The graph depicts the per-person dietary intake of foods in 4 categories for the people of Nation X for the...
GMAT Graphics Interpretation : (GI) Questions
The graph depicts the per-person dietary intake of foods in 4 categories for the people of Nation X for the years 1909 through 2000. A decline in consumption in all 4 categories strongly suggests an overall food shortage rather than a simple change in dietary pattern.
From each drop-down menu, select the option that creates the most accurate statement about food consumption in Nation X based on the information provided.
Owning the Dataset
Table 1: Text Analysis
| Text Component | Literal Content | Simple Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Subject matter | "per-person dietary intake of foods in 4 categories" | Shows how much food people ate in 4 nutrient types per person |
| Geographic area | "Nation X" | Data is for a single, unnamed country (Nation X) |
| Time period | "for the years 1909 through 2000" | Covers 91 years, from 1909 through 2000 |
| Food categories | "foods in 4 categories" | Four nutrient types are measured |
| Key statement | "A decline in consumption in all 4 categories strongly suggests an overall food shortage rather than a simple change in dietary pattern." | If all nutrients go down together, it's likely a general food shortage, not just changing preferences |
Table 2: Chart Analysis
| Chart Feature | Observations | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Chart type | Line chart with 4 lines for nutrient intake (grams/person) over years 1909-2000 | Compares nutrient trends over time |
| X-axis | Marks years: 1909, 1922, 1935, 1948, 1961, 1974, 1987, 2000 | Spans the stated time period |
| Y-axis | Range: 0 to 600 grams, intervals of 120 | Allows comparison in absolute intake amounts |
| Carbohydrate line | Black; highest; ~500g in 1909, drops to ~360g (1961), rises back near ~500g (2000) | U-shaped pattern; consumption lowest around 1961 |
| Fat and protein lines | Middle ranges (~80-130g); relatively stable or gently increasing | Smaller changes; less variance than carbohydrates |
| Fiber line | Red dashed; always lowest (~20g); nearly flat, minor downward trend | Fiber stays low and stable over time |
| 1922 observations | All 4 lines drop together from 1909 to 1922 | Matches food shortage scenario from provided statement |
Key Insights
The key points are:
- The single period where all four nutrients sharply drop together is 1909 to 1922, likely indicating a general food shortage as described in the text.
- The carbohydrate line forms a U-shape, reaching its lowest point around 1961 (about 360-380g), before recovering.
- During this 1961 minimum, fiber remains steady around 20g, resulting in an \(\mathrm{18:1}\) ratio between carbohydrate and fiber intake.
- Carbohydrate intake is much higher than the other nutrients the entire time span, while fiber remains consistently low.
- The simultaneous decline pattern is crucial for detecting periods of shortage versus dietary preference changes.
Step-by-Step Solution
Question 1: Determining When the Food Shortage Occurred
Complete Statement:
The graph suggests that Nation X most likely experienced a food shortage shortly before the year [BLANK 1].
Breaking Down the Statement
Statement Breakdown 1:
- Key Phrase: food shortage
- Meaning: A marked decrease in availability and intake of all key nutrients for the population.
- Relation to Chart: A food shortage should be visible on the chart as a simultaneous drop in all four nutrient lines (carbohydrate, fat, protein, and fiber).
- Important Implications: We must look for a period when all four types of nutrient intake declined together, not just a shift in diet or substitution of one nutrient for another.
Statement Breakdown 2:
- Key Phrase: shortly before the year
- Meaning: The shortage occurred in the period leading up to the given year; the correct year is the one immediately following the period of decline.
- Relation to Chart: Identify the year after which all four nutrients experienced a drop together.
- Important Implications: We should pick the year just after the simultaneous drop, not before it.
What is needed: Which year directly follows a period in which carbohydrate, fat, protein, and fiber all show a decrease (identifying a food shortage).
Solution:
- Condensed Solution Implementation:
Examine the graph for a period where all four nutrient lines decrease together, indicating a food shortage, and select the year just after. - Necessary Data points:
All four nutrients decline together from 1909 to 1922. No other period shows a simultaneous drop in all four lines.- Calculations Estimations:
This is a pattern recognition problem, so no numerical calculations are needed—just visual identification. - Comparison to Answer Choices:
Of the options (1922, 1961, 2000), only 1922 immediately follows a period where all nutrients declined together.
- Calculations Estimations:
FINAL ANSWER Blank 1: 1922
Question 2: Calculating the Carbohydrate to Fiber Ratio at the Carbohydrate Minimum
Complete Statement:
For the year that the total dietary intake of carbohydrate was lowest, the per-person intake of carbohydrate was approximately [BLANK 2] times the per-person intake of dietary fiber.
Breaking Down the Statement
Statement Breakdown 1:
- Key Phrase: year that the total dietary intake of carbohydrate was lowest
- Meaning: Identify the year with the lowest point on the carbohydrate line in the graph.
- Relation to Chart: Locate the minimum on the carbohydrate (black) line—this occurs around 1961.
Statement Breakdown 2:
- Key Phrase: approximately [BLANK 2] times the per-person intake of dietary fiber
- Meaning: Calculate a ratio by dividing carbohydrate intake by fiber intake for that year.
- Relation to Chart: Read the values for carbohydrate and fiber at the low point and divide.
What is needed: The ratio of carbohydrate grams per person to fiber grams per person in the year that carbohydrate intake was lowest.
Solution:
- Condensed Solution Implementation:
Find the year of minimum carbohydrate intake, estimate both carbohydrate and fiber values for that year, and then divide carbohydrate by fiber. - Necessary Data points:
At the minimum (about 1961), carbohydrate intake is approximately 360–380 grams; fiber intake is about 20 grams.- Calculations Estimations:
\(\mathrm{Carbohydrate ÷ Fiber = (360–380) ÷ 20 = 18–19}\) - Comparison to Answer Choices:
The options are 3, 9, 18, 27. The calculated ratio (~18) matches directly with 18.
- Calculations Estimations:
FINAL ANSWER Blank 2: 18
Summary
For Blank 1, we determined that the only period when all four nutrients dropped together was before 1922, indicating a population-wide food shortage, so the answer is 1922. For Blank 2, we found that the carbohydrate minimum was around 1961 and estimated the ratio of carbohydrate to fiber as about 18, matching the provided answer choices.
Question Independence Analysis
The first blank requires visual identification of a four-nutrient shortage period, while the second blank requires a calculation based on a carbohydrate minimum year. The solutions are independent, as each refers to different years and methods.