Because of the Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon,

Lots of good discussion in this thread already, but here's a recap:


Notice the parallel list within the "which" clause: "... which is (1) 400 times larger than the moon, but also (2) 400 times farther away from earth."

If we remove that entire "which" clause, we're left with: "Because of the Sun, so both the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky." This reveals a couple issues:

• There's no reason to stick a "so" before the "both" here. Why not just say, "Because of the Sun, both the Sun and the Moon have..."?
• More importantly, the meaning is off. The Sun itself is not the reason why the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky. The Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky because of the Sun and Moon's relative sizes and distances from Earth.

The causal relationship is off here, so (A) is out.


Here we have an entirely different sentence structure: "The Sun, which is [X], is also [Y], therefore (so) the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky." This properly expresses that the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size because of what the Sun is (i.e. its properties relative to the Moon).

(B) looks good. (If you're confused about the comparison in (B), check out this post.)


Again, we have a parallel list within the "which" clause: "...which is (1) 400 times larger than the Moon, and also (2) 400 times farther away from Earth."

Removing that "which" clause, we are left with: "The Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky because the Sun." Because the Sun... did what? We're missing a verb after the because. And again, the Sun itself is not the reason the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size.

(C) is out.


Notice the possessive "Moon's" at the end of the sentence. This suggests that we are talking about the Moon's size, and that makes it seem like we're comparing the size that the Sun has to size that the Moon's size has.

That doesn't make any sense. The Moon has a size, but the Moon's size doesn't have a size. (For more on that, check out this post.)

So we can eliminate (D).


Notice that the stuff before the comma logically modifies the Sun itself, so we expect "the Sun" to come right after the comma. Instead we get a "so" right after the comma, and that doesn't work:

• "Smarter than the average bear, Yogi always managed to get his hands on a picnic basket." - No problem here -- the opening modifier describes the noun right after the comma (Yogi).
• "Yogi was smarter than the average bear, so he always managed to get his hands on a picnic basket." - This one is fine because we're now using a separate independent clause instead of an opening modifier. The conjunction "so" (or "therefore") can be used to link the two independent clauses.
• "Smarter than the average bear, so Yogi always managed to get his hands on a picnic basket." - This one's not good. We have an opening modifier that doesn't modify a noun right after the comma. And we have an unnecessary conjunction that doesn't link two independent clauses. This is the same problem we have in choice (E).

(E) is out, and we're left with (B).

The correct answer is B. You can see the detailed explanations here:

because-of-the-sun-which-is-400-times-larger-than-the-moon-132921.html?fl=similar

@Subash I looked at that explanation and after that only I posted this question here.That thread has no explanation for C,D,E options.I am very much interested in Why option C is wrong.Thanks!

C: Couple of issues:
1. The last and is not matching with anything. The structure seems to be: …because the sun…and also 400 times..!! sun and 400 times clearly have no correlation
2. Perhaps if his last and was to be replaced with is, C might have been an option worth consideration.

D: Phenomenal meaning issue. The original sentence is clearly intended to convey that the reason why the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky is because sun is 400 times farther away from Earth. In D, this causal relationship is not coming out at all.

E: Illogically comparing the size of a planetary body (sun) with another planetary body (moon). That is illogical comparison. We can compare size with size; we can compare a planetary body with another planetary body; but we can’t just mix and match.

I got confused between B and D and finally went in for D coz funnily I found it to make better sense

Thanks guys much appreciated. I checked the usual GMAT pitfalls of "which" should modify the nearest noun "the sun".In the process totally ignored "Because" which precedes "the sun".

It's a hidden comparison question. A,B and E are clearly out because of misplacement of modifiers. Now, i between D and B, B wins because in D Moon is in possessive form and the sentence compares the apparent size of Sun with the Moon's size. Incorrect.

Since I was confused between (B) and (D), I want to clear below query.

B. The Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, is also 400 times farther away from Earth, so the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky.
D. Four hundred times larger than the Moon and 400 times farther away from Earth, the Sun has the same apparent size in the sky as the Moon's.

As mentioned by Ashish, option (D) is wrong because it doesn't maintain the causal relationship per the sentence.

As mentioned by OE, option (D) is wrong because the possessive form of moon i.e. Moon's introduces ambiguity.

In my opinion also, option (D) shouldn't be wrong for the ambiguity as mentioned in OE, but it should be wrong as mentioned by Ashish.

So, my query...

Is using possessive form of a noun for comparison always wrong on GMAT?

Just to add on to daagh's explanation.

In the given sentence...

The sun and the moon have the same apparent size in the sky -> Main clause
and the other part is the dependent or subordinate clause.

If the Main clause is followed by a subordinate cluase, we have to use a period, a semicolon or one of the following coordinating conjunction.

