Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million residents of

Question

Project SC Butler: Day 179: Sentence Correction (SC1) 
 For SC butler Questions  Click Here

Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million  residents of New York City are African-American, the nation's most populous city did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989.

A) Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million

B) Although nearly 30 percent of over 9 million of the

C) Although the nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million

D) Despite the fact that nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million

E) Despite the fact that, of over 9 million, nearly 30 percent of the

generis · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Project SC Butler: Day 179: Sentence Correction (SC1)

• HIGHLIGHTS

This sentence intends to highlight that out of all the many residents of NYC, African Americans constitute nearly 30 percent of all of those residents. One-third of any population is a considerable presence, so it is surprising that NYC did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989.

The word "the" is key. It is used to "capture" or point to all of the NYC residents.
If we use "the," we mean that there are [only] more than 9 million residents.

If we do not use "the," we might mean that there are more than 9 million residents.
-- Although nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million residents of New York City are African American . . . . →→
There might be 12 million NYC residents.
So which 9 million (of possibly 12 million) are we talking about?

A doctor vaccinated the more than 2,000 children in the refugee camp.
(There are more than 2,000 children in the refugee camp, and she vaccinated all of them.)

A doctor vaccinated more than the 2,000 children in the refugee camp.
(There are 2,000 children in the refugee camp, and the doctor vaccinated all of them as well as more children from somewhere else.)

Core idea:
-- the word THE before a class, category, or set of people does one of two things:
(1) it refers to the abstract category, or
(2) it refers to 100% of the members of that class.

• POE

Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million residents of New York City are African-American, the nation's most populous city did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989.

Quote:

A) Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million residents of New York City are African-American, the nation's most populous city did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989.

• There are more than 9 million residents in NYC. Out of that more than 9 million, nearly 30 percent are African-American.
• Although is a concise way to indicate that the result is surprising.
• The sentence makes sense: of the more than 9 million NYC residents, nearly 30 percent are African-American.
The word "the" both captures all the NYC residents and confines the number to between 9,000,001 and 9,999,999 residents.
(There are not 10 million.
KEEP

Quote:

B) Although nearly 30 percent of over 9 million of the residents of New York City are African-American, the nation's most populous city did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989.

• 9 million of "the" residents? The placement changes the meaning.
-- NYC may have 12 million residents. This sentence points to nearly 30 percent of 9 million of those residents.
• Maybe those 9 million live in Manhattan and the other 3 million live in the boroughs. We don't know. There may be 20 million residents.
All we know is that 30 percent of some group of 9 million residents are African American.
Wrong meaning.
Eliminate B.

Quote:

C) Although the nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million

• This sentence is like B. It is focused on "the" 30 percent of more than 9 million residents.
-- But there could be 12, 14, or 20 million residents.
• This sentence does not capture all of the residents of NYC.
Eliminate C

Quote:

D) Despite the fact that nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million

• If an option with "although" is available, choose it over despite the fact that. Concision.
• Again we face a group without an upper limit while simultaneously we are saddled with a lower limit of 9 million.
And again we lose the "nearly 1/3" guarantee.
This sentence allows for this scenario: There are 18 million NYC residents, 9 million of whom live in Manhattan. African Americans constitute nearly 1/3 of the Manhattan 9 million. There are at least 2,700,000 African Americans. But if there are 18 million residents, then African Americans constitute only 15 percent of the population, not 30 percent, and the absence of a black mayor until 1989 does not seem so strange.
Eliminate D

Quote:

E) Despite the fact that, of over 9 million, nearly 30 percent of the

• hot mess.
• still missing a the (and a more). We face the same problems as those in the other options
Eliminate E

The answer is A

• NOTES
This question is probably based on this official question, here.

The construction is very common in U.S. written English.
I ran a quick search and pulled up dozens of hits.
Four articles in the NY Times that contain the phrase are listed in the footnote.

COMMENTS

If you posted, you were brave.
I admire courage. Kudos to all.

** "the more than" - The New York Times online, Jully 2019 - October 2019
Among the more than 16,200 condo units across 682 new buildings completed in New York City since 2013, one in four remain unsold, or roughly 4,100 apartments — most of them in luxury buildings, according to a new analysis by the listing website StreetEasy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/13/real ... -york.html

Like all New Yorkers, the more than half a million people who live in public housing deserve safe and clean homes, and basic respect
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/30/opin ... nycha.html

That was code for one specific smoke detector among the more than 160 detectors and manual alarms in the complex.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... -dame.html

Many of the more than 4,000 cabdrivers who bought medallions in that period were low-income immigrants who did not speak English fluently and signed interest-only loans or other lopsided agreements.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/10/nyre ... ation.html

SonGoku · Answer

Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million  residents of New York City are African-American, the nation's most populous city did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989.

