25 Hard SAT Command of Evidence — Quantitative Questions (With Answers and Explanations)

Question 1Hard

Author	Books published 1800-1820	Books published 1821-1840
Jane Austen	6	0
Walter Scott	9	23
Maria Edgeworth	8	12
William Wordsworth	4	7

Literary historian Thomas Chen examined publication patterns of prominent British authors during the early nineteenth century. Chen notes that the period from 1821 to 1840 saw a general increase in literary output compared to the previous two decades, but _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why D is right

Walter Scott published 9 books during 1800-1820 and increased his output to 23 books during 1821-1840, demonstrating a substantial increase in productivity that aligns with the claim about increased literary output in the later period.

Why the others are wrong

AWhile factually accurate, this contradicts the claim about increased output in the 1821-1840 period rather than supporting it, as Austen represents a decrease to zero.
BThis reverses the time periods for Walter Scott's publication counts, incorrectly placing the 23 books in the earlier period.
CThis assigns Maria Edgeworth's 1821-1840 publication count (12 books) to the 1800-1820 period instead.

Question 2Hard

Species	Population density 1985 (individuals per square km)	Population density 2015 (individuals per square km)
Gray wolf	0.8	3.2
Grizzly bear	1.4	2.1
Bald eagle	2.3	8.7
Whooping crane	0.3	1.5

Conservation efforts have led to population recoveries for several endangered species in protected wilderness areas. Wildlife biologist Jennifer Park studied population trends in a large national park and observed that while all four monitored species showed increases in population density between 1985 and 2015, _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why B is right

The whooping crane population density increased from 0.3 individuals per square km in 1985 to 1.5 individuals per square km in 2015, representing an increase of 1.2 individuals per square km.

Why the others are wrong

AThis incorrectly reports the bald eagle's 1985 population density as its 2015 density. The actual 2015 density was 8.7 individuals per square km.
CThis doubles the gray wolf's actual increase. The gray wolf increased from 0.8 to 3.2, which is an increase of 2.4, not 6.4 individuals per square km.
DThis overstates the whooping crane increase by 0.1, reporting 1.3 instead of the correct value of 1.2 individuals per square km.

Question 3Hard

Country	Forest area in 2000 (million hectares)	Forest area in 2020 (million hectares)
Brazil	574	497
Indonesia	91	88
Canada	347	347
China	177	220

Global forest cover has changed substantially over the past two decades, with some nations experiencing significant deforestation while others have expanded forested lands through reforestation initiatives. Environmental scientists analyzed satellite data to track forest area changes in several countries between 2000 and 2020. While many tropical nations saw declines in forest cover due to agricultural expansion and logging, the researchers noted that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why B is right

Choice B is correct because it accurately uses data from the table to complete the passage about forest area changes. The table shows China had 177 million hectares in 2000 and 220 million hectares in 2020, representing an increase of 43 million hectares. This effectively supports the passage's statement about some countries expanding forested lands through reforestation initiatives.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice misreads the purpose of the blank. While the statement is factually true according to the table, it does not complete the passage's contrast between nations experiencing deforestation and those expanding forest cover.
CThis choice reverses the arithmetic direction. Brazil lost 77 million hectares while Indonesia lost only 3 million hectares, making Brazil's decrease substantially larger, not smaller.
DThis choice uses an incorrect calculation. The difference between China's 2020 and 2000 forest areas is 43 million hectares, not 34 million hectares.

Question 4Hard

Poet	Poems published 1910-1920	Poems published 1921-1930
H.D.	47	82
Marianne Moore	23	91
William Carlos Williams	156	203

Literary scholars examining the productivity of American modernist poets compared publication output across two decades. The scholars hypothesized that poets who published less frequently in the 1910s were still establishing their voices and would show more dramatic increases in output during the 1920s as they gained confidence and recognition. When calculating the percentage increase in poems published between the two decades, the scholars observed that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why A is right

Choice A is correct because it accurately calculates the percentage increase to support the scholars' hypothesis. Marianne Moore increased from 23 to 91 poems, approximately a 296% increase, which is substantially larger than H.D.'s 74% increase and William Carlos Williams' 30% increase, confirming that poets with lower initial output showed more dramatic growth.

