The graph shows, for each of 12 randomly selected dates, the number of

Question

https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?id=76398 The graph shows, for each of 12 randomly selected dates, the number of cats housed in a facility that cares for lost and abandoned cats. Throughout the time shown, the facility had a guideline that the combined floor space of areas in which cats were kept should equal or exceed 1 square meter per cat. Until March 2016, the facility kept all cats together in a room whose dimensions were 3 meters by 5 meters. From March 2016 on, the cats were distributed equally between this and a second room of the same size. Based on the information provided, select from each drop-down menu the option that creates the most accurate statement. Based on the information provided in the graph and in the accompanying text, on exactly GRAPH_1_PLACEHOLDER of the 2015 dates shown and on exactly GRAPH_2_PLACEHOLDER of the 2016 dates shown, the facility was NOT in compliance with the stated guideline for floor space per cat. Screenshot 2024-05-09 233245.jpg

Swagatalaxmi · Answer

I can't understand how the answer for dropdown 2 is 2. I get the answer as 1

sayan640 · Answer

This is a simple graph to decipher . Find the ratio of area and the no. of cats.
This ratio has to be greater than 1 or equal to 1.
The area till March '16 is 3*5 = 15 m ^2 and after that it is double to that i.e 30 m^2.
Take the first bar of 16th March , 2015.
The no of cats is 5.
Hence the ratio is 15/5 = 3 . Since the ratio is greater than 1 , the guideline was not violated.
Now check for the month of October . It is more than 15 ( approx 18 ) . Hence , 15/18 becomes less than 1 and guideline gets violated.
In the same way for the month of Feb ' 2016 and July 2016 , the guideline gets violated.
For the month , the numerator will become 30 m^2 instead 15^2.
Hence , for 2015 , 1 month which October and for 2016 , there are two months i.e Feb and July in which guidelines are violated.
Ans :- 1 and 2.
Nice Question.

Swagatalaxmi · Answer

Got it! Thanks! I missed the point that the Feb reading is before March 2016 when the requirements changed from 15 m2 to 30 m2. I counted that under 30 m2 as well! Silly mistake in the heat of time crunch!

sghosh1096 · Answer

For 2016 we get 2.
Before March 2016 we get 1 date where no of cats > 15

and after March 2016 we get 1 date where no of cats >30 (since 2 rooms 3*5 m^2)

DonBosco7 · Answer

Great Question, this is one of the question where your observation and paying attention to details skill truly matter.
Pay attention to this line in the stem  From March 2016 on, the cats were distributed equally between this and a second room of the same size. 
And Observe that  the graph also gives you data for 17 Feb 2016.

naurinho17 · Answer

The guideline is minimum 1m2 per a cat, so in 3mx5m room only 15 cats can be kept. After March 2016 this quantity is doubled.

egmat · Answer

This question tests your ability to work with changing constraints over time—something that can trip you up if you're not careful about which capacity limit applies to which dates. Let's break this down step by step so you can see exactly how to approach it.

Understanding the Setup

First, you need to figure out what capacity the facility had during different time periods:

Before March 2016:  One room of  3 	imes 5 = 15  square meters. Since the guideline requires 1 square meter per cat, the facility could house up to 15 cats while staying compliant. 
  From March 2016 onward:  Two rooms of the same size, so  15 + 15 = 30  square meters total. This means up to 30 cats could be housed while staying compliant.

Critical point:  February 2016 is still "before March 2016," so it uses the 15-cat limit, not 30! This is the detail that catches most students.

Checking 2015 Dates

Now let's look at each 2015 date on the graph and see if the cat count exceeded 15:

March 16, 2015: ~5 cats ✓ (compliant) 
 May 1, 2015: ~14 cats ✓ (compliant) 
 June 13, 2015: ~13 cats ✓ (compliant) 
 August 4, 2015: ~10 cats ✓ (compliant) 
 October 31, 2015: ~18 cats ✗ (NON-compliant—exceeds 15) 
 December 31, 2015: ~8 cats ✓ (compliant)

So in 2015, exactly  1 date  was non-compliant.

Checking 2016 Dates

For 2016, you need to be careful about which capacity limit applies:

February 17, 2016: ~18 cats, limit is 15 ✗ (NON-compliant) 
 April 8, 2016: ~26 cats, limit is 30 ✓ (compliant) 
 June 5, 2016: ~28 cats, limit is 30 ✓ (compliant) 
 July 16, 2016: ~35 cats, limit is 30 ✗ (NON-compliant—exceeds even the expanded capacity!) 
 October 2, 2016: ~23 cats, limit is 30 ✓ (compliant) 
 November 12, 2016: ~25 cats, limit is 30 ✓ (compliant)

So in 2016, exactly  2 dates  were non-compliant.

Final Answer: 
 
 Blank 1 (2015): 1 
 Blank 2 (2016): 2

The key insight here is recognizing that the capacity changes mid-timeline and applying the correct limit to each date—especially catching that February 2016 falls under the old rules.

Want to master Data Insights questions systematically?

You can check out the  step-by-step solution on Neuron by e-GMAT  to master the systematic framework for graph interpretation questions with changing constraints. You can also explore other GMAT official questions with detailed solutions on Neuron for structured practice  here .

The graph shows, for each of 12 randomly selected dates, the number of

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