national study

[grandh01]

A recent national study of the public schools shows that there are now one
microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were four
years ago.
(A) there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many
than there were
(B) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than
there were
(C) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many as
there were
(D) every thirty-two pupils now have one microcomputer, four times as many than there
were
(E) every thirty-two pupils now has one microcomputer, four times as many as

OA is C

[Patrick_GMATFix]

The easiest place to start splitting is through the idiom "as...as" which is used to establish that two quantities are at the same level. A,B and D (four times as many than) can be eliminated.

E has a subject-verb disagreement (every 32 pupils has one...)

In addition, "every 32 pupils have one computer" gives the impression that the pupils own this computer. This clouds the story the author tries to get across (namely that the ratio of computer to pupils is now 1:32) because the intended story is not about possession or belonging. "there is one X for every 32 Y" is easier to understand than "every 32 Y have one X". Eliminate D and E

The answer is C