The local board of education found that, because the current physics

Question

The local board of education found that, because the current physics curriculum has little direct relevance to today’s world, physics classes attracted few high school students. So to attract students to physics classes, the board proposed a curriculum that emphasizes principles of physics involved in producing and analyzing visual images.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest reason to expect that the proposed curriculum will be successful in attracting students?

(A) Several of the fundamental principles of physics are involved in producing and analyzing visual images.

(B) Knowledge of physics is becoming increasingly important in understanding the technology used in today’s world.

(C) Equipment that a large producer of photographic equipment has donated to the high school could be used in the proposed curriculum.

(D) The number of students interested in physics today is much lower than the number of students interested in physics 50 years ago.

(E) In today’s world the production and analysis of visual images is of major importance in communications, business, and recreation.

ID: 100950

KyleWiddison · Accepted Answer

I like this response, so I will just add to it a bit. The purpose of this question is to see if you can create a stronger bond between the premises to the conclusion. Premise: Curriculum isn't relevant so fewer students. Conclusion: To get more students the board will emphasize physics involved in producing visual images. There is a logical gap here (or assumption) - somehow this new curriculum of visual images must be more relevant in today's world. Since we are strengthening the conclusion, we want an answer choice that explicitly states what we are assuming to be true.

Answer choice E explicitly states our assumption. Visual images are very relelvant in today's world, so our conclusion that the course will attract more students (due to relevancy of curriculum) has been strenghtened.

KW

piyatiwari · Answer

E is the right one.

Meaning : Current curriculum is less relevant to today’s world -> attracting less students. To attract students -> change curriculum to emphasize X thing. 
So we will look for answer choice which would explain importance of X, or that students are attracted to subjects involving X.

E satisfies this:

(E) In today’s world the production and analysis of visual images is of major importance in communications, business, and recreation.

mohan514 · Answer

its e because it is only option whjich weakens the conclusion
here i was struck with option a for a while
but after going through e i thoroughly picked it

jogorhu · Answer

I answered this one incorrectly at first.

Here is my thinking from the second time around:

Curriculum with little relevance >>> Low attendance

Curriculum with Production and Visual images is more relevant >>> So more people will attend

We assume that Production and Visual Images is relevant .

Strengthen: Production and Visual Images IS relevant.

Does my reasoning make sense?

KyleWiddison · Answer

Yes, your reasoning makes sense - you need to find an answer choice that states your assumption that Production and Visual Images are relevant (E is that answer).

KW

anon12 · Answer

It should be   fewer   - GMAT Style.

PerseveranceWins · Answer

The local board of education found that, because the current physics curriculum has little direct relevance to today’s world, physics classes attracted few high school students. So to attract students to physics classes, the board proposed a curriculum that emphasizes principles of physics involved in producing and analyzing visual images.

Premise - Students are not attracted to Physics as it has little relevance to today’s world.
Conclusion - To attract students,the board proposed a curriculum that emphasizes principles of physics involved in producing and analyzing visual images.

Argument says that students are less attracted for a reason (it has little relevance to today’s world) and then mentions a solution to solve the issue and increase attraction of students. 
So, for the solution(here new curriculum) to work, it has to refer to the actual earlier mentioned reason i.e. solution should show relevance to today's world.

Option E exactly does this by linking features of new curriculum with aspects of today's world.

anacla01 · Answer

Why B could not explain the gap?

sayantanc2k · Answer

Premise: students prefer courses with relevance to today’s world.
Conclusion: introduction of courses on principles of physics involved in producing and analyzing visual images in curriculum would help attract students.

If option B were " Knowledge of physics  involved in producing and analyzing visual images   is becoming increasingly important in understanding the technology used in today’s world.", then it could be a correct explanation.

That physics in general is becoming important does not explain why introducing one particular course would help attract students - students would then in any case be attracted to study physics irrespective of whether the course is introduced or not.

Hence B is wrong.

CEdward · Answer

The local board of education found that, because the current physics curriculum has little direct relevance to today’s world, physics classes attracted few high school students. So to attract students to physics classes, the board proposed a curriculum that emphasizes principles of physics involved in producing and analyzing visual images.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest reason to expect that the proposed curriculum will be successful in attracting students?