Why the others are wrong

BThis choice suggests that William Carlos Williams' 1920s output of 203 poems is approximately equal to Marianne Moore's combined total of 114 poems (23 + 91), when these values differ by 89 poems, nearly 44%.
CThis choice is incorrect because while H.D. did publish more than Marianne Moore in the 1910s (47 vs 23), H.D. published fewer than Moore in the 1920s (82 vs 91), making the statement only partially accurate.
DThis choice makes an irrelevant comparison between H.D.'s 1920s output and Williams' 1910s output rather than focusing on within-poet changes or comparative percentage increases as the passage context emphasizes.

Question 5Hard

Museum	Average daily visitors in winter months	Average daily visitors in summer months
Metropolitan Art	6800	11200
Natural History	5300	9100
Modern Design	3400	4900
City History	2100	3600

A tourism researcher analyzed visitor patterns at four major urban museums to understand seasonal fluctuations in attendance. After calculating the percentage increase in daily visitors from winter to summer for each institution, the researcher concluded that museums with more specialized collections tend to experience smaller seasonal variations in attendance. The data appear to support this conclusion, given that ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why D is right

Choice D is correct because it accurately calculates that Modern Design's increase was approximately 44% (from 3400 to 4900), which is substantially lower than the 65% increase at Metropolitan Art (from 6800 to 11200) and the 72% increase at Natural History (from 5300 to 9100), supporting the claim about specialized collections having smaller seasonal variations.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice identifies the correct attendance figures but does not address the researcher's conclusion about percentage increases related to specialization.
BThis choice incorrectly states the relationship; Metropolitan Art had a 65% increase while Natural History had a 72% increase, so Natural History did experience a larger increase, but this contradicts rather than supports the claim about specialized museums.
CThis choice miscalculates City History's percentage increase, which was approximately 71% (from 2100 to 3600), not the smallest increase, and misidentifies City History as the most specialized when Modern Design is the better example.

Question 6Hard

Author	Novels published 1800-1820	Novels published 1821-1840
Jane Austen	6	0
Walter Scott	9	14
Maria Edgeworth	7	3
Frances Burney	1	1

Literary historians have long debated the productivity patterns of early nineteenth-century British novelists and how publication rates shifted between the Regency and early Victorian periods. Dr. Amanda Clarke analyzed the output of four prominent novelists across two twenty-year periods. While examining these figures, Dr. Clarke concluded that the data reveal an interesting pattern regarding sustained versus concentrated literary productivity. In particular, the data show that ______

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why B is right

Choice B is correct because it accurately uses the data to illustrate Dr. Clarke's distinction between concentrated and sustained productivity. Jane Austen published all 6 novels in the first period and none in the second, exemplifying concentrated productivity in contrast to authors like Walter Scott who maintained output across both periods.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice accurately states Walter Scott's later output but does not address Dr. Clarke's conclusion about patterns of concentrated versus sustained productivity.
CThis choice reverses the actual trend; Maria Edgeworth published 7 novels in the earlier period and only 3 in the later period, representing decreased rather than increased production.
DThis choice correctly notes Frances Burney's pattern but fails to support the main point about concentrated versus sustained productivity, and the reference to Maria Edgeworth's three novels in the later period does not meaningfully contribute to illustrating the pattern Dr. Clarke identified.

Question 7Hard

Ecosystem	Nitrogen cycling rate 1990 (kg/hectare/year)	Nitrogen cycling rate 2020 (kg/hectare/year)
Temperate forest	42	68
Tropical rainforest	156	189
Grassland	38	52

Ecologists investigating the effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on terrestrial ecosystems compared nitrogen cycling rates across three ecosystem types over a thirty-year period. The researchers hypothesized that ecosystems with naturally high nitrogen cycling rates would show proportionally smaller responses to additional nitrogen inputs from pollution. When examining the percentage increase in cycling rates, the team concluded that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why A is right

Choice A is correct because it accurately calculates and interprets the percentage increase data to support the researchers' hypothesis. The tropical rainforest increased from 156 to 189 kg/hectare/year, approximately a 21% increase, which is the smallest percentage increase among the three ecosystems despite having the highest absolute values.

