In 1973 mortgage payments represented twenty-one percent of an average

why c is wrong
it takes me a few hours to think.
i have one idea.

in eliptical pattern, the cut off part must be one phrase. it can not be two phrases at two places. consider

I learn english and french.
the cut off part is one phrase, "i learn french'

i learn english with my friend in 2000 and she French her friend 2001
the cut off part is " learn...with...in"
this is impossible. the cut off part is 3 phrases in 3 places.

our problem in c is similar

do you think so?

did i invent something from gmat questions.?

To establish the clearest comparison between circumstances in 1973 and those in 1984, a separate clause is needed to describe each year.

Choices A and C, in failing to use separate clauses, are too elliptical and therefore unclear.

Choice A also incorrectly uses and and a semicolon to separate an independent clause and a phrase.

Choice D incorrectly separates two independent clauses with a comma; moreover, the placement of in 1984 is awkward and confusing.

In choice E, that refers illogically to income, thereby producing the misstatement that income rather than mortgage payments rose to forty-four percent in 1984.

Choice B is best; two properly constructed clauses that clearly express the comparison are separated by a semicolon.
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Whenever you see 'AND' after a comma, check for two possibilities :
1. a list(apples, carrots, and bananas)
2. two main clauses(I like India, and she likes South Africa)

Here, in option C, there is independent clause after 'AND'. Therefore it is incorrect.

A: Incomplete sentence after semicolon. No verb present.

B: Correct and Parallel. 'Figure' is the subject and 'was' is the verb.

C: No verb for the other half of the sentence.

D: No joining word present to join the sentence after the comma. If semicolon was there rather than comma, sentence would be correct.

E: wrong modifier. Income did not rise but the payments did.

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In 1973 mortgage payments represented twenty-one percent of an average thirty-year-old male's income; and forty-four percent in 1984

A. income; and forty-four percent in 1984 - incorrect sentence structure- semicolon+ and incorrectly separates an IC and a phrase here
B. income; in 1984 the figure was forty-four percent
C. income, and in 1984 forty-four percent
D. income, forty-four percent in 1984 was the figure - run- on sentence
E. income that rose to forty-four percent in 1984 - that incorrectly refers to income

I was down to options B and C and ended up choosing option C.
1. In option B, what does 'the figure' refer to? Logically, it seems that it refers to the percentage of average thirty-year-old male's income represented by mortgage payments.
Can you give some examples of such construction?
2. Also, what is the issue with option C?

AjiteshArun , GMATNinja , MagooshExpert , GMATGuruNY , VeritasPrepBrian , MartyTargetTestPrep , DmitryFarber , VeritasKarishma , generis , jennpt , other experts
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GMATNinja, could you please explain why option C is wrong?

In 1973 mortgage payments represented twenty-one percent of an average thirty-year-old male's income; and forty-four percent in 1984

Meaning: in 1973 mortgage represented 21 percent. In 1984, it represented 44 percent

A. income; and forty-four percent in 1984 the second clause is incomplete
B. income; in 1984 the figure was forty-four percent Two independents clauses, separated by semicolon
C. income, and in 1984 forty-four percent forty-four percent is compared to mortgage payments
D. income, forty-four percent in 1984 was the figure two independent clauses could not be connected by comma
E. income that rose to forty-four percent in 1984 change in meaning. not that income rose to 44 percent but the mortgage payments