From 1980 to 1989, total consumption of fish in the country of Jurania increased by 4.5 percent, and total consumption of poultry products there increased by 9.0 percent. During the same period, the population of Jurania increased by 6 percent, in part due to immigration to Jurania from other countries in the region. If the statements above are true, which of the following must also be true on the basis of them?

A. During the 1980’s in Jurania, profits of wholesale distributors of poultry products increased at a greater rate than did profits of wholesale distributors of fish.

B. For people who immigrated to Jurania during the 1980’s, fish was less likely to be a major part of their diet than was poultry.

C. In 1989 Juranians consumed twice as much poultry as fish.

D. For a significant proportion of Jurania’s population, both fish and poultry products were a regular part of their diet during the 1980’s.

E. Per capita consumption of fish in Jurania was lower in 1989 than in 1980.

@Aravind: OA is E. In one of your explanation I have seen below:

E is not talking about absolute numbers; rather it is talking about ratios. Always tabulate data when there is too much of it — 1980   1989 f              1.045f (for fish) pp          1.09pp (for poultry products) p             1.06p (for population) per capita consumption of fish = consumption of fish/total population; in 1980 = f/p; in 1989 = 1.045 f/ 1.06 p Clearly, this ratio dropped in 1989 — this is what option E says.

E is not talking about absolute numbers; rather it is talking about ratios. Always tabulate data when there is too much of it — 1980 1989 f 1.045f (for fish) pp 1.09pp (for poultry products) p 1.06p (for population) per capita consumption of fish = consumption of fish/total population; in 1980 = f/p; in 1989 = 1.045 f/ 1.06 p Clearly, this ratio dropped in 1989 — this is what option E says.

My doubt is how we can assume in 1980 consumption of fish was same as poultry, as you have considered 100 for both poultry and fish consumption in 80. It can be a case that fish consumption could have been more but in these 9 year consumption just increased by 4.5% or fish consumption consumption could have been drastically low?

Please let me know is the correct way to look at question like these?

Also can you please let me know this question comes in which bucket of gmat difficulty level.