equal / equivalent usage -

2 + 2 = 4 ( equal ). Equal is reserved keyword - highly restricted.

SGD 1.5 is equivalent to USD 1.0. Equivalent is not as restricted as equal.

Both keywords are used against the exact number. When you use approx numbers you CANT use these keywords.

Hence answer is E "as many as" defines "over 3.5billion people" ----> which is not a exact number.
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great explanation, thanks alot

Still a bit confused on why not D
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4/28 GMATPrep 42Q 36V 640

I feel like E is awkwardly worded. It sounds like "resides" lacks a subject. I answered D as first. Still have a hard time justifying why E is a better choice.

i am also stuck between D and E. but hetalcs perfectly explain the matter
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some people are successful, because they have been fortunate enough and some people earn success, because they have been determined.....

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I'm happy to help.

First, let me say --- I don't think this is a very good question. I don't think it's particularly GMAT like. This is a question that turns on one particular, somewhat obscure trick ---- exceedingly few GMAT SC questions are one-trick ponies, and those that are do not depend solely on something as arcane as does this question.

The modifying clause that appears after the word "about" touches the word "people" and therefore should modify "people".

The word "equivalent" is a word for talking about qualitative relationships ----
Among American WWII general there was no equivalent to Pershing, the supreme Allied commander in WWI.
The word "equivalent" is not appropriate for numerical relationships --- 2 + 3 is NOT "equivalent" to 5 --- rather, 2 + 3 EQUALS 5. Do not use "equivalent" for numbers. Choices (A) & (B) are trainwreck wrong.

The problem with (C) is more subtle. Technically, the "people" in Asia are not "equal" to anything --- rather, the number of people in Asia is equal to something. As it stands, (C) is illogical and wrong. We could correct version (C) by writing ....

... to over 3.5 billion people, a number about equal to those who reside in ....

This is now grammatically & logically correct, but it's very indirect and wordy, so even this probably would not be correct on the GMAT SC.

I believe (D) & (E) are both grammatically & logically correct, and it's just that (E) is sleek and efficient, and (D) is longer, clunkier, and more awkward --- that's what makes (E) better than (D). To give credit where credit is due --- I don't like this SC question overall, but the OA sentence is a very elegantly constructed sentence.

Does all this make sense?

Mike
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Mike McGarry
Magoosh Test Prep