Why the others are wrong

BThis choice confuses the data by claiming the temperate forest had lower rates than grassland in both years, when the table shows the temperate forest had higher rates (42 vs 38 in 1990, and 68 vs 52 in 2020).
CThis choice attempts to equate values that are not approximately equal. The grassland's 2020 rate of 52 is nowhere near the tropical rainforest's 1990 rate of 156.
DThis choice focuses on absolute increase rather than percentage increase, which contradicts the passage's emphasis on proportional responses and the researchers' hypothesis about percentage changes.

Question 8Hard

Treatment	Avg yield per hectare (kg)	Cost per hectare (dollars)
Organic fertilizer	4200	380
Synthetic fertilizer	5100	290
Crop rotation	4500	180
No treatment	3600	0

Agricultural economist Sarah Chen investigated different farming methods to determine their economic efficiency. She measured both crop yields and input costs across four approaches used by farmers in the Midwest. Chen concludes that when evaluating purely on the basis of yield improvement per dollar spent, _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why C is right

Choice C is correct because it accurately calculates yield improvement per dollar spent. Crop rotation yields 4500 kg versus 3600 kg for no treatment (900 kg improvement) at a cost of 180 dollars, giving 5 kg per dollar spent. This ratio exceeds synthetic fertilizer (5.17 kg per dollar) and organic fertilizer (1.58 kg per dollar) when accounting for the baseline.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice identifies the highest absolute yield but doesn't address the economic efficiency criterion of yield improvement per dollar spent, which is what the passage requires.
BThis choice presents accurate cost information but doesn't address yield improvement per dollar spent. It simply states a cost comparison without the economic efficiency analysis needed.
DThis choice incorrectly assigns organic fertilizer's yield (4200 kg) to crop rotation (which actually yields 4500 kg), mixing data from different rows.

Question 9Hard

Country	Solar capacity 2015 (GW)	Solar capacity 2022 (GW)
China	43.5	392.6
United States	25.6	111.2
Japan	34.4	78.2
Germany	39.7	66.5

Renewable energy analyst Chen Wu examined solar photovoltaic capacity expansion across four major economies between 2015 and 2022. Wu noted that while all four countries increased their solar installations during this period, the pattern of growth varied significantly. Wu argues that nations with lower initial capacity in 2015 tended to achieve the most dramatic proportional increases by 2022. However, when examining the data, Wu discovered that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why B is right

Choice B is correct because it identifies a reversal pattern that contradicts Wu's hypothesis about proportional growth. The United States had 25.6 GW in 2015 (lower than Japan's 34.4 GW) but reached 111.2 GW by 2022 (higher than Japan's 78.2 GW), showing that a country with lower initial capacity achieved both substantial absolute growth and overtook a country that started with higher capacity.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice states a true fact but does not address Wu's claim about proportional increases or provide surprising data that would challenge the hypothesis.
CThis choice misreads the 2022 value as the increase amount. Germany's capacity increased by approximately 26.8 GW (66.5 - 39.7), not 66.5 GW.
DThis choice incorrectly identifies Japan as having the lowest 2022 capacity when Germany actually had the lowest at 66.5 GW compared to Japan's 78.2 GW.

Question 10Hard

Symphony	Premiere performances 1950-1975	Premiere performances 1976-2000
New York Philharmonic	47	62
Boston Symphony	38	71
Chicago Symphony	52	68
Philadelphia Orchestra	41	53

Music historian Thomas Wagner studied the programming choices of four major American orchestras to understand how their commitment to contemporary music evolved across the late twentieth century. Wagner argues that examining premiere performances—the first-ever performances of newly composed works—reveals which orchestras most actively championed living composers in the later period. The data show that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why C is right

Choice C is correct because it accurately calculates both the absolute increase for Boston Symphony (71 - 38 = 33) and the percentage increase (33/38 ≈ 0.87 or 87%), and correctly identifies this as the highest growth rate, strongly supporting Wagner's analysis of which orchestra most actively championed contemporary music.

