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The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid 27 Feb 2022, 05:29
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SUV0508
I didn't like the answer choices. In option C, "future problem" sounds awkward, especially when the phrase is modified by "insufficient cash flow"
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Hello SUV0508,

We hope this finds you well.

It is important to remember, that on the GMAT awkwardness is not a dealbreaker; an answer choice can seem awkward to our ears but still be entirely correct. Awkwardness should only be taken into account if there are multiple answer choices that are otherwise error-free.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid 13 Apr 2022, 12:28
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GMATNinja, daagh,

Can you please explain this problem??
Quote:
(A) The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future.
Here we have, "The methods {...} are not able..."

This isn't great because it's not the methods themselves that are able (or not able) to do something in this context. Instead, it's the people or things using those methods that are able (or not able) to do something.

Also, "a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future" sounds like a present tense problem. But how is insufficient cash flow in the future a problem now?

I'm tempted to eliminate (A), but I want to see if another option fixes the problems first, so let's hang onto it for now.

Quote:
(B) The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid are not able successfully to be used without creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow.
Same issue here: the wording illogically suggests that the methods themselves are able (or not able) to do something. This one's even a bit worse because "successfully" seems to modify "are not able" when it should modify "be used" instead.

Also, as briefly explained here, "a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow" doesn't make sense. Are we talking about a problem that exists, not in the general future, but in the specific future of insufficient cash flow? Does insufficient cash flow have its own timeline and future?

You could refer to the "future of mankind" (for example), but "future of insufficient cash flow" doesn't work, at least not in this context.

Eliminate (B).

Quote:
(C) The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow.
This one avoids the "methods are not able" problem shared by (A) and (B). Also, "successfully" appropriately modifies "be used".

Lastly, "a future problem of insufficient cash flow" is clearer than what we saw in (A): "a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future." The wording in (C) makes it clear that the cash flow issue is a future problem, rather than a present one.

That's another reason to eliminate (A) and keep (C).

Quote:
(D) The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid cannot be used without succeeding in creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow.
As in (B), "problem in the future of insufficient cash flow" is confusing.

Also, does "succeeding" tie back to "the methods", as if the methods themselves are successfully creating a problem? Or does this sentence imply that in order to use these methods, you first have to successfully create a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow?

The logical meaning is more clear in (C): "successfully" refers to the usage of the methods (by some other person/thing).

That gives us a couple votes in favor of (C) over (D), so we can eliminate this one.

Quote:
(E) The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid cannot be used without succeeding in creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow.
(E) isn't that much different than (C), but it has the same meaning issue we saw in (D).

That leaves us with option (C), where the meaning is perfectly clear, and an option (E), where the meaning is ambiguous. So (C) is our winner.
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Hi GMATNinja

Could you please elaborate more on Option A "Also, "a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future" sounds like a present tense problem. But how is insufficient cash flow in the future a problem now?" I don't understand this. why does it sound like a present tense? "xxx in the future" << Is future problem similar to problem in the future ?

Also, what is the different between "be able to" and "can" ?

Thank you in advance
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The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid 17 Apr 2023, 06:47
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Hi Experts

GMATNinja KarishmaB MartyTargetTestPrep


The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future.

A) are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future

B) are not able successfully to be used without creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

C) cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

D) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

E) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

Isn't option C wrong

What I understood is that
For the methods to be succesfully used , we need to create a future problem of insufficient cash flow

Is this illogical?
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The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid 18 Apr 2023, 03:56
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Vatsal7794
Hi Experts

GMATNinja KarishmaB MartyTargetTestPrep


The methods proposed for reducing the amount of interest to be paid are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future.

A) are not able to be used successfully without creating a problem of insufficient cash flow in the future

B) are not able successfully to be used without creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

C) cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

D) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a problem in the future of insufficient cash flow

E) cannot be used without succeeding in creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow

Isn't option C wrong

What I understood is that
For the methods to be succesfully used , we need to create a future problem of insufficient cash flow

Is this illogical?
Show more

Take another example:
You cannot consume antibiotics without experiencing their side effects.
This means that if you do consume antibiotics, you will experience their side effects.

The methods ... cannot successfully be used without creating a future problem of insufficient cash flow
means if you do use the methods successfully, you will create a future problem of insufficient cash flow.
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