Major League Baseball Teams - 2023 Season PerformanceTeamGames wonDivision rankingTampa Bay Rays991stBaltimore Orioles1001stAtlanta Braves1041stLos An...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Major League Baseball Teams - 2023 Season Performance
| Team | Games won | Division ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays | 99 | 1st |
| Baltimore Orioles | 100 | 1st |
| Atlanta Braves | 104 | 1st |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 100 | 1st |
| Houston Astros | 90 | 1st |
Like teams competing at championship levels, some franchises recorded precisely 100 regular season wins during the 2023 campaign. Two instances of such franchises are ________
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays
Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles
Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros
Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Major League Baseball Teams - 2023 Season Performance" [Table header] |
|
| Tampa Bay Rays: 99 wins, 1st place |
|
| Baltimore Orioles: 100 wins, 1st place |
|
| Atlanta Braves: 104 wins, 1st place |
|
| Los Angeles Dodgers: 100 wins, 1st place |
|
| Houston Astros: 90 wins, 1st place |
|
| "Like teams competing at championship levels, some franchises recorded precisely 100 regular season wins during the 2023 campaign." |
|
| "Two instances of such franchises are ___________" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: We need to identify which two teams from the data table won exactly 100 games in the 2023 season.
Argument Flow: The passage presents performance data for five successful MLB teams, then asks us to identify which two teams specifically achieved exactly 100 regular season wins, using this data to complete the given statement.
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
- Looking at our data, we need to find teams with exactly 100 wins (not 99, not 104, not 90)
- From our table analysis:
- Tampa Bay Rays: 99 wins (close, but not exactly 100)
- Baltimore Orioles: 100 wins
- Atlanta Braves: 104 wins (more than 100)
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 100 wins
- Houston Astros: 90 wins (fewer than 100)
- So the right answer should identify Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers as the two teams that recorded precisely 100 wins
Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays
Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays
✗ Incorrect
- Houston won 90 games and Tampa Bay won 99 games
- Neither team achieved the required "precisely 100" wins
Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles
Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles
✓ Correct
- Both teams won exactly 100 games according to the table
- This perfectly matches the criterion of "precisely 100 regular season wins"
Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros
Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros
✗ Incorrect
- Atlanta won 104 games (more than 100) and Houston won 90 games (fewer than 100)
- Neither team fits the "precisely 100" requirement
Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers
Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers
✗ Incorrect
- While Los Angeles won exactly 100 games, Tampa Bay won 99 games
- Only one of the two teams meets the criterion