Why the others are wrong

AWhile this choice correctly calculates the absolute increase of 33 performances for Boston Symphony, it does not contextualize this as a percentage or compare it to other orchestras' growth rates, providing weaker support for Wagner's argument.
BThis choice confuses Chicago Symphony's earlier period count (52) with its later period count, which was actually 68 premiere performances.
DThis choice merely confirms that Philadelphia had more premieres in the later period without quantifying the increase or comparing it to other orchestras, failing to support Wagner's comparative analysis.

Question 11Hard

Glacier	Area 1990 (sq km)	Area 2020 (sq km)
Columbia	1068	856
Hubbard	3800	3790
Mendenhall	96	82
Matanuska	265	231

Glaciology researcher Patricia Alvarez measured changes in four Alaskan glaciers over a thirty-year period to assess the impact of climate warming. While she expected to find retreat across all glaciers studied, Alvarez was surprised to discover that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why A is right

Choice A is correct because it identifies the surprising finding that contradicts Alvarez's expectation of retreat across all glaciers. Hubbard Glacier decreased from 3800 to 3790 square kilometers, a loss of only 10 square kilometers, which is minimal compared to Columbia (212 sq km), Mendenhall (14 sq km), and Matanuska (34 sq km).

Why the others are wrong

BThis choice accurately identifies Columbia as having a large area in 1990, but it doesn't address Alvarez's surprise about the pattern of retreat, which requires comparing changes across glaciers.
CThis choice confuses the year columns. Matanuska Glacier measured 265 square kilometers in 1990, not 2020. Its 2020 area was 231 square kilometers.
DThis choice correctly calculates Mendenhall's 14 square kilometer loss but incorrectly claims this is the smallest absolute change. Hubbard's 10 square kilometer loss was smaller, which is the surprising finding.

Question 12Hard

Theater	Ticket sales January (thousands)	Ticket sales June (thousands)
Rivoli	12.4	8.3
Grand	18.7	22.1
Regal	9.6	7.8

A marketing analyst examined seasonal attendance patterns at three historic theaters in a midsize city. The analyst noted that conventional wisdom suggests summer months bring reduced theater attendance due to competing outdoor activities and vacation travel. After reviewing ticket sales data, the analyst observed that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why C is right

Choice C is correct because it accurately uses the table data to complete the statement about seasonal attendance patterns. The Grand's ticket sales increased from 18.7 thousand in January to 22.1 thousand in June, a difference of approximately 3.4 thousand, which contradicts the expected pattern of reduced summer attendance.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice reverses the direction of the finding by stating the Grand was the only theater where June exceeded January, when the passage context suggests highlighting that the Grand specifically defied expectations rather than being merely different from the others.
BThis choice misreads the data by claiming the Regal had the highest January sales when the table clearly shows the Grand had 18.7 thousand compared to the Regal's 9.6 thousand.
DThis choice presents values that are numerically close (8.3 and 9.6) but are not nearly equal, differing by more than 13%.

Question 13Hard

Museum	Annual visitors 2008 (thousands)	Annual visitors 2018 (thousands)
Metropolitan Museum	4820	7360
British Museum	5930	5870
Louvre	8500	10200
Vatican Museums	4440	6880

Cultural historian Dr. Emma Richardson examined visitor trends at four major art museums over a ten-year span. Richardson predicted that museums in capital cities with expanding tourism infrastructure would see the greatest percentage increases in annual visitors. After calculating the percentage changes for each institution, Richardson discovered that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why D is right

Choice D is correct because it identifies data contradicting Richardson's prediction about capital city museums with tourism infrastructure seeing increases. The British Museum in London actually decreased from 5930 to 5870 thousand visitors, showing that location in an expanding capital did not guarantee growth.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice states an accurate observation but does not address Richardson's hypothesis about percentage increases or provide surprising data about her prediction.
BThis choice misreads the 2018 value as the increase amount. The British Museum actually decreased by 60 thousand visitors (5870 - 5930), not increased by 5870 thousand.
CThis choice contains an error. The Vatican Museums had 4440 thousand visitors in 2008 and 6880 thousand in 2018, while the Metropolitan Museum had 4820 thousand in 2008 and 7360 thousand in 2018, so the Metropolitan Museum had more visitors in both years.

