City planners analyzing the Riverside neighborhood found an unusual demographic pattern in the area surrounding Lincoln Elementary School. Census data...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
City planners analyzing the Riverside neighborhood found an unusual demographic pattern in the area surrounding Lincoln Elementary School. Census data revealed high concentrations of families with infants and teenagers within a six-block radius of the school, with family sizes averaging 4.2 people compared to the city average of 2.8. However, despite the school's capacity for 600 students in grades K-5, enrollment records showed only 180 children currently attending, and neighborhood surveys documented very few elementary-age children residing in the immediate area.
Which statement about the Riverside neighborhood is best supported by the text?
Lincoln Elementary School is underperforming academically, causing families to seek alternative educational options.
The neighborhood's high cost of living prevents families with school-age children from remaining in the area.
Families tend to relocate away from the neighborhood when their children reach elementary school age.
Lincoln Elementary School primarily serves students from other neighborhoods rather than local residents.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| City planners analyzing the Riverside neighborhood found an unusual demographic pattern in the area surrounding Lincoln Elementary School. |
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| Census data revealed high concentrations of families with infants and teenagers within a six-block radius of the school, with family sizes averaging 4.2 people compared to the city average of 2.8. |
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| However, despite the school's capacity for 600 students in grades K-5, enrollment records showed only 180 children currently attending, and neighborhood surveys documented very few elementary-age children residing in the immediate area. |
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Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: City planners discovered an unusual demographic pattern where the Riverside neighborhood has many families with infants and teenagers but very few elementary-age children, despite having an underenrolled elementary school.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a puzzling demographic discovery, provides census evidence showing the specific pattern, and then reveals the contradiction between school capacity and actual local enrollment.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which statement about the Riverside neighborhood is best supported by the text
What type of answer do we need? A conclusion that can be logically drawn from the demographic data presented
Any limiting keywords? 'best supported by the text' means we need direct textual evidence
Content Genre: Humanities & Social Sciences Content Format: Text-only Question Type: Simple Inference Language Complexity: Accessible
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The demographic pattern shows lots of families with babies and teenagers, but very few elementary-age children actually living near the school
- This suggests families leave the neighborhood when children reach elementary school age
- This explains why we see infants and teenagers but not elementary-age children in the same area
Lincoln Elementary School is underperforming academically, causing families to seek alternative educational options.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the school is underperforming academically
- The passage gives no information about academic performance, only enrollment numbers and demographics
The neighborhood's high cost of living prevents families with school-age children from remaining in the area.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims high cost of living prevents families from staying
- No information about cost of living appears in the passage
Families tend to relocate away from the neighborhood when their children reach elementary school age.
✓ Correct
- States families relocate when children reach elementary school age
- This perfectly explains the demographic pattern and is directly supported by the census data showing this age gap
Lincoln Elementary School primarily serves students from other neighborhoods rather than local residents.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the school primarily serves other neighborhoods
- While low enrollment might suggest this, the passage doesn't provide information about where current students live