vitamin-A deficiency

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abcgmat: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 222; Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2011 1:06 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 19 times

by abcgmat » Tue May 01, 2012 2:33 am

In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists hope to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in betacarotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. The plan has good chances of success, since sweet potato is a staple of the region's diet and agriculture, and the varieties currently grown contain little beta-carotene.

which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the prediction that the plan will succeed?

a. There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do.
b. The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in colors and textures, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.
c. For successful cultivation of SPK004, a soil significantly richer in nitrogen is needed than is needed for the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region.
d. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
e. the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato contain no important nutrients that SPK004 lacks

[spoiler]OA:E[/spoiler]
Conclusion: To improve nutrition , SPK004 can be grown it is rich in Beta...
If other varieties of sweet potato donot have significantly more Beta..
it means they have low nutrition than SPK004. So D seems to strengthen
How is D out of scope.

When we say A ---> B then we assume that A is the only cause if B
Answer choice C ---\> B actually strengthens the Argument.

I feel choice (D) matches the above when we say
SPK004 ---> Betacarotine(converts to Vitamin A)
there fore Betacarotine ---> Nutrition

No variety has Betacarotine more than SPK004, then SPK004 is the best source of nutrition
Why is the assumption 'SPK004 is best source of Betacarotine' invalid
How is the assumption 'SPK004 is best source of nutrition' valid

Can you say what is wrong with my understanding

Source: Beat The GMAT — Critical Reasoning | Tue May 01, 2012 2:33 am

GMATGuruNY: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 15539; Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members; Location: New York, NY; Thanked: 13060 times; GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Tue May 01, 2012 4:30 am

abcgmat wrote:In parts of South America, vitamin-A deficiency is a serious health problem, especially among children. In one region, agriculturists hope to improve nutrition by encouraging farmers to plant a new variety of sweet potato called SPK004 that is rich in betacarotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. The plan has good chances of success, since sweet potato is a staple of the region's diet and agriculture, and the varieties currently grown contain little beta-carotene.

which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the prediction that the plan will succeed?

a. There are other vegetables currently grown in the region that contain more beta-carotene than the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato do.
b. The flesh of SPK004 differs from that of the currently cultivated sweet potatoes in colors and textures, so traditional foods would look somewhat different when prepared from SPK004.
c. For successful cultivation of SPK004, a soil significantly richer in nitrogen is needed than is needed for the varieties of sweet potato currently cultivated in the region.
d. There are no other varieties of sweet potato that are significantly richer in beta-carotene than SPK004 is.
e. the currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato contain no important nutrients that SPK004 lacks

[spoiler]OA:E[/spoiler]

PLAN: Encourage farmers to plant a NEW VARIETY OF SWEET POTATO called SPK004 that is rich in betacarotene, which the body converts into vitamin A.
GOAL: Improve NUTRITION.

For the plan to work, SPK004 must not only provide betacarotene but also improve overall NUTRITION.

Answer choice E: The currently cultivated varieties of sweet potato contain no important nutrients that SPK004 lacks.
Thus, children who eat SPK004 will consume more betacarotene -- a vitamin in which they are deficient -- without forgoing any other important nutrients.
The result will be an improvement in overall NUTRITION, strengthening the conclusion.

The correct answer is E.

Reasons to eliminate:

A) If other vegetables also contain beta-carotene, the plan to cultivate SPKOO4 is weakened.

B) If SPK004 causes food to look different, children might not eat the new sweet potato, weakening the conclusion that nutrition will improve.

C) If the needed soil is not available, then the plan to cultivate SPK004 is weakened.

D) Even if SPK004 contains the greatest amount of beta-carotene, the conclusion that overall NUTRITION will improve is not strengthened. The correct answer must link SPK004 to overall nutrition.

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mathbyvemuri: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 142; Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:24 am; Location: India; Thanked: 28 times

by mathbyvemuri » Tue May 01, 2012 4:55 am

Options A,B and C are out of scope, undoubtedly.
The confusion is b/w D and E.
It is asked that which option supports the prediction?
what is the prediction here?
prediction is that the nutrition will be improved by encouraging the farmers to cultivate a new variety.
there we are.. option D says that SPK004 is the richest variety to have nutrients. It only hints a comparison between different varieties. But as it is already decided to go for that variety, it won't matters.
But option E says that, by going for SPK004, we are not loosing any nutrients, which are available in the already cultivated variety. By going to some variety, even if we gain some nutrients at one hand, we should not loose some other nutrients on the other. This is very important as the ultimate goal is to improve nutrients. So answer option "E" is best
I hope I am clear..[/b]

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