Question 14Hard

Protein	Molecular weight (kDa)	Expression level cancerous cells	Expression level normal cells
P53	53	0.3	1.0
BRCA1	220	0.5	1.0
RB1	110	0.4	1.0
PTEN	47	0.6	1.0

Oncologists studying tumor suppressor proteins have investigated how the expression levels of key regulatory proteins differ between cancerous and normal cells. Research teams measured the relative expression of four well-characterized tumor suppressors in matched samples from patients, normalizing expression in healthy cells to 1.0. The findings revealed that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why C is right

Choice C is correct because it accurately describes the pattern across all four proteins (each showing expression below 1.0 in cancerous cells) and correctly identifies P53 as having the lowest cancerous-cell expression (0.3), supporting the passage's focus on differences between cancerous and normal cells.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice assigns the normal cell expression value (1.0) to cancerous cells, misreading which column represents cancerous versus normal. P53 expression in cancerous cells is actually 0.3.
BThis choice correctly identifies BRCA1 as having the highest molecular weight but incorrectly states it had the 'greatest reduction.' P53 (dropping to 0.3) and RB1 (dropping to 0.4) showed greater reductions than BRCA1's 0.5.
DThis choice confuses RB1's expression in cancerous cells (0.4) with P53's value, then incorrectly compares it to normal cells (1.0), creating a nonsensical comparison mixing the two cell types.

Question 15Hard

Bridge	Length (meters)	Completion year
Golden Gate	2737	1937
Brooklyn	1825	1883
George Washington	1451	1931
Verrazano-Narrows	4176	1964

Civil engineering historian Thomas Wu studied major suspension bridges constructed in the United States during the industrial and modern eras. He analyzed how bridge construction capabilities evolved over eight decades. Wu notes that while each bridge represented a significant engineering achievement for its time, _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why B is right

Choice B is correct because it accurately uses the data to show the evolution of bridge construction capabilities over time. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at 4176 meters, completed in 1964, exceeded the length of all three earlier bridges, demonstrating how engineering capacity advanced across the decades Wu studied.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice makes an accurate observation that the Brooklyn Bridge was the only one of the four completed before 1900, but it doesn't address the evolution of construction capabilities across the full eight-decade period Wu examined.
CThis choice confuses data from different rows. The Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937, not 1931. The George Washington Bridge was completed in 1931.
DThis choice combines information from two different bridges. The George Washington Bridge is 1451 meters long but was completed in 1931, not 1937. The Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937.

Question 16Hard

Region	Protected land area 2005 (thousand hectares)	Protected land area 2020 (thousand hectares)
Amazonia	1840	2290
Cerrado	420	680
Atlantic Forest	380	470

Conservation biologists studying land protection efforts in Brazil's major biomes analyzed the expansion of formally protected areas over a fifteen-year period. The researchers hypothesized that regions facing the most severe deforestation threats would see the greatest proportional increases in protected area designations. After calculating the percentage increase for each region, the team reported that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why B is right

Choice B is correct because it accurately calculates the percentage increase to support the researchers' hypothesis about proportional protection efforts. The Cerrado increased from 420 to 680 thousand hectares, approximately a 62% increase, which is higher than Amazonia's 24% increase and the Atlantic Forest's 24% increase.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice correctly calculates Amazonia's percentage increase but characterizes it as the finding when the passage context suggests highlighting the region with the greatest proportional increase to support the hypothesis.
CThis choice incorrectly assigns the Cerrado's 2020 value of 680 thousand hectares to the Atlantic Forest, which actually had 470 thousand hectares in 2020.
DThis choice presents values that are numerically close (470 and 420) but suggests they are approximately equal when they differ by 50 thousand hectares, a difference of about 12%.

