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GyMrAT
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In one study of a particular plant species, 70 percent of the plants 18 Jun 2018, 01:43
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Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

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55% (hard)

Question Stats:

64% (01:45) correct 36% (01:56) wrong based on 758 sessions

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In one study of a particular plant species, 70 percent of the plants studied were reported as having patterned stems. In a second study, which covered approximately the same geographical area, only 40 percent of the plants of that species were reported as having patterned stems.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above?

(A) The first study was carried out at the time of year when plants of the species are at their most populous.

(B) The first study, but not the second study, also collected information about patterned stems in other plant species.

(C) The second study included approximately 15 percent more individual plants than the first study did.

(D) The first study used a broader definition of “patterned.”

(E) The focus of the second study was patterned stems, while the first study collected information about patterned stems only as a secondary goal.


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D
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akash3074
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In one study of a particular plant species, 70 percent of the plants 18 Jun 2018, 01:54
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Is it c?
It states that the 40-30=10% of the other pattern is from 15% more individuals.

Sent from my SM-G610F using GMAT Club Forum mobile app
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GyMrAT
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In one study of a particular plant species, 70 percent of the plants 18 Jun 2018, 05:03
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akash3074
Is it c?
It states that the 40-30=10% of the other pattern is from 15% more individuals.

Sent from my SM-G610F using GMAT Club Forum mobile app
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Lets consider the # of total plants in Study 1 are 100, hence 70 have patterned stems.

Study 2, covers the same geographical area & reports 40% plants as with patterned stems.

Choice C, in order to explain the discrepancy states that Study 2 included 15% more plants than Study 1.

Hence 115 plants, out of which 40% have patterned stems, which is = (40/100)*115 = 46

If the reasoning in Choice C is true than there should be atleast 70 plants with patterned stems.

Hence Choice C is incorrect.

Try analyzing the two premises individually & determine a flaw in either or both premises which can explain the discrepancy.


Hope it helps.


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GyM
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In one study of a particular plant species, 70 percent of the plants 18 Jun 2018, 08:02
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Shivesh3185
What is the correct answer..?
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The correct answer (OA) is given under the spoiler in the first post. It's D.
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In one study of a particular plant species, 70 percent of the plants 18 Jun 2018, 13:03
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Since the question stem involves percentages, the answer choices with numbers are likely to be the dubious ones. Between A and D: Even if the population was more during the first study and less during the second study, the issue is about the percentage of plants with patterned stems. Whatever might be the numbers, if both the studies were using similar methodologies, definitions, covering the same areas in the similar ways then the percentages or ratios should have been the same, whatever be the season of the year. But since that did not happen, then definitely both the studies were using different methodologies or were using different terms or defined the same terms differently. D hits the point just right.
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In one study of a particular plant species, 70 percent of the plants 26 Jun 2018, 16:18
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Quote:
In one study of a particular plant species, 70 percent of the plants studied were reported as having patterned stems. In a second study, which covered approximately the same geographical area, only 40 percent of the plants of that species were reported as having patterned stems.
Show more

Quote:
(A) The first study was carried out at the time of year when plants of the species are at their most populous.
Show more
Here we don't know exactly the population of patterned stem species is higher or not. It's given about the whole species. There can be a chance that non-patterned plant population was higher. So, we can eliminate this option.

Quote:
(B) The first study, but not the second study, also collected information about patterned stems in other plant species.
Show more
It is totally irrelevant as the study was about the specific species. It is totally out of scope.

Quote:
(C) The second study included approximately 15 percent more individual plants than the first study did.
Show more
Here we can't get a reduction of 30% with the addition of only 15% more plants. We can reject this option.

Quote:
(D) The first study used a broader definition of “patterned.”
Show more
This seems correct. As the study used a broader definition it might have included a wider range of plants within the patterned category. Let's keep it.

Quote:
(E) The focus of the second study was patterned stems, while the first study collected information about patterned stems only as a secondary goal.
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This is totally misleading. We don't have a firm conclusion out of it.

So the best option is D.
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In one study of a particular plant species, 70 percent of the plants 08 Feb 2026, 06:48
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