The highest number of structural fires in the country are in

Question

The highest number of structural fires in the country are in Buffalo, New York, which the cause of fourteen percent of them were deliberately set or are suspected of having been deliberately set. A. which the cause of fourteen percent of them were B. where the cause of fourteen percent of them were C. where fourteen percent of the fires were D. which has fourteen percent of the fires E. in which fourteen percent of them have fires Source: https://gmat-strategies.com/gmat-senten ... on-quiz-1/ OA is clear, but I have one specific problem: Should it be correct: The highest number of fires IS?

Mackieman · Answer

The number  of students  is  
 A number  of students  are

craky · Answer

That's exactly what I am talking about.

daagh · Answer

There is something wrong with the text. Because  the highest numbe r can be only one number, we mark the superlative forms of the adjectives with the definite article ‘the’. So the highest number and the plural verb ‘ are ’ can not go hand-in-hand.

Similarly, is fourteen percent countable or non-countable? IMO, fourteen percent marks a certain volume. All volumes take the singular verbs. Hence you can not use fourteen percent with a plural verb such as  ‘are or were’ . Otherwise we have to go out of the way to defend the plural verb saying that the verb in this case is being decided by the object of the preposition ‘of’, namely ‘fires’,

gmatpapa · Answer

C clearly modifies Buffalo. Best answer.

The highest number of structural fires in the country are in

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