A school district analyzed student performance improvements from different test preparation programs implemented across their schools. The data shows:...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
A school district analyzed student performance improvements from different test preparation programs implemented across their schools. The data shows:
| School | Online tutoring program | In-person study groups |
|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt High | 15 | 8 |
| Lincoln Academy | 28 | 22 |
| Washington Prep | 41 | 35 |
| Jefferson Middle | 7 | 4 |
| Madison Elementary | 33 | 29 |
The school that showed the smallest difference in improvement between online tutoring and in-person study groups was ______
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?
Madison Elementary
Washington Prep
Lincoln Academy
Jefferson Middle
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "A school district analyzed student performance improvements from different test preparation programs implemented across their schools. The data shows:" |
|
| [Data table with 5 schools showing Online tutoring vs In-person study groups improvements] |
|
| "The school that showed the smallest difference in improvement between online tutoring and in-person study groups was ______" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[CONTEXT: District study of test prep programs] → [DATA: Table showing improvement numbers for 5 schools × 2 programs] → [TASK: Identify school with smallest difference]
Main Point: We need to analyze numerical data to identify which school had the smallest performance gap between two different test preparation approaches.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the context of a district study, presents concrete numerical data in table format, then directs us to perform a specific calculation to find the school with the minimal difference between program outcomes.
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
- We need to calculate the difference between online tutoring and in-person study groups for each school
- The correct answer will be the school where this difference is numerically smallest
- We should expect to see some schools with larger gaps and one with a notably smaller gap
- The right answer should be the school name that corresponds to the smallest numerical difference when we subtract in-person improvements from online tutoring improvements
Madison Elementary
✗ Incorrect
- Madison Elementary had a difference of 4 points \(33 - 29\)
- While this is a relatively small difference, it's not the smallest in the data
- What trap this represents: Students might focus on Madison Elementary because both of its numbers are relatively high, making the school seem significant, but the question asks specifically about the difference, not the absolute values
Washington Prep
✗ Incorrect
- Washington Prep had a difference of 6 points \(41 - 35\)
- This is tied for the second-smallest difference but not the smallest overall
- What trap this represents: Students might be drawn to Washington Prep because it has the highest absolute numbers, suggesting strong performance overall, but the question focuses on the difference between programs
Lincoln Academy
✗ Incorrect
- Lincoln Academy had a difference of 6 points \(28 - 22\)
- Like Washington Prep, this is tied for second-smallest but not the smallest
- The moderate numbers might make this seem like a reasonable middle choice
Jefferson Middle
✓ Correct
- Jefferson Middle had a difference of only 3 points \(7 - 4\)
- This is clearly the smallest difference among all five schools
- Matches our prethinking perfectly - we need the school with the minimum numerical gap