While preparing a municipal report, a city planner has gathered the following data: Urban transportation systems should maintain service efficiency...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While preparing a municipal report, a city planner has gathered the following data:
- Urban transportation systems should maintain service efficiency standards across route types.
- Cross-city routes are expected to operate within \(\mathrm{20\text{-}30}\ \mathrm{minutes}\) to meet municipal efficiency guidelines.
- The subway system averages \(\mathrm{28}\ \mathrm{minutes}\) for cross-city trips.
- Bus rapid transit averages \(\mathrm{35}\ \mathrm{minutes}\) for cross-city trips.
- Light rail service averages \(\mathrm{22}\ \mathrm{minutes}\) for cross-city trips.
The planner needs to identify which transportation mode fails to meet the established efficiency guidelines. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the data to accomplish this goal?
Light rail service at 22 minutes meets efficiency standards by operating within the 20-30 minute guideline range.
The subway system averages 28 minutes, which aligns with municipal efficiency requirements for cross-city service.
Bus rapid transit at 35 minutes exceeds efficiency guidelines, failing to meet the 20-30 minute standard for cross-city routes.
Transportation efficiency varies by mode, with different average times across subway, bus rapid transit, and light rail systems.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Urban transportation systems should maintain service efficiency standards across route types.' |
|
| 'Cross-city routes are expected to operate within 20-30 minutes to meet municipal efficiency guidelines.' |
|
| 'The subway system averages 28 minutes for cross-city trips.' |
|
| 'Bus rapid transit averages 35 minutes for cross-city trips.' |
|
| 'Light rail service averages 22 minutes for cross-city trips.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The city planner has collected transportation efficiency standards and actual performance data for three transportation modes to evaluate compliance with municipal guidelines.
Argument Flow: The data first establishes that transportation systems need efficiency standards, then specifies that cross-city routes should operate within 20-30 minutes to meet guidelines. Finally, it provides actual performance times for three different transportation modes, allowing comparison against the established standard.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to identify which specific transportation mode fails to meet the 20-30 minute efficiency guideline.
What type of answer do we need? The choice that 'most effectively uses relevant information from the data to accomplish this goal.'
Any limiting keywords? The planner's goal is to 'identify which transportation mode fails to meet the established efficiency guidelines.'
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our data against the 20-30 minute standard:
- Subway at 28 minutes: MEETS the standard (within the 20-30 range)
- Bus rapid transit at 35 minutes: FAILS the standard (exceeds the upper limit)
- Light rail at 22 minutes: MEETS the standard (within the 20-30 range)
- The right answer should identify bus rapid transit as the mode that fails because 35 minutes exceeds the 20-30 minute requirement.
Light rail service at 22 minutes meets efficiency standards by operating within the 20-30 minute guideline range.
✗ Incorrect
- Identifies light rail as meeting standards, which accomplishes the opposite of the planner's goal
The subway system averages 28 minutes, which aligns with municipal efficiency requirements for cross-city service.
✗ Incorrect
- States subway meets requirements, but again identifies a compliant mode instead of the non-compliant one
Bus rapid transit at 35 minutes exceeds efficiency guidelines, failing to meet the 20-30 minute standard for cross-city routes.
✓ Correct
- Directly identifies bus rapid transit as exceeding efficiency guidelines and failing to meet the standard using specific data
Transportation efficiency varies by mode, with different average times across subway, bus rapid transit, and light rail systems.
✗ Incorrect
- Makes general observation about time variation but doesn't identify which specific mode fails