Impact of Precision Agriculture Technology on Regional Food ProductionRegionTotal yield change (bushels)Percentage change (%)Climate typeNorthern Plai...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Impact of Precision Agriculture Technology on Regional Food Production
| Region | Total yield change (bushels) | Percentage change (%) | Climate type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Plains | 15,200 | 12.3 | temperate |
| Central Valley | 22,800 | 18.4 | Mediterranean |
| Southern Basin | 8,950 | 14.1 | subtropical |
| Mountain West | 6,100 | 11.7 | arid |
| Coastal Region | 11,400 | 15.8 | maritime |
Agricultural researcher Dr. Elena Rodriguez and her team examined precision agriculture's effectiveness across different climate regions by comparing areas that adopted the technology with similar regions using conventional farming methods. Their analysis revealed that precision agriculture consistently enhances crop productivity across diverse environmental conditions, demonstrating the technology's broad adaptability and effectiveness.
Which choice best describes data from the table that support Rodriguez and colleagues' analysis?
Northern Plains achieved a \(12.3\%\) improvement, while Mountain West achieved an \(11.7\%\) improvement.
All five regions demonstrated positive yield improvements, with percentage gains ranging from \(11.7\%\) to \(18.4\%\).
Central Valley had an \(18.4\%\) increase, while Southern Basin had a \(14.1\%\) increase.
Mountain West had an \(11.7\%\) improvement, which was the smallest percentage gain among the regions studied.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Table showing Impact of Precision Agriculture Technology on Regional Food Production with columns for Region, Total yield change, Percentage change, and Climate type |
|
| Northern Plains: 15,200 bushels, 12.3%, temperate |
|
| Central Valley: 22,800 bushels, 18.4%, Mediterranean |
|
| Southern Basin: 8,950 bushels, 14.1%, subtropical |
|
| Mountain West: 6,100 bushels, 11.7%, arid |
|
| Coastal Region: 11,400 bushels, 15.8%, maritime |
|
| Dr. Rodriguez and her team examined precision agriculture's effectiveness across different climate regions by comparing areas that adopted the technology with similar regions using conventional farming methods. |
|
| Their analysis revealed that precision agriculture consistently enhances crop productivity across diverse environmental conditions, demonstrating the technology's broad adaptability and effectiveness. |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
DATA TABLE - 5 regions with different climates, All showing positive yield increases, Percentage gains: 11.7% to 18.4% → RESEARCH CONTEXT - Dr. Rodriguez's methodology → MAIN CONCLUSION - Consistent enhancement across diverse conditions
Main Point: Dr. Rodriguez's research demonstrates that precision agriculture technology consistently improves crop productivity across all types of environmental conditions.
Argument Flow: The passage presents quantitative data from five regions with different climate types, all showing positive yield improvements. It then explains that Dr. Rodriguez's team conducted this comparative study and concluded that the technology works consistently across diverse environmental conditions, proving its broad effectiveness.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Rodriguez's analysis concluded that precision agriculture consistently enhances crop productivity across diverse environmental conditions. So the right answer should:
- Show that ALL regions benefited (not just a few examples)
- Demonstrate that this happened across different climate types
- Emphasize the consistent positive pattern rather than focusing on individual cases
- The key word consistently means we need data showing this worked everywhere, not just in select places. And across diverse environmental conditions means we need evidence it worked in different climate types.
- So the right answer should describe how all the regions showed positive improvements, emphasizing the universal nature of the benefits across different climates.
Northern Plains achieved a \(12.3\%\) improvement, while Mountain West achieved an \(11.7\%\) improvement.
✗ Incorrect
- Only mentions two specific regions (Northern Plains and Mountain West)
- Doesn't show the broader pattern across all regions
- Fails to demonstrate consistently enhances...across diverse environmental conditions
All five regions demonstrated positive yield improvements, with percentage gains ranging from \(11.7\%\) to \(18.4\%\).
✓ Correct
- States that ALL five regions demonstrated positive improvements
- Provides the range (\(11.7\% \text{ to } 18.4\%\)) showing consistent gains
- Directly supports Rodriguez's conclusion about consistent enhancement across diverse conditions
- Matches our prethinking perfectly by emphasizing the universal positive pattern
Central Valley had an \(18.4\%\) increase, while Southern Basin had a \(14.1\%\) increase.
✗ Incorrect
- Only highlights two specific regions (Central Valley and Southern Basin)
- Doesn't capture the comprehensive nature of the results
- Fails to show the consistent pattern across all diverse climate types
Mountain West had an \(11.7\%\) improvement, which was the smallest percentage gain among the regions studied.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on the smallest percentage gain among regions
- Emphasizes a limitation rather than supporting the positive conclusion
- What trap this represents: Students might think mentioning Mountain West's lower percentage somehow supports the analysis, missing that the question asks for supporting evidence, not limitations