This question is from MGMAT CAT

Poor weather in early 14th-century Europe created meager harvests, causing the result of mass starvation in some areas and the elimination of as many as 15 percent of the population.
A) causing the result of mass starvation in some areas and the elimination as many as
B) causing the result of mass starvation in some areas and eliminating as much as
C) resulting in mass starvation in some areas and the elimination of as much as
D) and resulted in mass starvation in some areas and the elimination of as many as
E) causing mass starvation in some areas and the elimination of as many as

Explanation says that “as many as” refers to a portion of the “population,” which is an uncountable noun (i.e., one cannot say “one population, two population”); hence, the correct expression here is “as much as” rather than “as many as.”

However I think "15% of population" is a countable thing and not non-countable. Moreover "causing mass starvation" is more concise than "resulting in mass starvation".

Please elaborate why "15% of population" in non-countable.

Don't try to think about it logically - that only makes it confusing because now you're telling yourself, well, I can count how many people there are. Literally think of the word in question and try to count it. As the explanation said, you wouldn't say "1 population, 2 populations, 3 populations."

Try this:
I don't have many dollars in my wallet.
I don't have much money in my wallet.

Each sentence is conveying the same general concept, but via different words.
I can say "1 dollar, 2 dollars, 3 dollars" - so I use "many" there.
I can't say "1 money, 2 moneys, 3 moneys" - so I use "much" there.

Re: causing vs. resulted in - don't get caught up in the "how would I prefer to write this?" distraction. Either one could be fine... as long as the rest of the sentence is grammatically correct. I assume you do realize that A and B don't work because of the redudancy issue b/c you specifically said "causing mass starvation" - so the only issue here is E and E is not completely grammatically correct otherwise.

Thanks Stacey, this technique in the SC book and in your several posts is very strong.

You're welcome!