Research Facilities at Major Universities in TexasUniversityLocationLaboratory Space (square feet)Rice UniversityHouston847,000Texas A&M UniversityCol...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Research Facilities at Major Universities in Texas
| University | Location | Laboratory Space (square feet) |
|---|---|---|
| Rice University | Houston | 847,000 |
| Texas A&M University | College Station | 1,240,000 |
| University of Texas at Austin | Austin | 1,180,000 |
| Baylor University | Waco | 520,000 |
| Texas Tech University | Lubbock | 760,000 |
Texas universities have invested heavily in research infrastructure over the past decade. The largest research facility belongs to Texas A&M University, which maintains 1.24 million square feet of laboratory space in College Station. However, many institutions operate with more modest research footprints. One such facility, Rice University in Houston, encompasses _____
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to support the statement?
847,000 square feet.
1,240,000 square feet.
520,000 square feet.
760,000 square feet.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Texas universities have invested heavily in research infrastructure over the past decade.' |
|
| 'The largest research facility belongs to Texas A&M University, which maintains 1.24 million square feet of laboratory space in College Station.' |
|
| 'However, many institutions operate with more modest research footprints.' |
|
| 'One such facility, Rice University in Houston, encompasses _____' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Texas universities vary significantly in their research facility sizes, with some like Texas A&M being very large while others like Rice operate more modestly.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that Texas universities have invested in research, then sets Texas A&M as the large-scale benchmark, contrasts this with many institutions having modest facilities, and finally provides Rice as a specific example of such modest facilities.
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 right answer should be Rice University's square footage since that's what the sentence is specifically about
- Be a number that represents a 'modest research footprint' when compared to Texas A&M's 1.24 million
- Come directly from the table data to support the statement
847,000 square feet.
✓ Correct
- This is Rice University's actual square footage from the table
- It effectively demonstrates that Rice has a 'modest research footprint' since 847,000 is significantly smaller than Texas A&M's 1.24 million
- The sentence specifically mentions Rice University, so this is the logical data to complete it
1,240,000 square feet.
✗ Incorrect
- This is Texas A&M's square footage, not Rice's
- Would contradict the claim that Rice has a 'modest' footprint since this is actually the largest facility mentioned
520,000 square feet.
✗ Incorrect
- This is Baylor University's square footage, not Rice's
- While this would show a modest footprint, it's not Rice's data and the sentence is specifically about Rice
760,000 square feet.
✗ Incorrect
- This is Texas Tech University's square footage, not Rice's
- Like choice C, it would show modest size but it's not the correct data for Rice University