20 easy SAT Two-variable data: models & scatterplots questions
These are the questions most test-takers get right. They are worth practising anyway: on the digital SAT the easy questions in Module 1 are what route you into the harder, higher-scoring Module 2, so dropping one costs more than it looks.
Every question below is a real item from the SAT Climb bank, tagged easy by the same difficulty model the app uses to build your practice. Pick an answer before you open the explanation.
Math · Problem-Solving and Data Analysis~2 per testEasy tier
A scatterplot shows the relationship between daily temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, x, and ice cream sales in dollars, y, for 10 days at a shop. The data points form a linear pattern trending upward. A line of best fit is shown passing through approximately (70, 120) and (90, 200). The line has 4 points above it, 5 points below it, and 1 point on it.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. For a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, which of the following is closest to the predicted ice cream sales in dollars?
Show the answer and explanation
Why C is right
The slope of the line is (200 - 120) / (90 - 70) = 80 / 20 = 4. Using point-slope form with (90, 200), the equation is y−200=4(x−90), which simplifies to y=4x−160. When x=100, y=4(100) - 160 = 240.
Why the others are wrong
AThis results from using the x-value (temperature) instead of calculating the corresponding y-value (sales).
BThis results from incorrectly assuming the value at x = 90 continues unchanged, without accounting for the slope of the line.
DThis results from using an incorrect slope calculation, possibly doubling the actual rate of change.
Question 2Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between the number of practice sessions, x, and completion time in minutes, y, for 9 athletes running a course. The data points show a linear pattern trending downward from left to right. A line of best fit passes through approximately (3, 48) and (7, 32). The line has 4 points above it, 4 points below it, and 1 point on it.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. Which of the following is closest to the slope of the line of best fit shown?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The slope is calculated using the two given points: (32 - 48) / (7 - 3) = -16 / 4 = -4.0. The negative slope indicates that for each additional practice session, the completion time decreases by approximately 4 minutes.
Why the others are wrong
BThis results from incorrectly dividing the change in x by the change in y, then applying a negative sign without proper calculation.
CThis results from taking the reciprocal of the slope and dropping the negative sign, failing to recognize the downward trend.
DThis results from calculating the magnitude correctly but failing to account for the negative direction of the relationship shown in the scatterplot.
Question 3Easy
A study recorded the relationship between hours of exercise per week and resting heart rate (in beats per minute) for a group of adults. The line of best fit is y=−1.8x+78, where x is the number of hours of exercise per week and y is the resting heart rate.
According to the model, what is the predicted resting heart rate for an adult who exercises 10 hours per week?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
Substitute x=10 into the equation y=−1.8x+78 to get y=−1.8(10) + 78 = -18 + 78 = 60. The model predicts a resting heart rate of 60 beats per minute.
Why the others are wrong
BThis incorrectly uses the y-intercept value (78) without considering the hours of exercise.
CThis represents only the magnitude of the first part of the calculation, 1.8(10) = 18, without completing the computation.
DThis incorrectly uses the magnitude of the slope value (1.8) instead of computing the full prediction.
Question 4Easy
A scatterplot displays the relationship between x and y with 9 data points trending upward in a linear pattern. A line of best fit is shown passing through approximately (0, 3) and (3, 9). Four points are above the line, four points are below the line, and one point lies on the line.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. For a data point where x=5, the actual value of y is 17. What is the residual for this data point?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope is (9 - 3)/(3 - 0) = 2. The equation is y=3+2x. When x=5, predicted y=3+2(5) = 13. The residual is actual - predicted = 17 - 13 = 2, indicating the actual point is above the line.
Why the others are wrong
AThis reverses the sign of the residual, incorrectly calculating predicted minus actual.
CThis uses the predicted y value instead of calculating the difference between actual and predicted.
DThis uses the actual y value without subtracting the predicted value.
Question 5Easy
A scatterplot shows 10 data points representing the relationship between temperature in degrees Celsius, x, and ice cream sales in dollars, y. The points form a linear pattern trending upward. A line of best fit passes through approximately (10, 120) and (30, 240), with x-values ranging from 5 to 35.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between temperature and ice cream sales. A line of best fit is also shown. According to the line of best fit, what is the predicted ice cream sales when the temperature is 20 degrees Celsius?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope is (240 - 120) / (30 - 10) = 120 / 20 = 6. Using point-slope form with (10, 120), the equation is y−120=6(x−10), which gives y=6x+60. When x=20, y=6(20) + 60 = 180 dollars.
