For each of five models of computerModels V through Zthe table shows

Question

For each of five models of computer—Models V through Z—the table shows the model's scores on each of three performance tests (Tests A, B, and C). The models are listed in order of better performance, with the best performances at the top.

Model  
  Test A  
  Test B  
  Test C  
 
   X  
 10068 
 87 
 68 
 
   W  
 9675 
 104 
 82 
 
   Y  
 8369 
 121 
 103 
 
   Z  
 7667 
 130 
 93 
 
   V  
 6970 
 119 
 87

For each of the following performance tests, select  Greater scores are better  if greater numerical scores on that performance test indicate better performance. Otherwise, select  Greater scores are worse .

KarishmaB · Accepted Answer

The actual table will be dynamic and you will be able to sort based on the test A, B or C. The best performance would be at the top. If it is the greatest numerical value, then you select "Greater scores are better" for that test. If the smallest score is at the top, then you select "Greater scores are worse".

It doesn't matter how many times you press the button to sort based on a certain test. For A, it should always give the greatest score at the top and for B and C it should always give the least score at the top.

yashikaaggarwal · Answer

In The Following Table,
Test scores are in descending order, from best model to degrading test model.

Where The higher the score, The better is the model. 
Test A is on the top of list. 
So, the test where the greater the score the better the test is Test A.

In Test B and C, X is on the top of the list and didn't score greater in both the test, so Test B and C represent that the greater score is the lesser the quality of the model.

Hence,
Test A: Greater scores are better
Test B: Greater scores are worse
Test C: Greater scores are worse

Posted from my mobile device

mba757 · Answer

Bunuel   chetan2u   VeritasKarishma

Could you please advise on this question?

chetan2u · Answer

The questions requires you to check the test B and C too, a situation that cannot be done here as the table is just a picture and not the actual one.

In the picture, A is sorted out and the numbers are in descending order, so higher the score, higher the position.

But in B and C, I believe when you press the button from top to bottom, the scores will be in ascending order that is smaller to bigger. This would then mean smaller the score, higher the position.

This is what I believe the question should have been. But the actual table can only tell us the exact meaning.

mba757 · Answer

Hi thank you for your response chetan2u!

The strange thing with this problem is that you can filter on columns A, B, and C and depending on whether you click it once or twice, it will either make the values descending or ascending. i.e., you can cut the data in different ways for A, B, and C, so in a way you can argue the opposite too..

quote="chetan2u"]

The questions requires you to check the test B and C too, a situation that cannot be done here as the table is just a picture and not the actual one.

In the picture, A is sorted out and the numbers are in descending order, so higher the score, higher the position.

But in B and C, I believe when you press the button from top to bottom, the scores will be in ascending order that is smaller to bigger. This would then mean smaller the score, higher the position.

This is what I believe the question should have been. But the actual table can only tell us the exact meaning.

chetan2u · Answer

An upside triangle should give us higher to lower, so logically under test B, I believe the upside triangle should give you values in ascending order meaning least value is on top. 
But one can be sure only if the details of test B and C when in some order is given.

It is problematic the way it is given.

MBAToronto2024 · Answer

KarishmaB 
Can you please explain the logic behind? Select everything in reserve order. It's like kind of correlation question.

KarishmaB · Answer

It isn't a correlation question though it makes sense that one would think that it could be assuming if one model performs well on one test, it will perform well on others too. But that is too much of an assumption. A product could be rated very differently on different parameters.

The cause of the entire confusion is the format of the table. I believe that in the actual question in GMAT Prep, the table can be sorted using a test in only one way - either ascending or descending - not both as is present here.

So if you sort the table by Test A, you will get the data in descending order only and since best performances are at the top, greater score in A will mean better performance. You will not be able to sort the data in ascending order on Test A. 
The reverse will be true for tests B and C.

The question would be actually extremely simple when put in the correct format.

arushi118 · Answer

Best performers at the top - so does this mean that the order of performance is: x>w>y>z>v?

shwetakoshija · Answer

Given:   
 
 A table listing five computer models (V through Z) and their scores on Test A, Test B, and Test C. 
 The models are already arranged in order of better overall performance, with the best-performing model at the top.

To Find:  For each test, determine whether greater numerical scores indicate better performance or greater scores indicate worse performance.

Solution:  
 Since the models are already ranked from best (top) to worst (bottom), we compare how scores change as we move down the table.

Statement 1 : Test A 
 
  No new sorting needed since models are already ranked by performance.  
  Observe Test A scores from top to bottom:  10068 - 9675 - 8369 - 7667 - 6970  
 
  Scores decrease as performance worsens.   
 
  Thus, higher Test A scores correspond to better performance.

We mark "Greater scores are better"

Statement 2 : Test B 
 
  No new sorting needed.  
  Observe Test B scores from top to bottom:  87 - 104 - 121 - 130 - 119  
 
  Scores generally increase as performance worsens.   
 
  Thus, higher Test B scores correspond to worse performance.

We mark "Greater scores are worse"

Statement 3 : Test C 
 
  No new sorting needed.  
  Observe Test C scores from top to bottom:  68 - 82 - 103 - 93 - 87  
 
  The best-performing model has the lowest Test C score.  
  Higher values tend to appear lower in the ranking.   
 
  Thus, higher Test C scores correspond to worse performance.

