The word “mathematics” has no generally accepted definition: the numer

Magoosh Official Explanation:

A question about mathematics, a topic near and dear to Mike’s heart! The answer choices are very different, so each needs to be analyzed separately.

Choice (A): if the word “which” refers to “numerical and algebraic relationships,” then it’s plural and requires a plural verb, so the singular verbs “is” and “doesn’t” present SVA errors. Also, the construction “doesn’t have a relationship with” is very casual and sloppy: this would not appear in formal academic writing. For a variety of reasons, this choice is incorrect.

Choice (B): here, a clause is a subject of a verb. In general, a clause is construed as a singular subject. Here, the clause “what the word means for most people” is singular, but there’s a plural verb: another SVA error. This too has the unfortunately “have a relationship with” construction. For multiple reasons, this choice is incorrect.

Choice (C): this construction lacks a verb, so what follows the colon is not an independent clause. This is tricky. What follows a colon can simply be a noun or a noun-phrase if we are giving examples or providing an identity.

“... chamber music: string quartets, piano trios, and so forth.”

“... the second-largest country on Earth: Canada.”

Here, what immediately precedes the colon is the phrase “generally accepted definition.” What follows the clause is not going to be an example of this, because the first part says it doesn’t exist.

What we need here is additional clarification, precisely because the fact stated in the first part of the sentence may seems surprising to some people. For this, we need an explanation, and an explanation requires a full clause after the colon.

Thus, we need a full clause, and this choice commits the famous missing verb mistake. This choice is incorrect.

Choice (D): this version is elegant and sophisticated. It correctly sets off the examples in double em-dashes. The phrase “has little bearing on” is a very sophisticated phrase. This entire choice is problem-free.

Choice (E): the phrase “what most people think about” is colloquial and logically imprecise. Do most people out there think about numerical and algebraic relationships?? Furthermore, as a subject, this clause should be construed as singular, but it has a plural verb “are”—another SVA error. This choice is incorrect.

The only possible choice is (D).