Question 17Hard

Novel	First edition copies printed	Copies sold in first year
The Awakening	1200	340
The House of Mirth	140000	140000
The Age of Innocence	23000	19800

Literary historians studying the commercial reception of early twentieth-century American novels examined publication records for three works by women authors. The historians noted that initial print runs often reflected publishers' confidence in commercial potential, while first-year sales indicated actual market reception. After comparing these figures, the historians determined that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why A is right

Choice A is correct because it accurately uses the table data to highlight a distinctive commercial outcome. The House of Mirth had 140000 copies printed and sold 140000 copies in the first year, indicating all first edition copies were sold, while The Awakening sold only 340 of 1200 copies and The Age of Innocence sold 19800 of 23000 copies.

Why the others are wrong

BThis choice incorrectly states that The Awakening had a larger print run than The Age of Innocence, when the table shows The Awakening had 1200 copies printed compared to The Age of Innocence's 23000.
CThis choice confuses the data by attributing The Awakening's first-year sales figure (340) to The Age of Innocence, which actually sold 19800 copies.
DThis choice confuses the print run number (1200) with sales (340), incorrectly suggesting The Awakening sold approximately 1200 copies when it actually sold only 340.

Question 18Hard

Country	Wind capacity 2012 (GW)	Wind capacity 2021 (GW)
Germany	31.3	63.8
Spain	22.8	27.5
United Kingdom	8.7	24.7
France	7.6	18.8

Energy policy analyst Robert Chan examined wind power development across four European nations over a nine-year period. He investigated how different national renewable energy policies affected wind capacity expansion. Chan concludes that measured as a multiple of the starting capacity, _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why C is right

Choice C is correct because it accurately identifies the country with the greatest proportional growth. The United Kingdom's capacity increased from 8.7 GW to 24.7 GW, representing a 2.84× multiple of its starting capacity. This exceeds Germany (2.04×), Spain (1.21×), and France (2.47×), supporting Chan's analytical frame of measuring growth as multiples.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice correctly states Germany's leading absolute position in both years but doesn't address the proportional growth (measured as multiples) that Chan's conclusion focuses on.
BThis choice provides accurate figures for Spain but doesn't address the proportional growth comparison across countries that Chan's analytical frame requires.
DThis choice confuses the year columns. France had 7.6 GW of wind capacity in 2012, not 18.8 GW. The 18.8 GW figure represents France's 2021 capacity.

Question 19Hard

District	Voter turnout 2016 (%)	Voter turnout 2020 (%)
District A	58.2	71.4
District B	62.7	68.9
District C	54.1	69.8
District D	66.3	72.1

Political scientist Janet Morrison examined voter participation rates across four electoral districts in a midsize state. She compared turnout in two presidential election years to assess civic engagement trends. Morrison argues that while overall participation increased in all districts, the data suggest that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why B is right

Choice B is correct because it accurately calculates the district with the greatest turnout increase. District C grew from 54.1% to 69.8%, an increase of 15.7 percentage points. This exceeds District A (13.2 points), District B (6.2 points), and District D (5.8 points), supporting Morrison's point about differential engagement trends.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice accurately identifies District D's 2016 turnout but focuses on a single year's rate rather than addressing the increases between years that Morrison's argument requires.
CThis choice confuses the year columns. District A had 58.2% turnout in 2016, not 2020. Its 2020 turnout was 71.4%.
DThis choice correctly calculates District B's 6.2 percentage point increase but fails to note this was not the largest increase, which is what the passage setup about 'differential trends' requires.

Question 20Hard

District	Registered voters 2016	Votes cast 2016	Turnout rate
District A	125,400	89,532	71.4%
District B	98,700	75,387	76.4%
District C	156,200	101,530	65.0%
District D	112,800	88,302	78.3%

Political scientists studying voter participation patterns in a metropolitan area examined turnout data from the 2016 general election across four demographically similar districts. While all districts had comparable median household incomes and education levels, researchers found significant variation in turnout rates. After accounting for differences in registration drives and polling place accessibility, the researchers suggested that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why B is right

Choice B is correct because it accurately identifies District D as having the highest turnout rate (78.3%) and correctly notes that it had fewer registered voters (112,800) than District C (156,200), supporting the passage's point about variation in turnout rates despite similar demographics.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice confuses registered voters (156,200) with votes cast (101,530), misreading which column represents which measure. The 156,200 figure is the number of registered voters, not votes cast.
CThis choice correctly states the turnout rates but draws an incorrect conclusion, wrongly suggesting that lower turnout rate implies fewer registered voters, when District A actually had more registered voters than District B.
DThis choice confuses the number of registered voters (98,700) with votes cast (75,387) and incorrectly claims District B had higher engagement than District D, when District D's 78.3% rate exceeded District B's 76.4%.

