Dr. Maria Chen is investigating whether smaller class sizes improve student engagement in high school mathematics. Traditional classes at her...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Dr. Maria Chen is investigating whether smaller class sizes improve student engagement in high school mathematics. Traditional classes at her school contain 28-32 students, but Chen believes that reducing class sizes significantly could lead to higher participation rates. In her pilot study, she compared engagement levels between standard classes and smaller sections with 18-22 students. Both class types covered identical curricula and used the same teaching methods, but Chen observed that students in smaller classes participated more actively in discussions and collaborative work. However, the improvement was modest, with small classes showing 15% higher engagement compared to traditional classes. Chen hypothesizes that further reducing class sizes to 12-15 students would produce even greater engagement improvements.
Which finding would most strongly support Chen's hypothesis?
Students in classes with 12-15 students demonstrate engagement levels more than 15% higher than traditional classes.
Teachers report feeling more confident about managing classroom discussions in smaller class environments.
Students in smaller classes perform better on standardized mathematics assessments than those in traditional classes.
Parents express greater satisfaction with their children's mathematics education when class sizes are reduced.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Dr. Maria Chen is investigating whether smaller class sizes improve student engagement in high school mathematics." |
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| "Traditional classes at her school contain 28-32 students, but Chen believes that reducing class sizes significantly could lead to higher participation rates." |
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| "In her pilot study, she compared engagement levels between standard classes and smaller sections with 18-22 students." |
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| "Both class types covered identical curricula and used the same teaching methods, but Chen observed that students in smaller classes participated more actively in discussions and collaborative work." |
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| "However, the improvement was modest, with small classes showing 15% higher engagement compared to traditional classes." |
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| "Chen hypothesizes that further reducing class sizes to 12-15 students would produce even greater engagement improvements." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Chen conducted a pilot study showing modest engagement improvements with smaller class sizes and now hypothesizes that even smaller classes would produce greater improvements.
Argument Flow: Chen starts with a belief about class size effects, tests it with a controlled study comparing normal and moderately smaller classes, finds modest improvements (15% higher engagement), and now proposes that even smaller classes would produce even better results.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which finding would most strongly support Chen's specific hypothesis about 12-15 student classes.
What type of answer do we need? Evidence that would support her hypothesis that reducing class sizes to 12-15 students would produce even greater engagement improvements than the 15% she already observed.
Any limiting keywords? None specified.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Chen's hypothesis is specific: reducing class sizes to 12-15 students would produce even greater engagement improvements than the 15% she already observed with 18-22 student classes
- To support this hypothesis, we need evidence that directly tests this claim
- The right answer should show that classes with 12-15 students actually do produce engagement improvements that exceed the 15% baseline she established
Students in classes with 12-15 students demonstrate engagement levels more than 15% higher than traditional classes.
- This directly tests Chen's hypothesis by measuring engagement in the exact class size she proposed (12-15 students) and shows engagement levels more than 15% higher than traditional classes, which is exactly what her hypothesis predicts
Teachers report feeling more confident about managing classroom discussions in smaller class environments.
- This is about teacher confidence in managing discussions, not student engagement levels
- Doesn't provide any data about whether Chen's hypothesis about greater engagement improvements is correct
Students in smaller classes perform better on standardized mathematics assessments than those in traditional classes.
- This focuses on standardized test performance, not engagement levels
- Chen's hypothesis is specifically about engagement improvements, not academic performance
Parents express greater satisfaction with their children's mathematics education when class sizes are reduced.
- This measures parent satisfaction, not student engagement
- Doesn't test whether 12-15 student classes produce the greater engagement improvements Chen hypothesizes