(A) Several of the fundamental principles of physics are involved in producing and analyzing visual images. X

(B) Knowledge of physics is becoming increasingly important in understanding the technology used in today’s world. X

(C) Equipment that a large producer of photographic equipment has donated to the high school could be used in the proposed curriculum. X

(D) The number of students interested in physics today is much lower than the number of students interested in physics 50 years ago. X

(E) In today’s world the production and analysis of visual images is of major importance in communications, business, and recreation. CORRECT

E is bang on and what we want…there is an identified need for taking physics because of the relevant applications that students can apply their knowledge to. Don’t be tempted by B (the main contender) for this problem just because it uses words like ‘today’s world’ in the passage. It’s unclear what role ‘technology’ has as well…irrelevant.

PriyamRathor · Answer

Hello Expert ,
 AjiteshArun   EducationAisle

I would like your views on Choice A .

I feel  Choice  A is   a mild strengthener .

Below is my reasoning :-

So we need to strengthen that change in curriculum will attract students.

Now what is the change ?

the board proposed a curriculum that emphasizes principles of physics involved in producing and analyzing visual images. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre thinking -

1/  What if the principles of physics cannot be involved in producing and analysing visual images.
ie what if we cannot use the above technique of producing and analysing visual images to teach physics ?

~In the above case , then the proposed curriculum will not be able to attract students~

Choice A tells us that   Several of the fundamental principles of physics are involved in producing and analyzing visual images  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree on the point that Choice E makes a link between two points made in the stimulus , and hence is best choice
 What are the two points  ?

a/ Producing and analysing visual images
b/ Relevance in today's world

Thanks.

EducationAisle · Answer

A is talking about "fundamental principles of physics", while the premise is about "today's world".

So, that's the disconnect in A.

agrasan · Answer

Hi  KarishmaB   GMATNinja   KyleWiddison   GMATNinja Two  nightblade354   egmat

I am a bit confused with option B, did we eliminate it because it is talking about  "knowledge of physics"  instead of  "curriculum of physics" ? I thought this was a reason because the argument talks about the  relevance of the curriculum of physics .

Also, if revised option B was  " Curriculum  of physics is becoming increasingly important in understanding the technology used in today’s world.", would option B have been correct? Let's assume the correct answer option E was not given with revised option B.

GMATNinja · Answer

The passage starts off by introducing a problem: the kids these days don't want to learn physics. Why? Because "the current physics curriculum has little direct relevance to today’s world."

To solve this issue, the school board has proposed a new curriculum. This proposed curriculum "emphasizes principles of physics involved in producing and analyzing visual images."

We're looking for a reason to expect that the "proposed curriculum" will attract students. Why is this exact plan a good one?

Here's (B):

(B) talks about knowledge of physics  in general . Sure, physics is important for understanding technology -- but how does this tie in with the proposed curriculum? Does this new curriculum include the important stuff mentioned in (B)? We have absolutely no idea.

As for your proposed rewrite: it is rarely worth it to change the language of answer choices, because that's a distraction from the task of evaluating the options that you've been given. However, one note on your rewrite is that you'd really have to distinguish WHICH curriculum you're talking about. The passage discusses the "current curriculum" and a "proposed curriculum." We need to know specifically that the proposed curriculum is relevant, and will therefore attract students.

That's exactly what we get with (E), so (E) is the correct answer.

I hope that helps!

Bshubham512 · Answer

Why not option d
Can any one explain

Posted from my mobile device

egmat · Answer

Hi Student,

The question asks us to strengthen the conclusion " Proposed curriculum will be successful in attracting students".

From the premise, we know that:
 
  Issue-  Physics classes attract few high school students. 
  Reason -  The current physics curriculum has little direct relevance to today's world. 
  Solution-  Adopt a curriculum that emphasizes principles of physics involved in producing and analyzing visual images.
 
 What can be the logic here?
 
 Producing and analyzing visual images is relevant to today's world.      
 Any answer choice which is in line with this logic can strengthen the conclusion.

Let's analyze   choice D:  
  The number of students interested in physics today is much lower than the number of students interested in physics 50 years ago.  
Choice D is a comparison between the number of students interested in physics today vs. that 50 years ago.
Now, a comparatively lower number of students interested in physics cannot make the curriculum successful in attracting students. That is why this choice cannot strengthen the conclusion.

Hope that helps,
Happy learning!

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

The local board of education found that, because the current physics

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

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

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

The local board of education found that, because the current physics

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