Question 21Hard

Species	Population in protected area in 2012	Population in protected area in 2022
Mountain gorilla	880	1,063
Javan rhinoceros	58	74
Amur leopard	57	110
Sumatran elephant	2,400	2,100

Conservation biologists monitoring endangered species populations in protected areas over a ten-year period documented the outcomes of intensive management efforts. While most species showed positive trends, the biologists observed considerable variation in population trajectories. The data indicate that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why A is right

Choice A is correct because the Amur leopard population increased from 57 to 110 individuals, an increase of 53 individuals or approximately 93%. This percentage increase substantially exceeds those of the mountain gorilla (21%) and Javan rhinoceros (28%), and represents the most dramatic recovery among the species studied.

Why the others are wrong

BWhile this statement is accurate, it does not address the variation in population trajectories and percentage changes emphasized in the passage.
CThis choice incorrectly reverses the direction of change; the Javan rhinoceros population increased by 16 individuals, not decreased.
DThis choice is numerically close but focuses on the wrong type of comparison; while the Sumatran elephant did decrease by 300 individuals, this was not the smallest absolute change and the passage emphasizes percentage variation, not absolute changes.

Question 22Hard

Country	Geothermal capacity 2010 (MW)	Geothermal capacity 2021 (MW)	Percent of national electricity
Iceland	575	755	25%
New Zealand	628	1,005	18%
Kenya	167	863	46%
Philippines	1,904	1,928	14%

Energy economists studying renewable energy adoption in volcanic regions have examined how countries with significant geothermal resources have expanded their use of this power source. Researchers gathered data on installed geothermal capacity and its contribution to national electricity generation for four countries with active geothermal development programs. The analysis revealed that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why A is right

Choice A is correct because it accurately reports Kenya's capacity increase (from 167 to 863 MW) and correctly identifies Kenya as having the highest percentage of national electricity from geothermal (46%), effectively illustrating both capacity expansion and significance to the national grid.

Why the others are wrong

BThis choice correctly states the Philippines' 2021 capacity but incorrectly assigns Kenya's percentage (46%) to the Philippines, which actually had 14%, confusing data across different rows.
CThis choice confuses Kenya's 2010 starting capacity (167 MW) with the size of its increase. Kenya's actual increase was 696 MW (863 - 167), not 167 MW, making it much larger than Iceland's 180 MW increase.
DThis choice reverses the arithmetic relationship. New Zealand's increase of 377 MW (1,005 - 628) is actually much larger than the Philippines' increase of 24 MW (1,928 - 1,904), not smaller.

Question 23Hard

Coral species	Bleaching threshold temperature (°C)	Average summer temperature 2020 (°C)
Acropora cervicornis	30.5	29.8
Montastraea cavernosa	31.2	29.8
Porites astreoides	31.8	29.8
Orbicella faveolata	30.9	29.8

Marine biologists studying coral resilience in the Caribbean have identified the specific water temperatures at which different coral species begin to experience bleaching, a stress response that can lead to coral death. In 2020, researchers measured average summer water temperatures at several reef sites and compared them to known bleaching thresholds for four common species. The researchers concluded that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why B is right

Choice B is correct because it accurately uses the table data to show that 2020 temperatures (29.8°C for all species) stayed below each species' bleaching threshold, with Acropora cervicornis having the narrowest margin (30.5° $C - 29.8$ ° $C = 0.7$ °C), making it most vulnerable to future warming.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice correctly identifies Porites astreoides as having the highest threshold but incorrectly states it had the smallest safety margin. In fact, it had the largest margin at 2.0°C, not the smallest.
CThis choice confuses the bleaching threshold temperature (31.2°C) with the observed 2020 temperature (29.8°C), misreading which value belongs in which column.
DThis choice reverses the values for Orbicella faveolata (threshold 30.9°C) and Acropora cervicornis (threshold 30.5°C), confusing the 29.8°C observed temperature as a threshold.

