A recent review of pay scales indicates

[Shooter]

'A' is incorrect because it seems that blue-collar workers are compared to the ratio. I feel it is a 'modifier problem'.

 

that CEO’s now earn an average of 419 times more pay than blue-collar workers, compared to a ratio of 42 times

 

 

 

[Queen09]

For benefit of all :

 

Great expln by Makumajon:

 

Depending on the context, both 419 times and 419 times more can be OK. And the difference is simple.

 

Suppose, Sarah earn 100$ and John earns 25$. You can say:

 

(1) Sarah earns 4 times as much pay as John earns (does). Well, a traditional style.

(2) Sarah earns 4 times the pay of John (does). Why not more? If you write: 4 times more, it actually means 5 times. However, you may write

(3) Sarah earns 3 times more pay than John (does). [25$+3 times=200$]

 

Note: in (2), you cannot add the verb part (does) here, because John is under the influence of preposition of, and thus can no longer be a subject.

 

Remember: in mathematics, if you see a problem that states, "One integer is 3 times the other integer", you must solve in the following way:

Let the smaller be x. So, the larger is 3x.

 

However, if the problem states, "One integer is 3 times more the other integer", here you see the expression is incomplete. You need to put an extra than for comparison in this case. So, the correct expression is "One integer is 3 times more than the other integer". And your solution is

 

Let the smaller be x. Hence, the larger is

x (i.e., the other integer) plus its 3-times =x+3x=4x. Hope you understand the difference.

 

Now regarding this SC, I do not think the Q is trying to play a mathematical twist. But any way, the rule is:

 

When you use more, also use than. You should be more careful in Q-section.

 

Now the OG 199 problem:

 

© an earthquake will typically devastate 100 times the area in the eastern United States than one of comparable magnitude occurring in the West

 

100 times the area is idiomatic. There is no problem with it. The problem is you cannot use than with 100 times the area. Recall Sarah-John problem, if you use than you also need a more in earlier part. For example, you cannot say:

 

Sarah earns 4 times the pay than John does. Hope you understand. Hope I have used much words. J