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Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
55%
(hard)
Question Stats:
65% (01:47) correct
35%
(01:53)
wrong
based on 347
sessions
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12 Days of Christmas 2024 - 2025 Competition with $40,000 of Prizes
Agricultural Researcher: After several years of declining crop yields due to droughts, Country A’s research center introduced a new hybrid seed specifically designed to be more drought-resistant. Before the introduction of the hybrid seed, farmers used a variety of traditional seeds that had varying levels of drought tolerance. After adopting the new hybrid seed, crop yields significantly improved across the country.
It would be most helpful to find out which of the following in order to assess whether the improvement in crop yields can properly be attributed to the new drought resistance quality of the hybrid seed?
(A) What proportion of the farmers' total expenditure is spent on purchasing seeds?
(B) Has there been a significant change in the local weather patterns, particularly in rainfall amounts, in the last two years?
(C) Among all the crops planted, which seed type accounts for the largest proportion of the yield improvement?
(D) Do any farmers continue to use traditional seeds along with the new hybrid seeds?
(E) Are there more farms specializing in crops that are traditionally drought-resistant or in those that are typically more water-dependent?
Agricultural Researcher: After several years of declining crop yields due to droughts, Country A’s research center introduced a new hybrid seed specifically designed to be more drought-resistant. Before the introduction of the hybrid seed, farmers used a variety of traditional seeds that had varying levels of drought tolerance. After adopting the new hybrid seed, crop yields significantly improved across the country.
It would be most helpful to find out which of the following in order to assess whether the improvement in crop yields can properly be attributed to the new drought resistance quality of the hybrid seed?
(A) What proportion of the farmers' total expenditure is spent on purchasing seeds?
(B) Has there been a significant change in the local weather patterns, particularly in rainfall amounts, in the last two years?
(C) Among all the crops planted, which seed type accounts for the largest proportion of the yield improvement?
(D) Do any farmers continue to use traditional seeds along with the new hybrid seeds?
(E) Are there more farms specializing in crops that are traditionally drought-resistant or in those that are typically more water-dependent?
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24 Dec 2024, 10:00
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Bunuel
GMAT Club's Official Explanation:
(A) Incorrect: this answer choice does not address whether the specific seed type caused the observed improvements in yields. It is irrelevant to our quest.
(B) Correct Answer: This choice helps us understand if external factors could have influenced crop yields, such as changes in regional weather patterns. If there has been an increase in rainfall, it might suggest that factors other than the drought-resistance properties of the new hybrid seed could have contributed to the improvement in yields.
(C) Incorrect: This seems like it should be the correct answer choice, but what if it was heavily raining the last 2 years? The hybrid seed may not have had the best results and another variety may have had the most yield improvement or worse - all seeds had the same yield. This choice is not as strong as B. Eliminate.
(D) Incorrect: This is another option that seems like it could be the correct answer. However, we are specifically wanting to know not whether the hybrid seed was driving up the crop yields but whether the drought-resistant feature is what’s driving the crop yields. What if the answer is yes - lots of farmers use traditional seeds along with the new hybrid seeds - how would we know that the drought-resistant hybrid seed properties were responsible for the increase in crop yields? or what if it was raining again and the rain has contributed to the crop yields? While this answer choice looks attractive at first, in reality, it does not give us sufficient details and is not as good as B. Eliminate.
(E) Incorrect: This answer choice was designed to be a confusing and irrelevant. Knowing the types of farms does not help us understand the impact of the new drought-resistance features of the hybrid seed on crop yields.
General Discussion
24 Dec 2024, 09:24
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To evaluate whether the improvement in crop yields can be attributed to the drought-resistance quality of the new hybrid seed, we need to determine if there are alternative explanations for the yield improvement, such as changes in weather conditions, farming practices, or other external factors.
Analysis of Answer Choices
(A) What proportion of the farmers' total expenditure is spent on purchasing seeds?
This is irrelevant to assessing whether the hybrid seed's drought-resistance quality is responsible for the improvement in crop yields. It focuses on economic aspects, not the seed's effectiveness.
Eliminate (A).
(B) Has there been a significant change in the local weather patterns, particularly in rainfall amounts, in the last two years?
This is highly relevant. If rainfall increased significantly during the period of improved yields, the improvement could be due to better weather conditions rather than the hybrid seed's drought resistance. Determining whether weather changes occurred is crucial to isolating the hybrid seed’s impact.
Keep (B).
(C) Among all the crops planted, which seed type accounts for the largest proportion of the yield improvement?
While this might identify which seeds contributed the most to yield improvements, it does not assess whether the hybrid seed's drought resistance specifically caused the improvement.
Eliminate (C).
(D) Do any farmers continue to use traditional seeds along with the new hybrid seeds?
This might provide context about seed adoption, but it does not directly address whether the improved yields are due to the drought-resistance quality of the hybrid seed.
Eliminate (D).
(E) Are there more farms specializing in crops that are traditionally drought-resistant or in those that are typically more water-dependent?
This is not relevant to determining whether the hybrid seed's drought-resistance quality caused the improvement, as it focuses on crop types rather than the specific factors driving yield improvement.
Eliminate (E).
Correct Answer: (B)
Assessing whether there has been a significant change in weather patterns, especially rainfall, is crucial to determining whether the yield improvements are due to the hybrid seed’s drought resistance or to external factors like improved rainfall.
Analysis of Answer Choices
(A) What proportion of the farmers' total expenditure is spent on purchasing seeds?
This is irrelevant to assessing whether the hybrid seed's drought-resistance quality is responsible for the improvement in crop yields. It focuses on economic aspects, not the seed's effectiveness.
Eliminate (A).
(B) Has there been a significant change in the local weather patterns, particularly in rainfall amounts, in the last two years?
This is highly relevant. If rainfall increased significantly during the period of improved yields, the improvement could be due to better weather conditions rather than the hybrid seed's drought resistance. Determining whether weather changes occurred is crucial to isolating the hybrid seed’s impact.
Keep (B).
(C) Among all the crops planted, which seed type accounts for the largest proportion of the yield improvement?
While this might identify which seeds contributed the most to yield improvements, it does not assess whether the hybrid seed's drought resistance specifically caused the improvement.
Eliminate (C).
(D) Do any farmers continue to use traditional seeds along with the new hybrid seeds?
This might provide context about seed adoption, but it does not directly address whether the improved yields are due to the drought-resistance quality of the hybrid seed.
Eliminate (D).
(E) Are there more farms specializing in crops that are traditionally drought-resistant or in those that are typically more water-dependent?
This is not relevant to determining whether the hybrid seed's drought-resistance quality caused the improvement, as it focuses on crop types rather than the specific factors driving yield improvement.
Eliminate (E).
Correct Answer: (B)
Assessing whether there has been a significant change in weather patterns, especially rainfall, is crucial to determining whether the yield improvements are due to the hybrid seed’s drought resistance or to external factors like improved rainfall.