Why the others are wrong
AThis results from using an incorrect y-intercept or misreading the scale of the vertical axis.
CThis results from using an incorrect slope calculation or applying the slope incorrectly to find the predicted value.
DThis results from incorrectly multiplying the temperature by the y-value at x = 30 instead of using the line equation.
Question 6Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between years of experience, x, and annual salary in thousands of dollars, y, for 12 employees. The data points show a linear pattern trending upward from left to right. A line of best fit passes through approximately (1, 40) and (5, 56). The line has 6 points above it and 6 points below it.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. Which of the following best represents the y-intercept of the line of best fit shown?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope of the line is (56 - 40) / (5 - 1) = 16 / 4 = 4. Using the point-slope form with (1, 40), the equation is y−40=4(x−1), which simplifies to y=4x+36. The y-intercept is 36 thousand dollars.
Why the others are wrong
AThis results from confusing the slope of the line with the y-intercept.
CThis results from reading the y-coordinate of the leftmost given point as the y-intercept without accounting for x = 1 rather than x = 0.
DThis results from extrapolating incorrectly beyond the data range, possibly adding the slope to an incorrect base value.
Question 7Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between hours studied per week, x, and test score, y, for 10 students. The data points roughly follow a linear pattern. A line of best fit passes through the approximate coordinates (5, 68) and (15, 88). Five points lie above the line and five points lie below it.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. For a student who studies 20 hours per week, which of the following is closest to the test score predicted by the line of best fit?
Show the answer and explanation
Why C is right
The slope of the line is (88 - 68)/(15 - 5) = 20/10 = 2. Using point (15, 88), the equation is y−88=2(x−15), which simplifies to y=2x+58. For x=20, y=2(20) + 58 = 98.
Why the others are wrong
AThis incorrectly assumes a y-intercept based on misreading the data points rather than calculating from the line of best fit.
BThis uses the y-value at x = 15 without extrapolating further along the line of best fit to x = 20.
DThis extends the pattern by adding the entire range change again rather than using the correct slope calculation.
Question 8Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between x and y. The scatterplot has 8 data points in a linear pattern trending upward from left to right. A line of best fit is shown that passes through the approximate coordinates (2, 5) and (6, 13). Three points lie above the line of best fit, four points lie below it, and one point touches the line.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. Which of the following is closest to the slope of the line of best fit shown?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope of a line passing through two points is calculated as the change in y divided by the change in x. From (2, 5) to (6, 13), the change in y is 13 - 5 = 8 and the change in x is 6 - 2 = 4, giving a slope of 8/4 = 2.
Why the others are wrong
AThis incorrectly inverts the slope calculation, dividing change in x by change in y instead of the correct order.
CThis uses only the change in y (13 - 5 = 8) without dividing by the change in x.
DThis incorrectly uses the total span of y-values across the entire dataset rather than calculating slope from the given coordinates.
Question 9Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between depth in meters, x, and water pressure in kilopascals, y, for 10 measurements. The points follow a linear pattern from (5, 150) to (45, 550). A line of best fit passes through approximately (5, 150) and (45, 550).
The scatterplot shows the relationship between depth and water pressure for 10 measurements. A line of best fit is also shown. According to the line of best fit, what is the predicted water pressure, in kilopascals, at a depth of 25 meters?
Show the answer and explanation
Why C is right
The line passes through (5, 150) and (45, 550). The slope is (550 - 150)/(45 - 5) = 400/40 = 10. Using point-slope form with (5, 150): y−150=10(x−5), giving y=10x+100. For x=25, y=10(25) + 100 = 350.
Why the others are wrong
AThis incorrectly uses the x-value as the predicted pressure.
BThis uses the y-value from the first point instead of calculating the prediction for x = 25.
DThis extrapolates incorrectly by treating the relationship as if it extends far beyond the data range.
Question 10Easy
A scatterplot shows 10 data points representing the relationship between x and y. The points follow a linear pattern with a line of best fit that passes through approximately (2, 18) and (8, 6). The line has 5 points above it, 4 points below it, and 1 point on it.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. Which of the following equations best represents the line of best fit?
Show the answer and explanation
Why C is right
The slope is (6 - 18)/(8 - 2) = -12/6 = -2. Using point (2, 18) with slope -2, the equation is y−18=−2(x−2), which simplifies to y=−2x+22, or y=22−2x.
