Studies by transportation engineers have revealed that motorists navigating intersections with intricate signal systems (featuring multiple phases and...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Studies by transportation engineers have revealed that motorists navigating intersections with intricate signal systems (featuring multiple phases and directional arrows) face greater challenges in interpreting traffic flow data compared to motorists at straightforward intersections. Drawing from these results, a group of city planners has proposed that during heavy traffic periods, motorists at intricate intersections will demonstrate higher rates of navigational mistakes than motorists at straightforward intersections.
Which result, if accurate, would provide the strongest direct evidence for the city planners' proposal?
Research conducted during heavy traffic periods revealed that motorists at intricate multi-phase intersections committed incorrect turns substantially more frequently than motorists at straightforward two-phase intersections.
Research conducted during heavy traffic periods revealed that certain motorists at straightforward two-phase intersections committed incorrect turns more regularly than fellow motorists at identical intersection configurations.
Research conducted during heavy traffic periods revealed that motorists at straightforward two-phase intersections (featuring basic signal systems) committed incorrect turns at more than sixty percent of the locations studied.
Research conducted during heavy traffic periods revealed that motorists at straightforward two-phase intersections committed incorrect turns at equivalent rates as motorists at intricate multi-phase intersections.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Studies by transportation engineers have revealed that motorists navigating intersections with intricate signal systems (featuring multiple phases and directional arrows) face greater challenges in interpreting traffic flow data compared to motorists at straightforward intersections.' |
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| 'Drawing from these results, a group of city planners has proposed that during heavy traffic periods, motorists at intricate intersections will demonstrate higher rates of navigational mistakes than motorists at straightforward intersections.' |
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Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: City planners propose that the difficulty of interpreting complex intersection signals will lead to more navigational errors during heavy traffic periods at intricate intersections compared to straightforward ones.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from established research (engineers found complex intersections are harder to navigate) to a new prediction (planners expect this difficulty will result in more actual mistakes during busy periods).
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which research result would provide the strongest direct evidence for the city planners' proposal
What type of answer do we need? Evidence that directly supports their prediction about navigational mistakes during heavy traffic
Any limiting keywords? 'strongest direct evidence' - we need the most compelling, direct support
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- For direct evidence, we need research that actually tested this exact scenario - comparing mistake rates between intricate and straightforward intersections during heavy traffic
- The research should show that intricate intersections indeed produced more mistakes, just as the planners predicted
Research conducted during heavy traffic periods revealed that motorists at intricate multi-phase intersections committed incorrect turns substantially more frequently than motorists at straightforward two-phase intersections.
- Shows research during heavy traffic periods that directly compares intricate multi-phase intersections to straightforward two-phase intersections and found that intricate intersections had substantially more incorrect turns
- This is exactly what the planners predicted - perfect direct evidence
Research conducted during heavy traffic periods revealed that certain motorists at straightforward two-phase intersections committed incorrect turns more regularly than fellow motorists at identical intersection configurations.
- Only compares motorists at the same type of intersection (straightforward to straightforward)
- Doesn't test the planners' prediction about intricate vs. straightforward intersections
Research conducted during heavy traffic periods revealed that motorists at straightforward two-phase intersections (featuring basic signal systems) committed incorrect turns at more than sixty percent of the locations studied.
- Only provides data about straightforward intersections with no comparison to intricate intersections at all
Research conducted during heavy traffic periods revealed that motorists at straightforward two-phase intersections committed incorrect turns at equivalent rates as motorists at intricate multi-phase intersections.
- Shows equivalent rates between the two intersection types, which would actually contradict the planners' proposal rather than support it