Mo2men wrote:
In choice E, if we change it to be "an equal number as WAS offered last year":
1- Will it be correct? I understand it like follows: "an equal number as number WAS offered last year"
2- Does 'equal number' have same meaning as ' same number'? if not what is difference?
Thanks in advance
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability by offering an equal number as was offered last year.Here, the agent of
was offered is unclear: who or what offered the flights last year?
Since no agent is specified, a reader might interpret as follows:
Many airline carriers are attempting to increase profitability by offering an equal number as was offered BY ALL AIRLINE CARRIERS last year.Not the intended meaning.
Also,
an equal number implies
an equal number of FLIGHTS.
The phrase in red is plural and thus cannot take a singular verb such as
was.
Finally,
equal +
as is considered unidiomatic.
For all these reasons, the proposed revision is not viable.
Please don't try to rewrite answer choices.
The goal in SC is not to rewrite answers but to eliminate incorrect answers.
In general, I will respectfully refrain from commenting on hypothetical answer choices.
X and Y are equal =
X and Y have the same value.
X and Y are the same =
X and Y are identical.
John and Mary sold an equal number of oranges.
John and Mary sold the same number of oranges.There is virtually no difference between these two meanings.
All men are created equal.Conveyed meaning:
All men have the SAME VALUE.Here, the intention is not to convey that all men are IDENTICAL.
For this reason, it is not possible to replace
equal with
the same.
_________________
GMAT and GRE Tutor for over 20 years
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs
Available for live sessions in NYC and remotely all over the world
For more information, please email me at GMATGuruNY at gmail