Hi all,

I want to know the usage difference b/w Economic Vs Economical usage in SC on GMAT. I hope there can be more like me, who want to explore this difference.

Can anyone please explanation the difference b/w the two?
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Economic means related to monetary aspect

eg... the rise in cost will have economic effect on the customers.

Economical means efficient.

eg... the new car is more economical than the old one.
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wow good explanations by nverma and gurpreetsingh.

Economical means "thrifty, efficient".
Economic refers to "monetary aspects."

I have explained the difference using 3 examples.

EG:
(SOURCE: OG)
Although shistosomiasis is not often fatal, it is often so debilitating that is has become an economic drain on many developing countries.

A.it is often so debilitating that is has become an economic
B.it is of such debilitation, it has become an economical
C.so debilitating is it as to become an economic
D.such is its debilitation, it becomes an economical
E.there is so much debilitation that it has become an economical

Since in the question it refers to MONETARY DRAIN the the word used should be ECONOMIC. That leaves us with A and C. C has incorrect idiom used..





The supply of oil being finite has become an economical and political consideration of the first magnitude for all modern industrial nations.
(A) The supply of oil being finite has become an economical
(B) The finite supply of oil has become an economical
(C) That the supply of oil is finite has become an economical
(D) The supply of oil being finite has become an economic
(E) That the supply of oil is finite has become an economic

Since it again refers to monetary considerations, the word used will be economic.
This leaves us with D and E.




To develop more accurate population forecasts, demographers have to know a great deal more than now about the social and economic determinants of fertility.
A. have to know a great deal more than now about the social and economic
B. have to know a great deal more than they do now about the social and economical
C. would have to know a great deal more than they do now about the social and
economical
D. would have to know a great deal more than they do now about the social and
economic
E. would have to know a great deal more than now about the social and economical

Here, we are referring to the efficient determinants, hence ECONOMICAL is used. This leaves us with B, C , E.




Please feel free to ask questions if anything is not not clear..


If my post is helpful, give kudos...

If both verbs are in the present tense -- demographers HAVE TO KNOW more than they DO now -- the implication is that both actions are happening in the present.
The result is a nonsensical meaning: how can demographers KNOW more than they KNOW?
To make it clear that the situation is HYPOTHETICAL, the subjunctive is needed: demographers WOULD HAVE TO KNOW more than they DO now.
One purpose of the subjunctive is to convey a situation that is CONTRARY-TO-FACT or HYPOTHETICAL.
The intended meaning here is to compare what demographers KNOW NOW -- in reality -- to what they WOULD HAVE TO KNOW -- hypothetically -- to develop more accurate forecasts.
To make it clear that one action is real while the other is hypothetical, the hypothetical action must be in the subjunctive mood (WOULD have to know). Eliminate A and B.

In C, economical -- which means thrifty -- does not convey the intended meaning. The needed word here is ECONOMIC (which means related to the economy). Eliminate C.

In E (demographers would have to know a great deal more than NOW), it is unclear what is being compared. To make it clear that a hypothetical action is being compared to an actual action, we need the contrasting verbs offered by D: demographers WOULD HAVE TO KNOW a great deal more than they DO [know] now. Eliminate E.
The correct answer is D.
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