An eightfold or ninefold increase over 1800, it is estimated that

Question

An eightfold or ninefold increase  over 1800, it is estimated that in the course of the nineteenth century eight or nine million square miles of land were settled in North and South America and Oceania.

(A)over 1800, it is estimated that in the course of the nineteenth century eight or nine million square miles of land were settled in North and South America and Oceania

(B) over 1800, in the course of the nineteenth century, it is estimated, eight or nine million square miles of land were settled in North and South America and Oceania

(C) over the number in 1800, eight or nine million square miles of land in North and South America and Oceania were settled in the course of the nineteenth century

(D)over that of 1800, it is estimated that in the course of the nineteenth century eight or nine million square miles of land in North and South America and Oceania were settled

(E) over the area occupied in those regions in 1800, an estimated eight or nine million square miles of land were settled in North and South America and Oceania in the course of the nineteenth century.

Crytiocanalyst · Answer

(A)over 1800, it is estimated that in the course of the nineteenth century eight or nine million square miles of land were settled in North and South America and Oceania
You could argue what does 'it' refer back to, has no reference , however this juggernaut plays hell lot of roles where in here its not acting as a pronoun but rather used a tool to state a fact , the sentence structure and meaning is fine therefore let us hang on to it 
 
(B) over 1800, in the course of the nineteenth century, it is estimated, eight or nine million square miles of land were settled in North and South America and Oceania
i guess there is no real reasoning to eleminate just that A better conveys the meaning therefore ..........-------->

(C) over the number in 1800, eight or nine million square miles of land in North and South America and Oceania were settled in the course of the nineteenth century
what number ??? can we summon anyone or refer back to no .......so kick it out

(D)over that of 1800, it is estimated that in the course of the nineteenth century eight or nine million square miles of land in North and South America and Oceania were settled
now 'that' is a problem what exactly is it latching on to no clue , clear cut reasoning to eleminate therefore out

(E) over the area occupied in those regions in 1800, an estimated eight or nine million square miles of land were settled in North and South America and Oceania in the course of the nineteenth century.
'those ' region please DM me if you get any idea exactly it's intending therefore out

THerefore IMO A

harsh497 · Answer

Why do we have such questions here without any OE?
 figjam786  Do you have OE for this question?

Questions without explanation do nothing to enhance GMAT learning and confuse the test takers.

Anveshakashyap · Answer

How is it not C or E, shouldn???t it have something more than just 1800. It seems like in A we are increasing the actual number by eightfold.

RonTargetTestPrep · Answer

1800 is a year, not a quantity.

I can see how you might initially misread "1800" as a quantifier of land area, but the rest of the sentence describes what happened "over the course of the 19th century"—i.e., over the years 1800-1899. 
This clue (along with the fact that 8 x 1,800 or 9 x 1,800 is not almost 10,000,000) allows you to deduce that the early part of the sentence is talking about the year 1800.

VerbalBot · Answer

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An eightfold or ninefold increase over 1800, it is estimated that

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An eightfold or ninefold increase over 1800, it is estimated that

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