#24 - Global Reference, Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (E).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice.

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[cd1010]

Could I ask why A is not correct? I thought there was evidence for this with this sentence in the 3rd paragraph of the passage: "They anticipate that fractal geometry's significance will rival that of calculus".

[Adam Tyson]

There are at least two problems that I see with answer A, cd1010. The first is that the text you referenced does not say that it could be more important than calculus, only that it some people think it will rival calculus. "Rival" is more like compete with, perhaps as an equal. It does not mean that it's more important. The question is asking what the passage presented as a characteristic of fractals, which means the passage has to say it, clearly and explicitly, rather than just provide evidence to support the answer, and that line just doesn't get you there.

Also, is that really a characteristic of fractal geometry? To me, it reads more like an opinion about it, whereas I would expect the correct answer to be more of an inherent property. That's one of the reasons E is so much better than A.

And that's a third thing: we are supposed to pick the best answer, not just some answer that we might be able to defend. E is explicitly stated in the last sentence of the second paragraph as being a property of fractal geometry. When there's an answer that good, that requires no interpretation or assumptions, you would never want to select another answer that needs help to make it work. A needs that help, in the form of interpreting "rivals" in a way that it generally does not mean.