Why the others are wrong
AThis incorrectly uses a positive slope when the line trends downward from left to right.
BThis incorrectly uses the y-value from one of the points as the y-intercept.
DThis incorrectly uses a negative y-intercept when the line crosses the y-axis at a positive value.
Question 11Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between the number of advertisements run per month, x, and monthly revenue in thousands of dollars, y, for 9 months. The data points form a linear pattern trending upward. A line of best fit passes through approximately (4, 20) and (12, 44). Of the points, 4 are above the line, 3 are below the line, and 2 are on the line.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. According to the line of best fit, what is the predicted revenue when 8 advertisements are run?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope is (44 - 20) / (12 - 4) = 24 / 8 = 3 thousand dollars per advertisement. From 4 to 8 advertisements is an increase of 4, so revenue increases by 3 × 4 = 12 thousand dollars. Starting from 20: 20 + 12 = 32 thousand dollars.
Why the others are wrong
AThis results from using an incorrect slope or miscalculating the change in x from the reference point.
CThis results from reading a value from a nearby data point rather than calculating using the line of best fit.
DThis results from overestimating the rate of increase or confusing the midpoint with the endpoint value.
Question 12Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between months since opening, x, and monthly revenue in thousands of dollars, y, for a small business. The scatterplot has 7 data points in a roughly linear increasing pattern. A line of best fit passes through the approximate coordinates (3, 12) and (9, 24). Two points lie above the line, four points lie below it, and one point touches the line.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. What is the y-intercept of the line of best fit?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope of the line is (24 - 12)/(9 - 3) = 12/6 = 2. Using the point (3, 12), the equation is y−12=2(x−3), which simplifies to y=2x+6. The y-intercept is 6.
Why the others are wrong
AThis confuses the slope value with the y-intercept.
CThis incorrectly uses the y-coordinate of one of the given points on the line as the y-intercept.
DThis results from incorrectly extending the pattern by adding values rather than using proper algebraic calculation.
Question 13Easy
A scatterplot shows 8 data points representing the relationship between x and y. The points follow a linear pattern with a line of best fit that passes through approximately (3, 14) and (7, 6). The line has 3 points above it, 3 points below it, and 2 points on it.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. For x=5, the actual y-value of one data point is 12. Is this point above or below the line of best fit?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope is (6 - 14)/(7 - 3) = -8/4 = -2. Using point (3, 14), the equation is y−14=−2(x−3), or y=−2x+20. When x=5, y=−2(5) + 20 = 10. Since 12 > 10, the point is above the line.
Why the others are wrong
AThis uses an incorrect predicted value from miscalculating the line equation.
CThis incorrectly uses a y-value from a point on the line rather than calculating the predicted value for x = 5.
DThis correctly calculates the predicted value but incorrectly concludes the relationship.
Question 14Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between x and y with 7 data points in a linear pattern trending downward from left to right. A line of best fit passes through approximately (2, 25) and (6, 13). Four points lie above the line, two points lie below the line, and one point touches the line.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. For a data point where x=4, the actual value of y is 21. Is this data point above or below the line of best fit?
Show the answer and explanation
Why A is right
The slope is (13 - 25)/(6 - 2) = -12/4 = -3. The y-intercept is 25 - (-3)(2) = 31. When x=4, predicted y=31−3(4) = 19. The residual is 21 - 19 = 2, which is positive, meaning the actual point is above the line.
Why the others are wrong
BThis correctly identifies the point as above but incorrectly describes the residual as negative.
CThis reverses the interpretation: a positive residual means the point is above, not below.
DThis incorrectly places the point below the line and misidentifies the residual sign.
Question 15Easy
A scatterplot shows 10 data points representing the relationship between hours studied, x, and test score, y. The points follow a linear pattern with a line of best fit that passes through approximately (1, 65) and (5, 85). The line has 4 points above it, 5 points below it, and 1 point on it.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. For a student who studied 3 hours, which of the following is closest to the test score predicted by the line of best fit?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope is (85 - 65)/(5 - 1) = 20/4 = 5. Using point-slope form with (1, 65), the equation is y−65=5(x−1), or y=5x+60. When x=3, y=5(3) + 60 = 75.
Why the others are wrong
AThis results from using an incorrect slope when calculating the predicted value.
CThis incorrectly uses the midpoint y-value between the two given points rather than evaluating the line equation.