The makes the residents singular and it should have a singular verb.
Here we have plural verb are after the underlined portion.So eliminate A

the at the end of the underlined portion makes the sentence makes the residents singular and it should have a singular verb.
Here we have plural verb are after the underlined portion.So eliminate B
 
same error as in B

correct

Despite the fact that must be followed by a clause , not modifier.

SonGoku · Answer

Hello  generis ,

Looks like the 2 questions(Links) posted yesterday are the same.

generis · Answer

SonGoku , thank you. Here is the link to the second question: https://gmatclub.com/forum/after-junko- ... 08446.html I will edit the other link. Thank you!

lacktutor · Answer

A) “...the more than...” is not a correct approach by using ‘the’ before ‘more than’.

B) “... over 9 million of the residents...” is not correct.

C) “... the nearly 30 percent...” 
—> ‘the’ is not used correctly.

E) Clearly incorrect. 
There is a meaning change
—> ‘over 9 million’ is not equal to 30 percent of the residents.

D is the correct answer. Seems everything is fine.

Posted from my mobile device

kunaldutt15 · Answer

Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million residents of New York City are African-American, the nation's most populous city did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989.

A) Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million
 "the more than" is incorrect usage. "Over 9 million" should have been used instead.

B) Although nearly 30 percent of over 9 million of the
 Usage of "of the" at the end of the sentence is incorrect. The sentence would have been fine without it.

C) Although the nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million
 The "the" after although should not be there.

D) Despite the fact that nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million
 Correct.

E) Despite the fact that, of over 9 million, nearly 30 percent of the
 The phrase "of over 9 million" is placed incorrectly.

J2S2019 · Answer

IMO the correct answer is D Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million residents of New York City are African-American, the nation's most populous city did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989. The word "Residents " is in the underlined portion, now "more than 9 million" should come just before "residents" in order to correctly modify "residents" without the use of any other preposition in between. generis , this was my own reasoning to eliminate B & E, just waiting for your OE to publish.

Option B & E are incorrect for this. A) Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million - Incorrect B) Although nearly 30 percent of over 9 million of the - Incorrect C) Although the nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million - Incorrect D) Despite the fact that nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million - Correct E) Despite the fact that, of over 9 million, nearly 30 percent of the - Incorrect

joohwangie · Answer

Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million residents of New York City are African-American, the nation's most populous city did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989.

A) Although nearly 30 percent of  the  more than 9 million -- "the" shouldn't be there

B) Although nearly 30 percent of over 9 million of  the  -- "the" shouldn't be there

C) Although  the  nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million -- "the" shouldn't be there

D) Despite the fact that nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million -- correct good flow

E) Despite the fact that , of over 9 million,  nearly 30 percent of the --awkward over 9 million should be near residents of nyc

Therefore, D

eakabuah · Answer

generis my reasoning went up the roof on this one. I would still have posted if not for the fact that I have some commitments for the day that require I start my day early. Time in Ghana is almost 6 am on Saturday. Hopefully, I will catch up with your explanations later in the evening when I get back home.

PS. I like the quote on instructions for living a life.

PS. I like the quote on instructions for living a life.

generis · Answer

I have posted the official explanation  here

zhanbo · Answer

Ha! It took me 00:37 to choose the correct answer....But I was not brave enough to post. My bad!

mykrasovski · Answer

generis it is a massive coincidence, but I watched a video by Ron Purewal in which he discussed the usage of "the" before numbers. I wish I watched it before I did this particular problem

Thank you!

aarushisingla · Answer

Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million residents of New York City are African-American, the nation's most populous city did not elect its first African-American mayor until 1989.
• There are more than 9 million residents in NYC. Out of that more than 9 million, nearly 30 percent are African-American.
• Although is a concise way to indicate that the result is surprising.
• The sentence makes sense: of the more than 9 million NYC residents, nearly 30 percent are African-American.
 The word "the" both captures all the NYC residents and confines the number to between 9,000,001 and 9,999,999 residents. 
(There are not 10 million.

Can someone please explain the highlighted part ?

MI83 · Answer

Hi, may you share the respective video thread.

MI83 · Answer

I think the main reason for choosing A) over B) is that numbers are required to be preceded by the ( or it, its etc...).

C & E are wrong, D is not concise.

Crytiocanalyst · Answer

A) Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million 
The meaning is perfect and its consice therefore let us hang on to it

B) Although nearly 30 percent of over 9 million of the
more is preferd and the usage of the distorts the meaning

C) Although the nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million
The placement of the distorts the meaning hence out

D) Despite the fact that nearly 30 percent of more than 9 million
despite isn't consice therefore A feels better

E) Despite the fact that, of over 9 million, nearly 30 percent of the
unnecessary intriduction of commas distorts the meaning makes it a complete mess

Therefore IMO A

VerbalBot · Answer

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Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million residents of

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Although nearly 30 percent of the more than 9 million residents of

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

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My Rewards