Last visit was: 18 Nov 2025, 21:12 It is currently 18 Nov 2025, 21:12
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
   1   2 
avatar
brianmontanaweb
avatar
Joined: 06 Apr 2022
Last visit: 03 Sep 2022
Posts: 113
Own Kudos:
15
Given Kudos: 22
Posts: 113
Kudos: 15
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 26 Apr 2022, 16:14
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
bmwhype2
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and the chips’ circuits more complex, both the power of the chips and the electronic devices they drive have vastly increased.


(A) the chips’ circuits more complex, both the power of the chips and the electronic devices they drive have

(B) the chips’ circuits more complex, the power of both the chips and the electronic devices they drive has

(C) the chips’ circuits are more complex, both the power of the chips and the electronic devices they drive has

(D) their circuits are more complex, the power of both the chips and the electronic devices they drive have

(E) their circuits more complex, both the power of the chips and the electronic devices they drive have
Show more

A breaks parallelism by placing "both" before "the power of the chips and..." making "the electronic devices they drive have..." no longer parallel with the previous phrase

C does not need "are" and has the same issue as A

D "their" could reference "computer memory chips", or "etched lines", excluding because of pronoun ambiguity

E same issue as D and A

B remains and resolves the pronoun issues. We know that "they drive" references the nouns in the conjunction before it. Parallelism is resolved with "the power of both"
User avatar
Redwhite387
User avatar
Joined: 15 May 2021
Last visit: 03 Jan 2024
Posts: 29
Own Kudos:
4
Given Kudos: 88
Posts: 29
Kudos: 4
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 29 Jan 2023, 01:28
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I understand the meaning of the sentence is taken from the original sentence (option A). For this question, can't the original sentence mean both
A. both the power of chips and the power of electronic devices
B. both the power of chips and the number of electronic devices

If B. is a possible meaning, Option E would be correct?
User avatar
MartyTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 24 Nov 2014
Last visit: 11 Aug 2023
Posts: 3,476
Own Kudos:
5,579
Given Kudos: 1,430
Status:Chief Curriculum and Content Architect
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51
Posts: 3,476
Kudos: 5,579
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 29 Jan 2023, 08:00
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Redwhite387
I understand the meaning of the sentence is taken from the original sentence (option A). For this question, can't the original sentence mean both
A. both the power of chips and the power of electronic devices
B. both the power of chips and the number of electronic devices

If B. is a possible meaning, Option E would be correct?
Show more
Hi Redwhite387.

Your understanding is incorrect. The meaning of the correct version in an SC question simply has to make sense. The meaning of the correct version does not have to match the meaning of the original version, which is not a special version. All five versions are equal in importance.
User avatar
KarishmaB
User avatar
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 16,265
Own Kudos:
76,983
 [1]
Given Kudos: 482
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,265
Kudos: 76,983
 [1]
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 30 Jan 2023, 00:10
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Redwhite387
I understand the meaning of the sentence is taken from the original sentence (option A). For this question, can't the original sentence mean both
A. both the power of chips and the power of electronic devices
B. both the power of chips and the number of electronic devices

If B. is a possible meaning, Option E would be correct?
Show more

There is no "original sentence." All options are equal.
Pick the option that makes most sense along with being grammatically correct.

That said, option (A) is not logical. Finer lines and more complex circuits would increase the power of the chips and the power of the devices.
They will not increase the number of electronic devices they drive. Technically, all "electronic" devices are driven by chips.
User avatar
Vatsal7794
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 17 Mar 2021
Last visit: 12 Oct 2025
Posts: 249
Own Kudos:
127
Given Kudos: 123
Location: India
Schools: IIMB EPGP'25 Schulich Sep'24 intake Fisher '26 ISB '25
GMAT 1: 660 Q44 V36
GPA: 3.5
Schools: IIMB EPGP'25 Schulich Sep'24 intake Fisher '26 ISB '25
GMAT 1: 660 Q44 V36
Posts: 249
Kudos: 127
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 30 Jan 2023, 00:49
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi Experts

GMATNinja KarishmaB EducationAisle ChrisLele mikemcgarry AjiteshArun egmat sayantanc2k RonPurewal DmitryFarber MagooshExpert avigutman EMPOWERgmatVerbal MartyTargetTestPrep ExpertsGlobal5 IanStewart
other experts AnthonyRitz

I don't think there is any logical or meaning problem in option A . I marked option A as answer for this question and not B because I thought option B is changing the original meaning as for me option A is correct in meaning

Why can't due to some changes in the component that is memory chips there can be increase in the electronic devices

Can someone please explain me why option A is wrong logically?

I read other experts explanation but it was not clear for me

Thanks
User avatar
AnthonyRitz
User avatar
Stacy Blackman Consulting Director of Test Prep
Joined: 21 Dec 2014
Last visit: 16 Nov 2025
Posts: 238
Own Kudos:
427
Given Kudos: 169
Affiliations: Stacy Blackman Consulting
Location: United States (DC)
GMAT 1: 790 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
GPA: 3.11
WE:Education (Education)
GMAT 1: 790 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 238
Kudos: 427
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 30 Jan 2023, 01:02
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Vatsal7794
Hi Experts

GMATNinja KarishmaB EducationAisle ChrisLele mikemcgarry AjiteshArun egmat sayantanc2k RonPurewal DmitryFarber MagooshExpert avigutman EMPOWERgmatVerbal MartyTargetTestPrep ExpertsGlobal5 IanStewart
other experts AnthonyRitz

I don't think there is any logical or meaning problem in option A . I marked option A as answer for this question and not B because I thought option B is changing the original meaning as for me option A is correct in meaning

Why can't due to some changes in the component that is memory chips there can be increase in the electronic devices

Can someone please explain me why option A is wrong logically?

