Public School Districts in Regional Study, 2023DistrictStudent EnrollmentNumber of SchoolsStudents per SchoolNorthside42,000105400Metro Central88,0005...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Public School Districts in Regional Study, 2023
| District | Student Enrollment | Number of Schools | Students per School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northside | 42,000 | 105 | 400 |
| Metro Central | 88,000 | 55 | 1,600 |
| Riverside | 31,000 | 62 | 500 |
| Westfield | 25,000 | 125 | 200 |
Educational resources are distributed quite differently across districts, with some areas maintaining much smaller learning environments relative to their student populations than others: this becomes apparent when examining ______
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
Westfield accommodating \(\mathrm{200}\) students per school compared to Metro Central's \(\mathrm{1,600}\) students per school.
Northside operating \(\mathrm{105}\) schools while Metro Central operates only \(\mathrm{55}\) schools despite having similar enrollment numbers.
Riverside serving \(\mathrm{31,000}\) students through \(\mathrm{62}\) schools across the district.
Metro Central enrolling \(\mathrm{88,000}\) students while Westfield enrolls only \(\mathrm{25,000}\) students total.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Public School Districts in Regional Study, 2023" |
|
| [TABLE DATA] |
|
| "Educational resources are distributed quite differently across districts, with some areas maintaining much smaller learning environments relative to their student populations than others:" |
|
| "this becomes apparent when examining ______" |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Educational resources create different learning environment sizes across districts, with some maintaining much smaller class sizes relative to their populations.
Argument Flow: The passage presents data from four school districts, then makes a claim about how educational resources create different learning environment sizes across districts, ending with an incomplete statement that needs specific data evidence to support this claim.
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
- The passage claims some areas maintain "much smaller learning environments relative to their student populations than others."
- The right answer should show a clear contrast between districts with very different students-per-school ratios to demonstrate the contrast in learning environment sizes.
Westfield accommodating \(\mathrm{200}\) students per school compared to Metro Central's \(\mathrm{1,600}\) students per school.
✓ Correct
- Shows the most dramatic contrast in learning environment sizes and directly demonstrates "much smaller learning environments" compared to much larger ones using exact data that supports the passage's claim.
Northside operating \(\mathrm{105}\) schools while Metro Central operates only \(\mathrm{55}\) schools despite having similar enrollment numbers.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on number of schools operated, not learning environment size.
- Doesn't address students per school which determines learning environment size.
Riverside serving \(\mathrm{31,000}\) students through \(\mathrm{62}\) schools across the district.
✗ Incorrect
- Simply states facts about one district without making any comparison.
- Missing the comparative element needed to complete the statement.
Metro Central enrolling \(\mathrm{88,000}\) students while Westfield enrolls only \(\mathrm{25,000}\) students total.
✗ Incorrect
- Compares total enrollment numbers, not learning environment sizes.
- Total district size doesn't indicate whether individual schools have large or small learning environments.