Question 24Hard

[TABLE: Lake | Surface area 1975

(\text{km}^{2})

| Surface area 2020

(\text{km}^{2})

| Percent change Aral Sea | 64,500 | 8,300 | -87.1% Lake Urmia | 5,200 | 2,550 | -51.0% Lake Chad | 23,000 | 1,350 | -94.1% Great Salt Lake | 4,400 | 3,500 | -20.5%] Environmental scientists investigating the impact of climate change and water diversion have documented dramatic reductions in the surface areas of several landlocked lakes. Researchers compiled satellite imagery data comparing 1975 and 2020 measurements for four lakes known to have experienced significant human and climate pressures. The team emphasized that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why D is right

Choice D is correct because it accurately identifies Lake Chad as having the largest percentage decline (94.1%) and correctly states both the 1975 area (23,000 $\text{km}^{2})$ and 2020 area (1,350 $\text{km}^{2})$ , effectively supporting the passage's emphasis on dramatic reductions.

Why the others are wrong

AThis choice correctly notes Lake Chad's absolute reduction but incorrectly claims 87.1% is a 'smaller percentage decrease' than 94.1%, when in fact 94.1% is larger, reversing the arithmetic comparison.
BThis choice reverses the years, assigning the 2020 value (3,500 km²) to 1975 and suggesting a decrease 'from its 2020 area,' which is temporally backwards and misreads the table structure.
CThis choice confuses the absolute area remaining in 2020 (2,550 km²) with the amount of reduction (2,650 km²), using the ending value instead of calculating the change.

Question 25Hard

Instrument	Practice time per week 2018 (hours)	Practice time per week 2023 (hours)
Violin	8.2	11.4
Piano	12.6	14.1
Flute	6.8	9.7

Music education researchers studying practice habits at a conservatory tracked average weekly practice hours for students specializing in three instruments. The researchers anticipated that students of instruments requiring more technical precision would increase their practice time more substantially as they advanced through their programs. When examining the absolute increase in weekly practice hours over the five-year period, the researchers noted that _____

Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?

Show the answer and explanation

Why A is right

Choice A is correct because it accurately calculates the absolute increase to complete the statement about practice patterns. Violin students increased from 8.2 to 11.4 hours per week, an increase of 3.2 hours, which is larger than piano students' 1.5 hour increase and flute students' 2.9 hour increase.

Why the others are wrong

BThis choice incorrectly claims piano students had the lowest practice time when the table shows piano students consistently had the highest practice time (12.6 hours in 2018 and 14.1 hours in 2023).
CThis choice incorrectly assigns the violin students' 2023 practice time of 11.4 hours to flute students, who actually practiced 9.7 hours per week in 2023.
DThis choice correctly calculates the violin increase but incorrectly states the flute increase as 3.2 hours when it was actually 2.9 hours, and suggests these are nearly matching when they differ by 0.3 hours.

What makes these hard

Why D is right

Why the others are wrong

Why B is right

Why the others are wrong

Why B is right

Why the others are wrong

Why A is right

Why the others are wrong

Why D is right

Why the others are wrong

Why B is right

Why the others are wrong

Why A is right

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Why C is right

Why the others are wrong

Why B is right

Why the others are wrong

Why C is right

Why the others are wrong

Why A is right

Why the others are wrong

Why C is right

Why the others are wrong

Why D is right

Why the others are wrong

Why C is right

Why the others are wrong

Why B is right

Why the others are wrong

Why B is right

Why the others are wrong

Why A is right

Why the others are wrong

Why C is right

Why the others are wrong

Why B is right

Why the others are wrong

Why B is right

Why the others are wrong

Why A is right

Why the others are wrong

Why A is right

Why the others are wrong

Why B is right

Why the others are wrong

Why D is right

Why the others are wrong

Why A is right

Why the others are wrong

These 25 are a sample, not a study plan

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