I read other experts explanation but it was not clear for me

Thanks
Show more

Karishma nailed this one.

KarishmaB

There is no "original sentence." All options are equal.
Pick the option that makes most sense along with being grammatically correct.

That said, option (A) is not logical. Finer lines and more complex circuits would increase the power of the chips and the power of the devices.
They will not increase the number of electronic devices they drive. Technically, all "electronic" devices are driven by chips.
Show more

To elaborate, the parallel structure of the "both... and..." correlative conjunction looks like this:

both
(1) the power of the chips
and
(2) the electronic devices they drive
have vastly increased

This means A says that "the electronic devices have increased." But that's ambiguous, not the point, and arguably illogical. Do you mean there are more such devices? You probably need to say "the number of electronic devices has increased." But as written, this sounds like you mean that the devices have gotten physically larger -- an illogical consequence of the chips getting thinner. So at best it's ambiguous, but at worst it's just illogical.

Plus, you know, everything Karishma said. "Original meaning" is a myth.
User avatar
ExpertsGlobal5
User avatar
Experts' Global Representative
Joined: 10 Jul 2017
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 5,193
Own Kudos:
4,759
 [1]
Given Kudos: 43
Location: India
GMAT Date: 11-01-2019
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 5,193
Kudos: 4,759
 [1]
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 30 Jan 2023, 05:43
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Vatsal7794
Hi Experts

GMATNinja KarishmaB EducationAisle ChrisLele mikemcgarry AjiteshArun egmat sayantanc2k RonPurewal DmitryFarber MagooshExpert avigutman EMPOWERgmatVerbal MartyTargetTestPrep ExpertsGlobal5 IanStewart
other experts AnthonyRitz

I don't think there is any logical or meaning problem in option A . I marked option A as answer for this question and not B because I thought option B is changing the original meaning as for me option A is correct in meaning

Why can't due to some changes in the component that is memory chips there can be increase in the electronic devices

Can someone please explain me why option A is wrong logically?

I read other experts explanation but it was not clear for me

Thanks
Show more

Hello Vatsal7794,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the phrase “both the power of the chips and the electronic devices they drive” is ambiguous in meaning; its construction is such that it could refer to "the power of the chips" and "the electronic devices", or "the power" can be taken common for the noun phrases "the chips" and "the electronic devices", thus referring to the power of the chips and the power of the electronic devices.

Option B avoids such ambiguity through the phrase “the power of both the chips and the electronic devices they drive”.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
User avatar
AbhinavKumar
User avatar
Joined: 21 Feb 2020
Last visit: 23 May 2025
Posts: 201
Own Kudos:
167
Given Kudos: 347
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Leadership
GMAT 1: 640 Q46 V32
GMAT 2: 670 Q48 V34
WE:Information Technology (Consulting)
GMAT 2: 670 Q48 V34
Posts: 201
Kudos: 167
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 01 Apr 2023, 21:17
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Dear Expert,

Is it right to use a possessive apostrophe for inanimate objects?

For example:
"The chip's circuit are complex" vs "Circuits of the chips are complex"
similarly, another example -
"Respiratory system's capability" vs "Capability of the respiratory system"

Both of these pairs of examples intend to set the same context, but one of them uses a possessive apostrophe for inanimate objects.
User avatar
Raman109
User avatar
Joined: 17 Aug 2009
Last visit: 28 Jul 2025
Posts: 805
Own Kudos:
170
Given Kudos: 33
Posts: 805
Kudos: 170
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 20 Sep 2023, 05:27
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and the chips’ circuits more complex, both the power of the chips and the electronic devices they drive have vastly increased.

Option elimination

(A) the chips’ circuits more complex, both the power of the chips and the electronic devices they drive have - "they" can refer to "the etched lines, "memory chips," and chip's circuits." How can "the etched lines and chip's circuits" increase the number of electronic devices - illogical? In the 2nd part, after "and" the "have become" is eliminated to avoid repetition (the use of ellipsis) - The important thing about Ellipsis, as "Daagh" pointed out in one of his comments - Ellipsis is resorted more for brevity (conciseness) than for anything else. But the important requirement is that the understood phrase must exist somewhere before "in" the sentence. Here, we have "have become" in the part before "and".

(B) the chips’ circuits more complex, the power of both the chips and the electronic devices they drive has - the expansion is "the chip's circuits have been more complex, the power of both the chips and the electronic devices .....has" - grammatically and logically correct.

(C) the chips’ circuits are more complex, both the power of the chips and the electronic devices they drive has - "both" - "has" - SV issue

(D) their circuits are more complex, the power of both the chips and the electronic devices they drive have - "the power" - "have" - SV issue

(E) their circuits more complex, both the power of the chips and the electronic devices they drive have - Their can refer to "the etched lines," "memory chips," or "chip's circuits" - it doesn't make sense to say "the etched lines circuits more complex." Wrong.
User avatar
VerbalBot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 18,836
Own Kudos:
986
Posts: 18,836
Kudos: 986
As the etched lines on computer memory chips have become thinner and 03 Mar 2025, 12:07
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
   1   2 
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7445 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
234 posts
miag
188 posts