public health officials

[uptowngirl92]

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than under it.
A. than
B. than born
C. than they were
D. than there had been
E. than had been born

[gmatv09]

IMO B
:

[mehravikas]

I also chose 'B', unfortunately the OA is 'A'. The correct way to test this problem would be replace it with "under the age of thirty"

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than [to] [under the age of thirty.]

phew...

IMO B
:

[m&m]

I choose A, my reasoning was

...which more babies were born to women (over the age) of thirty (than under it).

compare over the age to under the age (or it, the antecedent)


we are comparing two possibilitiues of babies born to women

Hope that helps

[Thouraya]

why is B wrong?

[Chaitanya_1986]

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than under it.
A. than
B. than born
C. than they were
D. than there had been
E. than had been born

See this is a very good problem......Here comparision plays a key role....


Read the question like below.

More babies were born | over the age of thirty
under it

born is common for both......No need of another born...

So, OA is A......


Any questions pls......

[aspirant2011]

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than under it.
A. than
B. than born ----------> if you read this sentence carefully then you will realise that it means "than the babies born under age 30"................we need to compare women with age >30 to women under age 30
C. than they were
D. than there had been
E. than had been born

[MSDHONI]

The comparison is done between the women over age of 30 & women below age of 30!!
"A" shows the perfect comparison!!

[HSPA]

How about "than to those under it" is this corret too??

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than under it.
A. than
B. than born ----------> if you read this sentence carefully then you will realise that it means "than the babies born under age 30"................we need to compare women with age >30 to women under age 30
C. than they were
D. than there had been
E. than had been born

[aspirant2011]

How about "than to those under it" is this corret too??

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than under it.
A. than
B. than born ----------> if you read this sentence carefully then you will realise that it means "than the babies born under age 30"................we need to compare women with age >30 to women under age 30
C. than they were
D. than there had been
E. than had been born

hmm.........good doubt.......I feel "those" in "than to those" is ambiguous because it can refer to babies also.........please correct me if I am wrong

[TheGraduate]

Is the following construction correct?

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than were born to women under it.

[GMATGuruNY]

Is the following construction correct?

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than were born to women under it.

Looks good.

[TheGraduate]

Is the following construction correct?

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than were born to women under it.

Looks good.

Options given are:
A. than
B. than born
C. than they were
D. than there had been
E. than there had been born

I understand that the correct answer is A. However, in light of the above discussion, could the following be a correct option ? :
than were born

[GMATGuruNY]

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than under it.

in light of the above discussion, could the following be a correct option ? :
than were born

Proposed answer choice:
More babies were born to women over the age of thirty were born under it.
This sentence is not viable.
Here, under it seems to be an ADVERB serving to modify born.
As a result, the phrase in red implies that babies were born under the age of thirty -- not the intended meaning.

[TheGraduate]

According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than under it.

in light of the above discussion, could the following be a correct option ? :
than were born

Proposed answer choice:
More babies were born to women over the age of thirty were born under it.
This sentence is not viable.
Here, under it seems to be an ADVERB serving to modify born.
As a result, the phrase in red implies that babies were born under the age of thirty -- not the intended meaning.
The intention is for under it to serve as an ADJECTIVE modifying women, but this noun does not appear in the second clause.
Generally, an adjective in the second clause of a comparison may not appear without its intended referent.

How about :
More babies were born to women over the age of thirty than were born under it?