For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So

And these coordinating conjunction should be followed by a comma.

Perhaps you meant to say: If the Main clause is followed by another main clause


Perhaps you meant to say: And these coordinating conjunction should be preceded by a comma

I think the first part:the subject are SUN AND EARTH,but the second part the subject is SUN which is omitted

HELLO GUYS..

IMO B is correct..

I TOOK 3 MINS TO ANSWER..as per firsrt sentence,if observed carefully,it says

although sun is 400 timer larger than sun,its also 400 times away from the sun and hence they both look the same..

option D is gramatically correct but doesnt appropriately specify this meaning..

option B,though a bit awkward,is gramatically correct as 2 indep. clauses are joined by SO which is among the fanboys and provides the intended meaning..


HOPE IT HELPS

My reasoning:
A: Wrong; sentence doesn't make sense when "which...Moon" is removed.
C: Wrong; "also...Earth" is a fragment
E: Wrong; misplaced modifier "Four...Earth"
D: Wrong; Sun should be compared to "Moon" not the "Moon's size"
B: Correct; "so" implies "therefore".

MGMAT Explanation:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/pre ... 16284.html

let's understand the meaning of the sentence first:
The Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky.
we are told that Sun is 400 times larger than the Moon, but it is also 400 times farther away from the Earth. Because of the great distance, the sun and the moon appear of the same size.


Let's analyze the errors in the original:
Because X, which is smth, but also smth else + comma + SO
we start with a subordinate clause; thus, we do not need to connect it with SO to the independent clause.
Moreover, because OF THE SUN - suspicious.

let's get to the POE:

A. incorrect as discussed
B. The sun, which smth else, IS smth smth + comma + so..ok so we have 2 IC connected properly, that is fine. don't see any apparent mistakes in this answer choice, but let's check the other answers just to make sure.
C. The S and M have the same apparent size because the SUN, modifier, and also... - we have a subordinate clause starting with BECAUSE - we need a Subject and we need a verb for the subject. here, we do not have any verbs. C is incorrect.
D. what a perfectly designed trap here! priceless. Long noun modifier describing the sun, then we have the subject, then verb then comparison but wait - moon's is written in possessive. the meaning here is: The sun has the same apparent size in the sky as the Moon's apparent size. see how the meaning is now slightly changed?
E. and also - redundant; long modifier+SO -> no, we need the subject right after the modifier.

by POE, we can see that B is the best.

A. Because of the Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, but also 400 times farther away from Earth, so both the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky.
Part in red should be independent clause.

E. Four hundred times larger than the Moon and also 400 times farther away from Earth, so the Sun in the sky has the same apparent size as the Moon.

C. The Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky because the Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, and also 400 times farther away from Earth.

D. Four hundred times larger than the Moon and 400 times farther away from Earth, the Sun has the same apparent size in the sky as the Moon's.
Clause (The sun + has….) as Moon’s (where is subject and verb?) – wrong comparison.

B. The Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, is also 400 times farther away from Earth, so the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky.

Because of the Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, but also 400 times farther away from Earth, so both the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky.

A. Because of the Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, but also 400 times farther away from Earth, so both the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky. - Incorrect: "Because of" needs a result clause.
B. The Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, is also 400 times farther away from Earth, so the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky. - Correct
C. The Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky because the Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, and also 400 times farther away from Earth.
D. Four hundred times larger than the Moon and 400 times farther away from Earth, the Sun has the same apparent size in the sky as the Moon's. Incorrect - Improper Comparison
E. Four hundred times larger than the Moon and also 400 times farther away from Earth, so the Sun in the sky has the same apparent size as the Moon. Incorrect - "Sun in the sky is compared" with "Moon"

Because of the Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, but also 400 times farther away from Earth, so both the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky.

Meaning of the sentence :- sun is 400 times larger than the Moon and also 400 times farther away from Earth, so both the Sun and the Moon seem size in the sky.

because of the sun - doesn't convey the same meaning. Also it's a fragment Because of the Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon,but also 400 times farther away from Earth : But also is wrong.

B. The Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, is also 400 times farther away from Earth, so the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky.
C. The Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky because the Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, and also 400 times farther away from Earth. : fragment sentence
D. Four hundred times larger than the Moon and 400 times farther away from Earth, the Sun has the same apparent size in the sky as the Moon's.
E. Four hundred times larger than the Moon and also 400 times farther away from Earth, so the Sun in the sky has the same apparent size as the Moon.


The Sun, which is 400 times larger than the Moon, is also 400 times farther away from Earth, so the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky.=> I don't understand how causal relationship applies here. The Sun is also 400 times farther away from Earth so the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky. if you remove this modifier - the Sun and the Moon have the same apparent size in the sky, it doesn't convey the meaning at all.