Sharpen your grad school prep with a fresh GRE practice question, updated daily.
A software company was reviewing its annual employee performance bonuses, which were determined by several criteria: individual project completion rate, team collaboration scores, and client satisfaction ratings. Each criterion was assigned a specific weight reflecting its importance to the company's overall goals; for instance, client satisfaction carried twice the weight of team collaboration. To calculate each employee's final bonus score, the raw score for each criterion was first multiplied by its respective weight. These weighted scores were then summed, and the total was divided by the sum of all weights to arrive at a comprehensive performance metric.
This method ensured that an employee's bonus reflected not just their average performance across all criteria, but also emphasized excellence in areas deemed most critical by the management, providing a more nuanced evaluation than a simple aggregate of raw scores.
In the context of the passage, the phrase "the raw score for each criterion was first multiplied by its respective weight... these weighted scores were then summed, and the total was divided by the sum of all weights" most nearly describes a(n)
The passage explicitly describes a calculation method where individual scores are first multiplied by their importance (weights), then summed, and finally divided by the total sum of these weights. This precise procedure is the definition of a weighted average. The company uses this method to ensure that more important criteria (those with higher weights) contribute proportionally more to the final bonus score.
The geometric mean is calculated by multiplying a series of numbers and then taking the nth root, which is typically used for growth rates or averages of ratios, not the method described. The arithmetic mean (or simple average) involves summing all values and dividing by the count of values, without incorporating differential 'weights' for each value, which the passage explicitly contrasts with the described method. The standard deviation is a measure of the dispersion or spread of data points around the mean, indicating variability, and its calculation involves squaring differences from the mean, summing them, dividing by the count, and taking the square root – a process entirely distinct from the one detailed in the passage.
The sentence uses the contrast signal word "While" to introduce a dichotomy. The first clause describes "resilient benthic communities" characterized by "protracted life cycles and remarkable tolerance to anoxia," implying a robust and stable existence. The second clause, however, pivots to a specific finding about "certain deep-sea coral species" and the impact of "even subtle increases in ocean acidity."
The blank must describe a state that contrasts with the resilience and tolerance mentioned earlier, indicating a negative impact on reproductive viability. "Imperiled" (meaning put at risk, endangered) perfectly captures this vulnerability and negative consequence, aligning with the detrimental effect implied by "subtle increases in ocean acidity."
Distractor Analysis:
The description explicitly states that "as one variable tended to decrease, the other consistently... increased," which defines an inverse relationship where variables move in opposite directions. Furthermore, the phrases "discernible pattern" and "consistently" indicate that this inverse relationship is significant and reliable, not weak or negligible. Therefore, strong inverse correlation accurately captures both the direction and the strength of the observed pattern.
Options like a "weak positive relationship" or a "negligible direct association" are incorrect because the variables move inversely, not positively or directly, and the pattern is described as discernible and consistent, not weak or negligible. Lastly, "perfect linear dependence" is ruled out by the phrase "though not always proportionally," which explicitly indicates that the relationship is strong but not absolutely flawless or perfectly linear.
x and y are real numbers such that x^2 = y^2.
Quantity A: x + y
Quantity B: 0
The given condition x^2 = y^2 implies that x and y are either equal or opposite in sign. This can be derived by taking the square root of both sides: |x| = |y|, which means x = y or x = -y.
Let's evaluate Quantity A (x + y) under these two possibilities:
x = yx = y, then Quantity A becomes x + x = 2x. Let's test specific values:x = 1 (and thus y = 1), then Quantity A = 2(1) = 2. In this instance, Quantity A (2) > Quantity B (0).x = 0 (and thus y = 0), then Quantity A = 2(0) = 0. In this instance, Quantity A (0) = Quantity B (0).x = -1 (and thus y = -1), then Quantity A = 2(-1) = -2. In this instance, Quantity A (-2) < Quantity B (0).x = -yx = -y, then Quantity A becomes x + (-x) = 0. Let's test a specific value:x = 5 (and thus y = -5), then Quantity A = 5 + (-5) = 0. In this instance, Quantity A (0) = Quantity B (0).x = -y.Since the comparison between Quantity A and Quantity B varies depending on the specific values of x and y that satisfy the condition (sometimes Quantity A is greater, sometimes Quantity B is greater, and sometimes they are equal), the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
Why other options are incorrect:
x and y, for example, x=1, y=1, where x+y=2 > 0. However, this ignores other valid cases.x and y, for example, x=-1, y=-1, where x+y=-2 < 0. This also ignores other valid cases.x = -y (which always results in x+y=0) or the specific case where x=y=0. This fails to account for cases where Quantity A can be greater or less than Quantity B.Mercantilism, an economic doctrine that dominated European policy from the 16th to the 18th centuries, operated on the premise that national wealth and power were best augmented by maximizing exports and minimizing imports, thereby accumulating bullion. This zero-sum view of global trade often led to intense rivalry among nations and considerable state intervention in domestic and colonial economies. While seemingly a rational approach to consolidating national power, mercantilist policies inadvertently (i)____ significant long-term economic growth by fostering monopolies and inhibiting the free flow of goods and capital. Its proponents, focused on immediate bullion accumulation and military strength, often overlooked the (ii)____ benefits of open competition and specialization. Consequently, the eventual (iii)____ of mercantilist strictures, influenced by Enlightenment thinkers and nascent industrial capitalism, paved the way for more dynamic and expansive economic systems.
Select the words that best complete the passage.
The passage describes mercantilism's impact on economic growth and its eventual decline, contrasting its initial aims with its long-term consequences. For blank (i), the phrase "inadvertently ____ significant long-term economic growth by fostering monopolies and inhibiting the free flow of goods and capital" requires a verb that expresses a negative effect on growth. The subsequent phrase "by fostering monopolies and inhibiting the free flow of goods and capital" clearly indicates a hindering or impeding action. "Stymied" means to prevent or hinder the progress of, which perfectly fits this context. "Accelerated," "buttressed," and "engendered" all imply a positive or causative effect on growth, directly contradicting the passage's negative characterization of monopolies and inhibited trade.
For blank (ii), the phrase "overlooked the ____ benefits of open competition and specialization" requires an adjective that describes the positive quality of these benefits. The passage implies that these benefits were superior to what mercantilism offered. "Salutary" means producing good effects; beneficial or advantageous. This aligns with the idea that mercantilists failed to recognize the positive outcomes of alternative economic structures. "Incipient" (beginning or emerging), "capricious" (fickle or unpredictable), and "ephemeral" (short-lived) do not describe the *inherent nature* of the benefits in a way that creates the intended contrast with mercantilist shortcomings.
For blank (iii), the phrase "the eventual ____ of mercantilist strictures, influenced by Enlightenment thinkers and nascent industrial capitalism, paved the way for more dynamic and expansive economic systems" indicates that the restrictions or rules of mercantilism were removed or abolished. "Abrogation" means the formal repeal or abolition of a law, right, or agreement. This accurately describes how new economic theories superseded mercantilist policies. "Bolstering" (strengthening), "entrenchment" (firmly establishing), and "perpetuation" (continuation) all suggest the opposite of what is required, as they would imply the *strengthening* or *continuation* of mercantilist strictures, which would not have paved the way for *new* and more dynamic systems.
Join students receiving our daily GRE practice questions and high-yield study tips.