An international team of astronomers working at telescopes in the Canary Islands and Spain has detected at least 18 huge gas spheres estimated to have 5 to 15 times the mass of Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet.

A. astronomers working at telescopes in the Canary Islands and Spain has detected at least 18 huge gas spheres estimated to have 5 to 15 times the mass of Jupiter
B. astronomers work at telescopes in the Canary Islands and Spain has detected at least 18 huge gas spheres estimated to be 5 to 15 times Jupiter’s mass
C. astronomers working at telescopes in the Canary Islands and Spain, having detected at least 18 huge gas spheres that are estimated at 5 to 15 times the mass of Jupiter
D. astronomers, working at telescopes in the Canary Islands and Spain, and has detected at least 18 huge gas spheres estimated at 5 to 15 times the mass of Jupiter
E. astronomers, working at telescopes in the Canary Islands and Spain, has detected at least 18 huge gas spheres they have estimated to be 5 to 15 times Jupiter’s mass


The correct Answer is A but my question here is about Idiom "estimated to be" I understand that HAVE is a form of BE but is it appropriate to change the form of "BE". Does this rule applies to other Idioms as well?

Please comment.
Question is from GMAT PREP

Saurabh Malpani

hi saurabh:

first off, have is not a form of to be (it's a form of to have).

the idiom 'estimated' is not only compatible with 'to be', but, rather, with any infinitive that makes sense in context. because of the nature of estimates themselves, most of these infinitives will be of verbs related to measurement; for instance, you could have any of the following:
the average adult blue whale is estimated to weigh x pounds.
this dinosaur is estimated to have stood x feet tall.
the jet stream, estimated to travel at y kilometers per hour, carries weather systems that...

you can also use estimate in the following type of construction (unrelated to the idiom you've posted, but still worth mentioning):
experts estimate that 200,000 more people will travel through the airport in 2008 than in 2007.
or
it is estimated that 200,000 more people will travel through the airport in 2008 than in 2007.
i

Wow! thanks a ton!!!--How will I score 760?? GoD Only knows ..it'sso difficult--You Guys are Just Champs..

Saurabh Malpani

Just One more question ---I thought B is also correct because Jupiter's Mass ---Solar System's they both are possesive so can Jupiter Serve as referenr to Solar System's--->?Because I think possesive can refer to possesive!!

Is my understanding Correct.

Saurabh Malpani

nope, because we aren't dealing with a pronoun agreement problem. the issue here is the agreement of a modifier with the phrase being modified, so pronoun issues are irrelevant. (if you like weird analogies, this is a bit like staring at your house key and wondering why it won't start your car.)

choice b (and choice e, for that matter) says '...jupiter's mass, the solar system's largest planet'. that's just plain illogical: jupiter's mass can't be the solar system's largest planet.

happy new year!

What is the OA?

OA is A.

Thanks for helping out Hei.

-Brian Lange
Manhattan GMAT