Two months ago I started ten Bromie vines and ten Celie vines on varyi

Question

The following lab notes describe a botanical experiment

Two months ago I started ten Bromie vines and ten Celie vines on varying doses of the nutrient mixture, from 1.0 ml per day to 1.6 ml per day.

The rates of growth for each vine species are highly variable depending upon the amount of nutrient given. While administering one set amount produces one constant rate of growth, there is no clear trend that increasing the amount of nutrient given consistently increases or decreases the growth rate.

Since the nutrient solution and soil mixture is the same for every vine, there must be another explanation for the different rates of growth. Perhaps some other changing factor, such as light, makes the plant more or less able to absorb the nutrient, or possibly some elements of the nutrient are slightly toxic, and the different rates of growth for different amounts represent the shifting balance between the beneficial and harmful effects of the nutrient.

Aakash7 · Answer

@Sajjad1994- Please explain how answer to 3rd statement is NO.

This is explicitly mentioned in the passage: Perhaps some other changing factor, such as light, makes the plant more or less able to absorb the nutrient,

Sajjad1994 · Answer

I am 50/50 with yes and no.

"Since the nutrient solution and soil mixture is the same for every vine, there must be another explanation for the different rates of growth.   Perhaps   some other changing factor, such as light, makes the plant more or less able to absorb the nutrient, or  possibly some elements of the nutrient are slightly toxic , and the different rates of growth for different amounts represent the shifting balance between the beneficial and harmful effects of the nutrient."

If i have to explain it in the favor of "No" i can say the word "perhaps" suggests that the explanation given is doubtful and the author is not sure about the different rates of growth, hence the answer to the question, "What makes a plant more or less able to absorb nutrients? is doubtful, so the answer is No.

If i explain it in favor of "yes," i can use the following text from the passage to answer it "Yes": "possibly some elements of the nutrient are slightly toxic, and the different rates of growth for different amounts represent the shifting balance between the beneficial and harmful effects of the nutrient."

The bottom line is that the answer is debatable.

pratiksha1998 · Answer

I think the answer to the 3rd question should be yes, because basis the information given to me I can prvide an answer(light) to the question.

riyasali · Answer

Can someone please explain as to why is the second one "yes"

Cowtommi · Answer

'Amount of nutrient given' and 'rate of growth' is not directly proportional, however, we can certainly know if we give X amount, Y rate of growth.

Celie
X = 1.0 // Y = 2.4
 X = 1.2 // Y = 3.5
 X = 1.4 // Y = 3.0
 X = 1.5 // Y = 4.5
 X = 1.6 // Y = 3.3

Would giving a Celie vine 1.5 ml of nutrient per day produce a consistent rate of growth?
-> Yes we can answer this question as 4.5

Feb2024 · Answer

Hello  Sajjad1994

Can you please provide the original answer to this question?

Thanking you in Advance!

kirallight · Answer

I think for the 3rd the reason "NO" is the answer because, the author mentions that in last paragraph
 .

This perhaps and possibly feels like even the author is not confident that could be the correct explanation for the different growth rates.

AmirSafwan · Answer

Regarding 1st option.

The passage clearly states that →

Why the answer is "No"?

Cowtommi · Answer

1. Result :  The rates of growth  for each vine species are highly variable
Cause : the amount of nutrient given

2. Result :  Variable rates of growth  in the vines
Cause : ???

Two sentence seems similar but different.

Q2 is asking the cause of "Variable rates" not just "rates".

Hint is givin in the notes as,

First hint  : "  While administering one set amount produces one constant rate of growth,  there is no clear trend that increasing the amount of nutrient given consistently increases or decreases the growth rate. "

Second hint  : "there must be another explanation for the  different rates of growth "

ARYAKASHANDILYA · Answer

explain the second statement, why its a yes?

Cowtommi · Answer

Every dose result in consistent rate of growth.

( While administering one set amount produces one constant rate of growth,)

Just growth rate is variable.

more amount = more growth (not true)

certain amount = certain growth (true)

SmileAndSolve · Answer

The passage says:
 
The passage  speculates  about possible causes.

'The rates of growth for each vine species are highly variable depending upon the amount of nutrient given.' That line states an  association , not a  cause . In science, correlation ≠ causation. So while  amount of nutrient  influences variability, the  underlying cause of variability  remains unknown.

udayram_56 · Answer

Perhaps some other changing factor, such as light, makes the plant more or less able to absorb the nutrient

SamMenon · Answer

EXPLANATION:

Q1 (cause?) : Not answered—only hypotheses given. 
  Q2 (Celie at 1.5 ml consistent?) : Yes—notes explicitly say a fixed dose yields a constant rate; graph aligns. 
  Q3 (what affects absorption?) : Not answered—mechanism not established.

Deep Diving and understanding each question:

1) “What causes the variable rates of growth in the vines?” →  No

What we’re given: 
 The notes say growth rates  vary with the amount of nutrient , but also say there is  no clear trend  that “more nutrient ⇒ more growth” or the reverse. 
  About causes: 
 The notes explicitly  speculate  about causes—e.g., “perhaps light makes the plant more or less able to absorb the nutrient,” or “some elements of the nutrient are slightly toxic,” and that different doses might reflect a  balance of beneficial vs. harmful effects .
 These are  hypotheses , not findings. 
  What the graph shows: 
 It only shows, for each dose, the observed growth rate for Bromie/Celie. A graph of outcomes  cannot establish the cause  behind those outcomes. 
  Conclusion:  We are not told  which factor actually causes  the variability; therefore the question  cannot be answered .

2) “Would giving a Celie vine 1.5 ml of nutrient per day produce a consistent rate of growth?” →  Yes

Key line in the notes: 
 “ Administering one set amount produces one constant rate of growth .” 
  Apply to Celie at 1.5 ml/day: 
 1.5 ml/day is a  single, fixed dose . The notes state directly that for any fixed dose, the growth rate is  constant/consistent . 
  Graph support: 
 At  1.5 ml , the Celie (red) curve shows a single rate (≈  4–4.5 cm/week ), consistent with the “one dose → one constant rate” statement. 
  Conclusion:  Under the same experimental conditions, a Celie vine given  1.5 ml/day  would have a  consistent  (constant) growth rate. Hence  Yes .  
 (Important nuance: “consistent” here means stable for that fixed dose over time within the experiment’s conditions; it does  not  mean the same across different doses.)

3) “What makes a plant more or less able to absorb nutrients?” →  No

What we’re given: 
 The notes again  speculate : maybe  light  affects absorption; maybe slight  toxicity  at some doses; maybe a  benefit–harm trade-off .
 None of these are  measured or confirmed . 
  Graph limitations: 
 The graph shows  outcomes (growth rates)  vs  dose , not the underlying  mechanism of absorption . 
  Conclusion:  We are not told  what actually makes  the plants more or less able to absorb nutrients; so the question  cannot be answered .

Two months ago I started ten Bromie vines and ten Celie vines on varyi

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Yes	No
		What causes the variable rates of growth in the vines?
		Would giving a Celie vine 1.5 ml of nutrient per day produce a consistent rate of growth?
		What makes a plant more or less able to absorb nutrients?

GMAT Multi-Source Reasoning (MSR) Questions

Two months ago I started ten Bromie vines and ten Celie vines on varyi

Prep Toolkit

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

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards