanjali.purpose » Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:12 pm
e-GMAT wrote:Hi Folks,

As they say, "the more, the merrier", we bring in another SC problem, fresh from the oven. Solve this one, post your analysis, and we will "Thank" the correct analysis. :)

Planned reduction in orders for components for the iPhone 5 is due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined from 23% to 14% since the last year while Samsung's share has steadily increased from 8.8% to 31% during the same time period.

A. due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined

B. because of weaker-than-expected demand: Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments declined

C. due to weaker-than-expected demand: Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments has declined

D. because of weaker-than-expected demand, declining Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments

E. because of weaker-than-expected demand that decreased Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments

Happy Practicing. :)
Official answer and detailed solution will be posted after a few responses.
"iPhone is DUE TO weaker-than-expected demand" implies WEAKER DEMAND modifies iPhone. Or we can say iPhone WAS CAUSED BY WEAKER DEMAND (illogical). Drop A/C

A - have declined does not match with SHARE
B - since last year suggests use of PRESENT PERFECT not past tense (declined); Furthermore, DECLINED AND HAS INCREASED are in different tense; drop
D - use of VERBING suggests PLANNED REDUCTION is declining Apple's share

Another key point about B/C is the use of COLON. IMO Colon is used to explain/defines the preceding clause - in that case "Apple's share ..shipments has declined..period" is DEFINING 'Planned reduction...expected demand'. But as per the original sentence it would modify DEMAND. Therefore,we would require an option that shows lower DEMAND decrease Apple's share as in E.

The use of BECAUSE in A suggests that DEMAND was because of "Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined"

IMO E
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by ravivu » Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:30 pm
My Choice is C
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by Lifetron » Sun Jan 27, 2013 10:47 pm
A - 'have' is wrong
B - Not parellel [No perfect tense]
D and E - Changes the actual meaning. They suggest that "Weaker demand caused the shares to decline". But, it is the other way round.

Hence, C !
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by [email protected] » Mon Jan 28, 2013 1:16 am
IMO : C

because it has the second clause seperated by a colon and makes it meaningful.
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by gsgunturu » Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:41 am
In the second cluase SHARE is the singular subject and hence the verb should be singular "has" , I can eliminate all the rest based on this. Ans is "C"
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by buzzdeepak » Mon Jan 28, 2013 4:56 pm
C

My analysis:
1. due to (caused by) is correct in this case. So, focused on A and C
2. has / have - since share is singular, it should be has, so C

Now, between B, D and E - just a quick check:
B. missing "has" - apple's share has declined / samsung's share has increased - so incorrect
D. reduction in orders didn't case the decline in share (verbing form - cause and effect) - so incorrect
E. changes the meaning - so incorrect

gsgunturu, good one... instead of spending may be 1:30 secs on this, you might have nailed it in 30 secs or less...
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by nisagl750 » Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:24 pm
e-GMAT wrote:Hi Folks,
Planned reduction in orders for components for the iPhone 5 is due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined from 23% to 14% since the last year while Samsung's share has steadily increased from 8.8% to 31% during the same time period.

A. due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined

B. because of weaker-than-expected demand: Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments declined

C. due to weaker-than-expected demand: Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments has declined

D. because of weaker-than-expected demand, declining Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments

E. because of weaker-than-expected demand that decreased Apple's share of world-wide smartphone shipments
A. Weaker than expected demand is not because Apple's share has declined (demand and share are independent of each other)
Also, Apple's share........has declined. (Has is required instead of have)

B. Apple's share.....has declined......while samsung's share has steadily increased. (Has is required)

C. Planned reduction ...is due to weaker than expected demand ; Apple's share....has declined.... Perfect

D. weaker than expected demand didn't result in declining the Apple's share. (Apple's share and demand of new iphone 5 are independent of each other)

E. weaker than expected demand of iPhone 5 decreased Apple's overall share? not necessary.
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by e-GMAT » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:18 pm
patanjali.purpose wrote:
"iPhone is DUE TO weaker-than-expected demand" implies WEAKER DEMAND modifies iPhone. Or we can say iPhone WAS CAUSED BY WEAKER DEMAND (illogical). Drop A/C
@patanjali.purpose, first of all great attempt at this question. Secondly, may I ask you to revisit your analysis of choice A. You interpreted choice A as "iPhone is due to...". I am not sure why you skipped the introductory part of this sentence when you made this interpretation.

Looking forward to hearing from you. :)

Regards,
Payal
Last edited by e-GMAT on Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by e-GMAT » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:19 pm
ravivu wrote:My Choice is C
@ravivu, I would love to see your analysis. :) Just want to make sure your reasoning for all choices is perfect :)
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by e-GMAT » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:24 pm
gughanbose wrote:A - 'have' is wrong
D and E - Changes the actual meaning. They suggest that "Weaker demand caused the shares to decline". But, it is the other way round.
Hence, C !
@gughanbose, good analysis. It would be great if you could analyze choice A slightly more. I just want to make sure that your analysis is complete. Would choice A be correct if I changed "have" to "has", i.e. if I removed the SV number error. Let me know what you think.
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by e-GMAT » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:33 pm
gsgunturu wrote:In the second cluase SHARE is the singular subject and hence the verb should be singular "has" , I can eliminate all the rest based on this. Ans is "C"
@gsgunturu, when I read your response, my instant thought to myself was "really we made this question this easy??? But then I looked at it more carefully, I realized that that was not the case. So if you do not mind, I would like to ask you a few follow on questions. My goal here is to make sure that you eliminate the choices on solid grounds.

Choice A definitely has SV number error. But choice B does not - notice that the verb -declined - is in past tense and hence is used both as singular and as plural. So no SV number disagreement there. Choice D does not have a verb at all so the question of SV # error does not arise. And lastly in choice E, the verb decreased is not the verb for subject share. It is verb for "that", which refers to "demand". Again its in past tense and hence can be singular or plural.

So I hope this give you the idea that you cannot use ONLY SV number disagreement to get to the correct answer.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Payal
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by e-GMAT » Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:35 pm
buzzdeepak wrote:C

My analysis:
1. due to (caused by) is correct in this case. So, focused on A and C
2. has / have - since share is singular, it should be has, so C
Perfect analysis buzzdeepak. But just one little question - is there anything wrong with choice A other than the SV number disagreement issue?

Regards,

Payal
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