MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Question 29: Answer and Explanation

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Test Information

Question: 29

2. It can be inferred that, as used in paragraph 1, the term aristocratic:

  • A. describes individuals with better-than-average mathematical skill.
  • B. refers to the traditional ruling class.
  • C. represents people with only a limited facility with numbers.
  • D. refers to an inability to understand the difference between a million and a billion.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C This is an Inference question.

A: No. The passage uses the term "unfortunate" to refer to the aristocrats' side of the spectrum measuring people's facility with numbers (paragraph 1), indicating that their facility with numbers is NOT better-than-average.

B: No. There is no reference to an actual social or ruling class in the passage. Always stick to the context of the passage, and beware of applying outside knowledge to MCAT questions, especially where vocabulary is concerned, since this is a common trap.

C: Yes. The author states in paragraph 1 that "it's an unfortunate fact that most [people's facility with numbers is]…on the aristocrats' side," and then goes on to discuss students' lack of understanding of numbers.

D: No. This answer choice is too specific. This is only one example of innumeracy; while the "aristocrats" might not understand the difference between a million and a billion, the word itself does not refer specifically to the lack of understanding of that difference.

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