A business analyst is examining quarterly revenue growth rates for different regional divisions of a retail company. The following data...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
A business analyst is examining quarterly revenue growth rates for different regional divisions of a retail company. The following data shows each division's performance:
- Northern Division: \(8.2\%\) growth
- Western Division: \(15.7\%\) growth
- Eastern Division: \(3.4\%\) growth
- Southern Division: \(12.1\%\) growth
- Central Division: \(18.9\%\) growth
Based on this information, the analyst concludes that ______
Which choice most effectively uses data from the passage to complete the statement?
The Eastern Division achieved the lowest quarterly revenue growth rate among all divisions.
The Central Division and Western Division both achieved growth rates above 16%.
The Northern Division achieved the highest quarterly revenue growth rate among all divisions.
The Southern Division and Western Division both achieved growth rates below 12%.
FIB = False
Looking at this step by step, I'll solve this Command of Evidence question systematically.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "A business analyst is examining quarterly revenue growth rates for different regional divisions of a retail company. The following data shows each division's performance:" |
|
| "Northern Division: 8.2% growth Western Division: 15.7% growth Eastern Division: 3.4% growth Southern Division: 12.1% growth Central Division: 18.9% growth" |
|
| "Based on this information, the analyst concludes that ______" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A business analyst has collected quarterly growth rate data from five regional divisions that shows varying performance levels.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the analyst's task, presents concrete numerical data for five divisions, and sets up a conclusion to be drawn from this evidence.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to complete the analyst's conclusion based on the provided data.
What type of answer do we need? A statement that accurately reflects what the numerical data shows about the divisions' performance.
Any limiting keywords? "Based on this information" means our answer must be directly supported by the specific data given.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our data visualization, we can see clear patterns
- Eastern has the lowest growth rate at \(3.4\%\)
- Central has the highest growth rate at \(18.9\%\)
- The other three divisions fall in between
- The right answer should make an accurate comparison or observation that's directly supported by these numbers
- It should state something definitive that we can verify by looking at the data
The Eastern Division achieved the lowest quarterly revenue growth rate among all divisions.
✓ Correct
- States that Eastern Division achieved the lowest growth rate
- Looking at our data: \(\mathrm{Eastern} = 3.4\%\), which is indeed lower than all other divisions
- This matches our prethinking perfectly
The Central Division and Western Division both achieved growth rates above 16%.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims both Central and Western achieved growth above 16%
- \(\mathrm{Central} = 18.9\%\) (above 16%), but \(\mathrm{Western} = 15.7\%\) (below 16%)
- Only one of the two divisions meets this threshold
The Northern Division achieved the highest quarterly revenue growth rate among all divisions.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims Northern achieved the highest growth rate
- \(\mathrm{Northern} = 8.2\%\), but \(\mathrm{Central} = 18.9\%\) is clearly the highest
- This contradicts the data directly
The Southern Division and Western Division both achieved growth rates below 12%.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims both Southern and Western achieved growth below 12%
- \(\mathrm{Southern} = 12.1\%\) (above 12%), \(\mathrm{Western} = 15.7\%\) (well above 12%)
- Neither division meets this criterion