Montana’s wolf population in 2013 numbered about 1000, four times time

Montana’s wolf population in 2013 numbered about 1000, four times that of their estimated population in 2004.


Montana’s wolf population in 2013 numbered about 1000, four times that of their estimated population in 2004.
In the above sentence precedent for their is not clear. use of that , their together is not correct

(A) four times that of their estimated population-Incorrect
As I mentioned earlier their and that together is not correct and their doesn't have a plural precedent

(B) four times the estimated population-Correct
Short and simple -correct meaning

(C) four times more than the population's estimated amount-Incorrect
four times more than - changes the meaning , that it is 5time now

(D) four times more wolves than their population estimate-Incorrect
Changes meaning that it is 4times more , 5 times

(E) four times more than that of their population's estimated amount-Incorrect
same changes meaning as 5 times

Montana’s wolf population in 2013 numbered about 1000, four times that of their estimated population in 2004.

Meaning:

1. Montana’s wolf population in 2013 numbered about 1000
2. This population is four times more than estimated population in 2004

Errors:

'that of' - pronoun - antecedent? population? wolf?
'their' - pronoun - antecedent? do we have any plural pronoun here? 1000?

let's imagine some sinarions:

four times wolf of their estimated population in 2004 - illogical
four times population of 'wolves' estimated population in 2004 - more or less makes sense, but we don't have plural 'wolves' in the sentence.

POE

We can eliminate (A), (D), and (E) because of 'their'
In (D) even if we have plural 'wolves' this sentence doesn't make any sense.

(A) four times that of their estimated population
(D) four times more wolves than their population estimate
(E) four times more than that of their population's estimated amount

Between (B) and (C)
'more than' in C is good, but 'amount' cannot go with population, 'population' cannot be counted in terms of 'amount' event if 'amount' is used with uncountable nouns, 'population' itself represents numerical meaning.

(B) four times the estimated population
(C) four times more than the population's estimated amount

(B) four times the estimated population

B is the answer

(A) four times that of their estimated population
“their” refers to “Montana’s wolf population”. Therefore, the sentence ends up being “four times that of Montana’s wolf population’s estimated population”. This does not make sense.

(B) four times the estimated population
Looks good. Hold

(C) four times more than the population's estimated amount
“Four times more” sounds awkward.

(D) four times more wolves than their population estimate
“four times more wolves” sounds awkward here. Also same problem with “their” as in (A).

(E) four times more than that of their population's estimated amount
Problem with “their”.

Answer B

This is a comparison question, comparing the wolf's population in 2003 and their population in 2004.

POE:
(A) four times that of their estimated population
(B) four times the estimated population Correct Comparison
(C) four times more than the population's estimated amount : number should be used
(D) four times more wolves than their population estimate : No antecedent
(E) four times more than that of their population's estimated amount

Option B.

Montana’s wolf population in 2013 numbered about 1000, four times that of their estimated population in 2004.

(A) four times that of their estimated population --> Incorrect. Pronoun Error. 'their' does not have any plural noun to refer to in the sentence.
(B) four times the estimated population --> Correct
(C) four times more than the population's estimated amount --> Incorrect. Amount is not used with population. Number needs to be used.
(D) four times more wolves than their population estimate --> Incorrect. four times cannot be more. It needs to be four times and thats it. The pronoun error is corrected here though.
(E) four times more than that of their population's estimated amount --> Incorrect. Pronoun Error. 'their' does not have any plural noun to refer to in the sentence. Also amount is not used with population. Number needs to be used.

Montana’s wolf population in 2013 numbered about 1000, four times that of their estimated population in 2004.

Meaning: Montana's wolf population in 2013 was about 1000. The estimated number of 1000 is four times the estimated wolf population in 2004.

Error:
1) use of both 'that' and 'their' causes redundancy error.

Option B (four times the estimated population) removes the redundancy error. Option C, D, and E, try to convey the meaning that the number 1000 is more than four times the population in 2004. This changes the meaning with respect to the original sentence.

Answer: B

(A) four times that of their estimated population....that has no precedent noun
(B) four times the estimated population..... correct
(C) four times more than the population's estimated amount....
(D) four timesmore wolves than their population estimate
(E) four times more than that of their population's estimated amount

IMO B

Montana’s wolf population in 2013 numbered about 1000, four times that of their estimated population in 2004.

"Their" does not have an antecedent,
Eliminate A D E
A) four times that of their estimated population
D) four times more wolves than their population estimate
E) four times more than that of their population's estimated amount

C) four times more than the population's estimated amount
four times more is redundant,

Answer is B
B) four times the estimated population

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