We mark "Greater scores are worse"

Correct Answer: Greater scores are better, Greater scores are worse, Greater scores are worse

Shweta Koshija
GMAT, GRE, SAT Coach for 10+ years

egmat · Answer

Hi arushi118,

Yes, you've got the ranking exactly right! The table tells us the models are listed best to worst from top to bottom, so the overall performance order is X > W > Y > Z > V.

Now, the key question is: for each test, do the scores go UP or DOWN as we move from the best model (X) to the worst model (V)?

Test A:  X =  10068 , W =  9675 , Y =  8369 , Z =  7667 , V =  6970 . Scores DECREASE as performance gets worse. This means higher scores = better performance. So:   Greater scores are better.

Test B:  X =  87 , W =  104 , Y =  121 , Z =  130 , V =  119 . Scores generally INCREASE as performance gets worse. The best model (X) has the LOWEST score of  87 . This means higher scores = worse performance. So:   Greater scores are worse.

Test C:  X =  68 , W =  82 , Y =  103 , Z =  93 , V =  87 . Again, scores generally INCREASE as performance gets worse. The best model (X) has the LOWEST score of  68 . So:   Greater scores are worse.

Key Insight:   You might notice that Tests B and C don't perfectly increase from top to bottom (for example, V has  119  on Test B, which is less than Z's  130 ).  That's okay — don't fall into the trap of expecting a perfect sequence.  The question says the models are ranked by OVERALL performance, not by any single test. The general trend is what matters, and the trend clearly shows that better-performing models have lower scores on Tests B and C.

Advait01 · Answer

Where The higher the score, The better is the model.
Test A is on the top of list.
So, the test where the greater the score the better the test is Test A.

In Test B and C, X is on the top of the list and didn't score greater in both the test, so Test B and C represent that the greater score is the lesser the quality of the model.

Hence,
Test A: Greater scores are better
Test B: Greater scores are worse
Test C: Greater scores are worse

FrozenDragon · Answer

So  egmat  can you confirm that trick here is to find co-relation for Test B and C with respect to ranking ? By ranking, I mean the rank which is already given, without changing the order manually.

egmat · Answer

Hi @Gmat860sanskar,

Yes, correct. You  keep the ranking as given  (X > W > Y > Z > V) and never re-sort it yourself. The models are already ordered by overall performance, so that fixed order is your reference line.

For each test column, all you do is read the scores top-to-bottom against that fixed order and ask: as performance gets  worse  (moving down), do the numbers go up or down?

Test A:10068  →  9675  →  8369  →  7667  →  6970 . Numbers fall as performance worsens → big scores sit with the best models →  Greater scores are better. 
 Test B:87  →  104  →  121  →  130  →  119 . Numbers generally rise as performance worsens →  Greater scores are worse. 
 Test C:68  →  82  →  103  →  93  →  87 . Same upward drift →  Greater scores are worse.

One small refinement on the word "correlation." You're not computing a statistical correlation, and you're not assuming a model that does well on one test does well on others. You're just reading the  direction  each test's scores move along the already-fixed ranking. That's why the imperfect bumps (V's  119  dipping below Z's  130 ) don't matter - you only need the overall trend, not a perfect sequence.

Quick rehearsal to lock it in. Say three models are ranked best→worst and a test reads  5 ,  8 ,  12 . The best model has the smallest number, so larger = worse. Flip it to  12 ,  8 ,  5  and larger = better. You never reorder the rows - you just watch which end the big numbers land on.

Answer: Test A: Greater scores are better; Test B: Greater scores are worse; Test C: Greater scores are worse

bharathhr · Answer

The question doesnt mention explicitly the order is based on overall better performance , I was confused whether X IS ALSO BETTER PERFORMER OF B and C also .

egmat · Answer

Hi bharathhr,

You're right on the literal wording: the stem never says "overall." It only says the models are  "listed in order of better performance, with the best performances at the top."  Fair catch.

Here's what settles it, using the table itself. That line hands you  one  ranking: X, W, Y, Z, V. Now try to reproduce that order from a single column:

- By  Test B  alone:  87 ,  104 ,  119 ,  121 ,  130  -> X, W,  V , Y, Z (or the exact reverse). Not the given order.
- By  Test C  alone:  68 ,  82 ,  87 ,  93 ,  103  -> X, W,  V , Z, Y (or the reverse). Not the given order either.
- By  Test A  alone:  10068 ,  9675 ,  8369 ,  7667 ,  6970  -> X, W, Y, Z, V. This one matches.

So the listed ranking is not a copy of Test B or Test C in either direction - it has to be a combined judgment across all three tests. That is what "in order of better performance" means here, even without the word "overall" printed in the stem.

Now the part you actually asked about:  yes, X is the better performer on Tests B and C too.  That is exactly what the answer is telling you. On those two tests greater scores are  worse , so X's  87  and  68  - the lowest numbers in each column - are the best performances in the table. X tops all three tests. It just doesn't top B and C with the biggest number.

The gap worth closing

"Better performance" and "higher number" are not the same thing until the question tells you which way a column runs. Here, working out that direction  is  the task.

Quick rehearsal: rank three sprinters best -> worst, and their finish times read  9.8 ,  10.4 ,  11.1 . The best runner owns the  smallest  number, so on that column greater is worse. Same reading move, one glance.

Answer: Test A: Greater scores are better; Test B: Greater scores are worse; Test C: Greater scores are worse

For each of five models of computerModels V through Zthe table shows

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Greater scores are better	Greater scores are worse
		Test A
		Test B
		Test C

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