Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as the Galapag

Question

Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as  the Galapagos tortoise and examinations of fossils of juvenile dinosaurs, scientists estimate that the largest dinosaurs probably lived to be between 100 and 200 years old.

(A) Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as

(B) On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles such as

(C) Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles like

(D) On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles, like those of

(E) Based on such growth rates as those of large modern reptiles like

Can we choose (A)? But (B) seems to be the correct answer, does GMAT prefer on "the basis of" or based "on" ?

TraderAK · Accepted Answer

Answer B

Scientists are not based on growth rates. So, A, C and E are out. Further, in E, "such growth rates as those of" is awkward. In C, usage of "like" is wrong. "such as" is required to give examples, not "like".

In D, usage of "like those of" is used to show similarity between "growth rates of large modern reptiles" and "growth rates of Galapagos tortoise". This implies Galapagos tortoise are not reptiles but other animals and their growth rates are similar to large modern reptiles. This is distorting the meaning of the sentence.

icandy · Answer

I guess not because it becomes a modifier issue. scientists are based on the growth rates is wrong. Scientists on the basis of growth rates is better. It's very tricky.

iamcste · Answer

Like v/such as and parallelism

such as =for example and like=similar to

clearly,we need "such as" in this case as sentence illustrates with examples

Eliminate C,D and E

And- is present so why not have some icing on the cake-parallelism

On the basis of growth rates   of large modern reptiles  such as the Galapagos tortoise and 
 examinations of fossils    of juvenile dinosaurs

B

jeeteshsingh · Answer

Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as the  Galapagos tortoise and examinations of fossils of juvenile dinosaurs, scientists estimate that the largest dinosaurs probably lived to be between 100 and 200 years old. 
(A) Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as
 Not correct as 'Based on the growth rates of large.... ' is not parallel to 'examinations of fossils of juvenile....' Hence incorrect

(B) On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles such as 
 Correct.... 'On the basis of growth rates of large.... ' parallel to 'examinations of fossils of juvenile....' clause....

(C) Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles like 
 Like is incorrect

(D) On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles, like those of 
 Like is incorrect

(E) Based on such growth rates as those of large modern reptiles like
 Like is incorrect

adalfu · Answer

Same, i picked B.

The reason is that a person noun cannot be "based on" something... the "findings" or "observations" can be "based on" x, not a person "based on" x.

On the basis of x, person <scientist> y
Based on x, <findings>, <observations>, <data> y

broall · Answer

"scientists based on" is considered wrong in GMAT. Check similar OG question here https://gmatclub.com/forum/qotd-based-o ... 40242.html

sandysilva · Answer

45 seconds. Answer B.

this looks like a self made question. Based on is incorrect here. 
We can check the correct usage of based on by replacing based on by depend on. So, depend on growth rates...scientists, here scientists can not depend on growth rates.

Helium · Answer

Concept tested : Modifiers

Scientists are not based on any one.

They have done something  on the basis of .........

Ans : B

SairamRamo · Answer

(A) Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as
When  verb-ed  is placed at the beginning of the sentence followed by a comma, it always modifies the subject of the clause. Here  Based on  modified  scientists , which is  incorrect

(B) On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles such as
No issue,  correct choice

(C) Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles like
When  verb-ed  is placed at the beginning of the sentence followed by a comma, it always modifies the subject of the clause. Here  Based on  modified  scientists , which is  incorrect 
 Like  is used for comparison,  Such as  is used for examples, hence  incorrect

(D) On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles, like those of
 Like  is used for comparison,  Such as  is used for examples, hence  incorrect

(E) Based on such growth rates as those of large modern reptiles like
When  verb-ed  is placed at the beginning of the sentence followed by a comma, it always modifies the subject of the clause. Here  Based on  modified  scientists , which is  incorrect 
 Like  is used for comparison,  Such as  is used for examples, hence  incorrect

emcheeks · Answer

1. if the present participle and past participle (-ing / -ed), especially the ones that are  placed at the beginning of the sentence ,  has a subject that is different from the subject in the main clause, then it is wrong  --> same as A in the problem  because "based on" cannot modify "scientists" . And instead,    (e.g.  on the basis of growth rates)  would work here.

2. if we have present participle (-ing) at the end of the sentence, then it would mean 2 things: method / results

a) method

example:  Too old to bear arms himself, Frederick Douglass served as a recruiting agent,  traveling through the North and exhorting  Black men to join the Union army. 
Here, we use "traveling" because it is  explaining the method   of how Frederick served as a recruiting agent.

b) results

example:  After the Arab conquest of Egypt in A.D. 640, Arabic became the dominant language of the Egyptians,  replacing older languages  and writing systems. 
Here, we use "replacing" because it is a  result  of Arabic becoming dominant.

Jdelrio · Answer

So let me check if i understood.
If the sentence was given as: "Based on the examinations of large reptiles...etc" the use of BASED here is correct, right?
It is incorrect on the original sentence because it cannont be "Based on growth rates"?

EtaCarnia · Answer

Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such a s the Galapagos tortoise and examinations of fossils of juvenile dinosaurs, scientists estimate that the largest dinosaurs probably lived to be between 100 and 200 years old.

(A) Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as
Based is the -ED verbal modifier which modifies the noun after comma, which is Scientist. In this way option A, C and E distorts the intended meaning.

(B) On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles such as
"On the basis" is a prepositional phrase modifier , which can modify a noun placed away. In this sentence prepositional phrase modifier correctly modifies dinosaurs which is placed slight away in the sentence. Also Such is used to given example , which is the correct usage.

(C) Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles like
Reason explained in option A

(D) On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles, like those of
"On the basis" correctly modifies dinosaur but like is used to give example which is incorrect.

(E) Based on such growth rates as those of large modern reptiles like
Reason explained in option A

fighting750 · Answer

Why "based on" is wrong? I am confused. could someone help me solve this question? thanks

EtaCarnia · Answer

fighting750  i'll try to break down the solution for you.

Let's take two splits

Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as  the Galapagos tortoise and examinations of fossils of juvenile dinosaurs, scientists estimate that the largest dinosaurs probably lived to be between 100 and 200 years old.

(A) Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as

(B) On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles such as

Option A starts with Based which is a modifier. 
Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as the Galapagos tortoise and examinations of fossils of juvenile dinosaurs
this is describing something which comes next after the comma i.e scientists. Now if you go by the meaning of this sentence , it would mean that scientists are based on the growth rate. which is incorrect.

Option B says

On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles such as

this makes better sense in terms of meaning , On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles scientists are estimating something.

Hope this helps

Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as the Galapag

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

My Rewards

GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as the Galapag

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