DThis incorrectly extends beyond the data range without proper calculation of the line equation.
Question 16Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between age in years, x, and height in centimeters, y, for 10 children. The points roughly follow the line y=5x+80, with x ranging from 2 to 11. A line of best fit is shown passing through approximately (2, 90) and (10, 130).
The scatterplot shows the relationship between age and height for 10 children. A line of best fit is also shown. According to the line of best fit, what is the predicted height, in centimeters, for a child who is 6 years old?
Show the answer and explanation
Why C is right
The line passes through (2, 90) and (10, 130), giving slope (130 - 90)/(10 - 2) = 40/8 = 5. Using point-slope form with (2, 90): y−90=5(x−2), so y=5x+80. For x=6, y=5(6) + 80 = 110.
Why the others are wrong
AThis incorrectly uses the x-value as the predicted height.
BThis uses an incorrect slope calculation, treating the slope as 2.5 instead of 5.
DThis extrapolates beyond the data range incorrectly.
Question 17Easy
A scatterplot shows 12 data points representing the relationship between years of experience, x, and annual salary in thousands of dollars, y. A line of best fit passes through approximately (3, 48) and (9, 72), trending upward from left to right. The x-values range from 1 to 12.
The scatterplot shows the relationship between years of experience and annual salary. A line of best fit is also shown. According to the line of best fit, what is the predicted annual salary for someone with 6 years of experience?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope is (72 - 48) / (9 - 3) = 24 / 6 = 4. Using the point (3, 48), the equation is y=4x+36. When x=6, y=4(6) + 36 = 60 thousand dollars.
Why the others are wrong
AThis results from using an incorrect slope or making an arithmetic error when calculating the predicted value.
CThis results from misreading the scale or adding an extra increment incorrectly.
DThis extends beyond the reasonable prediction range or confuses interpolation with extrapolation outside the data.
Question 18Easy
A scatterplot shows the relationship between the number of pages in a book, x, and reading time in hours, y, for 10 books. A line of best fit passes through approximately (100, 4) and (300, 12).
The scatterplot shows the relationship between two variables, x and y. A line of best fit is also shown. For an x-value of 200, which of the following is closest to the predicted y-value?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope is (12 - 4) / (300 - 100) = 8 / 200 = 0.04. Using point (100, 4), the equation is y=4+0.04(x−100). For x=200, y=4+0.04(100) = 8.
Why the others are wrong
AThis incorrectly applies a steeper slope or misinterprets the relationship between the variables.
CThis assumes a linear average of the y-values without properly using the slope calculation.
DThis doubles the correct value, possibly from misreading which coordinate to use in the calculation.
Question 19Easy
A scatterplot shows 7 data points representing the relationship between practice time in minutes, x, and free throw percentage, y. The points follow a linear pattern trending upward. A line of best fit passes through approximately (10, 45) and (30, 75).
The scatterplot shows the relationship between practice time and free throw percentage. A line of best fit is also shown. According to the line of best fit, what is the predicted free throw percentage when the practice time is 20 minutes?
Show the answer and explanation
Why C is right
The slope is (75 - 45)/(30 - 10) = 30/20 = 1.5. Using point-slope form with (10, 45): y−45=1.5(x−10), so y=1.5x+30. When x=20, y=1.5(20) + 30 = 30 + 30 = 60.
Why the others are wrong
AThis incorrectly uses a simple average of x-values rather than following the line equation.
BThis uses an incorrect slope in the calculation.
DThis value is beyond the reasonable range suggested by the data pattern.
Question 20Easy
A scatterplot shows 8 data points representing the relationship between distance from city center in miles, x, and apartment rent in dollars, y. The points follow a linear pattern trending downward. A line of best fit passes through approximately (2, 1800) and (10, 1400).
The scatterplot shows the relationship between distance from city center and apartment rent. A line of best fit is also shown. According to the line of best fit, what is the predicted apartment rent, in dollars, when the distance is 6 miles?
Show the answer and explanation
Why B is right
The slope is (1400 - 1800)/(10 - 2) = -400/8 = -50. Using point-slope form with (2, 1800): y−1800=−50(x−2), so y=−50x+1900. When x=6, y=−50(6) + 1900 = -300 + 1900 = 1600.
Why the others are wrong
AThis incorrectly averages the y-values without following the line equation.
CThis uses an incorrect slope in the calculation.
DThis extends beyond the data range inappropriately.
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