Student Achievement Scores by Demographics and Subject AreaStudent GroupMathematics ProficiencyReading ProficiencyScience ProficiencyGroup Alpha78.482...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Student Achievement Scores by Demographics and Subject Area
| Student Group | Mathematics Proficiency | Reading Proficiency | Science Proficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Alpha | 78.4 | 82.1 | 75.9 |
| Group Beta | 83.2 | 79.6 | 81.3 |
| Group Gamma | 76.8 | 85.4 | 77.2 |
Educational researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment to measure academic achievement across different student demographics. The study evaluated proficiency levels in core subjects, with scores ranging from 65.0 to 95.0 points.
According to the data, what is the difference between Group Beta's highest and lowest proficiency scores? ______
1.7
3.6
4.7
6.5
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Student Achievement Scores by Demographics and Subject Area" |
|
| [Data Table showing Group Alpha, Beta, Gamma with Math, Reading, Science scores] |
|
| "Educational researchers conducted a comprehensive assessment to measure academic achievement across different student demographics." |
|
| "The study evaluated proficiency levels in core subjects, with scores ranging from 65.0 to 95.0 points." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
TITLE: Achievement Scores by Demographics → DATA TABLE: 3 Groups × 3 Subjects with scores → CONTEXT: Research study background → METHODOLOGY: Scoring system 65-95 points
Main Point:
Researchers measured academic proficiency across three demographic groups in math, reading, and science subjects.
Argument Flow:
The passage presents data from a research study, providing the actual scores in table format, then explains the study's background and scoring methodology to give context for interpreting the numerical results.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The difference between Group Beta's highest and lowest proficiency scores
What type of answer do we need? A numerical calculation (subtraction)
Any limiting keywords? "Group Beta" limits us to only that group's data, "highest and lowest" requires us to compare all three of that group's scores
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our data visualization, Group Beta's scores are: Mathematics (83.2), Reading (79.6), and Science (81.3)
- We need to identify the highest score (Mathematics at 83.2) and the lowest score (Reading at 79.6)
- The difference should be \(\mathrm{83.2 - 79.6 = 3.6}\)
- So the right answer should be 3.6, representing the gap between Group Beta's best and worst subject performance
1.7
✗ Incorrect
- This represents \(1.7\), which doesn't match our calculation of \(3.6\)
- This is too small to be the difference between \(83.2\) and \(79.6\)
3.6
✓ Correct
- This gives us \(3.6\), which exactly matches our calculation
- \(83.2\) (Mathematics) - \(79.6\) (Reading) = \(3.6\)
- This represents the actual spread between Group Beta's highest and lowest scores
4.7
✗ Incorrect
- This represents \(4.7\), which is larger than our calculated difference
- This doesn't result from subtracting any two values in Group Beta's row
6.5
✗ Incorrect
- This represents \(6.5\), which is much larger than the actual difference
- What trap this represents: Students might incorrectly calculate by using values from different groups or making arithmetic errors