Teachers in this country have generally been trained either

C

Talking about an action here 'approaching mathematics' so as is more appropriate than like, IMO. This eliminates A, B, E

D is not parallel

I'd go with C as it's more formal to use 'as' though, this is a tricky one.

Will go with B too..
Like to compare unlike things..

Should be C.

'...approach maths as [they would approach] a creative activity...'

C for me as well.

"a creative activity" is not an example, so using "like" is not appropriate.

C makes sense. use of "as", which is used at the capacity of, is correct.

similar example: https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=32510

Will go with C.

A - not parallel
B - "like" is incorrect.
D - not parallel
E - "like" is incorrect. also awkward.

OA is C.

OE:

The original sentence incorrectly pairs an infinitive ("to approach") with a clause ("that they should...") in the construction "either X or Y." Moreover, the use of "like" in the phrase "to approach mathematics like a creative activity" is incorrect. :"As" should be used instead.

(A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.

(B) While this choice does contain proper parallel structure, it incorrectly uses "like" instead of "as" in the phrase "to approach mathematics like a creative activity".

(C) CORRECT. The construction "either X or Y" requires parallelism between X and Y. In choice C, both X and Y are parallel infinitive phrases ("to approach . . ." and "to force . . .").

(D) This choice incorrectly pairs a clause ("that they should...") with an infinitive ("to approach") in the construction "either X or Y."

(E) While this choice does create a parallel construction, it awkwardly begins the parallel elements with the words "that they" instead of the infinitive "to." Moreover, this choice incorrectly uses "like" instead of "as" in the phrase "to approach mathematics like a creative activity".

Why??

as should be used only for clauses (phrases with verbs). Then how can we use it with "creative activity"?

Never mind. i got some answers after googling for this.

Sometimes, "as" introduces a noun phrase with no following verb.
When it does, it does not signify a qualitative comparison, but
rather may:

a) indicate a role being played. "They fell on the supplies as men
starving" means that they were actually starving men; in "They fell
on the supplies like men starving", one is *comparing* them to
starving men. "You're acting as a fool" might be appropriate if you
obtained the job of court jester; "You're acting like a fool"
expresses the more usual meaning.

b) introduce examples. ("Some animals, as the fox and the squirrel,
have bushy tails.") "Such as" and "like" are more common in this use.
For the use of "like" here, see the next entry.

c) be short for "as ... as": "He's deaf as a post" means "He's as
deaf as a post" (a quantitative comparison).

https://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxlikevs.html

initially, I chosed B, but now, I agree with C.
here are my thoughts,

Like-
in GMAT OG, "like" is usually is used to make comparison between nouns only.
eg: Like A, B .......
A and B can be logically compared.
eg: Like C, D' book.........
C and D'book can NOT be logically cpmpared.

As
1) its meaning is a bit like "=".
eg: X is regarded as Y........
( X = Y )

2) to make comparison. but "as" is used in the complete sentence with verb unless the repeated nouns can be logically omitted.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here, the answer of this question is C.
i) Math and activity can NOT be logically compared.
( "like" can not be used here )
ii) "as" in C means, Math is thought of as a creative activity.
( Math = creative activity )

open to discuss ~

I'm gonna go with C. Easy to narrow down to B or C. I believe that C properly uses the comparison language of 'as' instead of 'like' in this case.

C. to approach mathematics as a creative activity or to force students to memorize rules and principles

i think all answers are wrong.. "as " used for comparing actions.. since there is no comparision of actions here, C means that teachers=creative activity..

i think correct sentence will be somehting like 'to approach mathematics as they approach creative activity'..

what say ??