How to answer it
- Read the claim before the data.
- Find the rows, columns or bars that the claim is about.
- Pick the choice that is accurate and supports the claim, not just accurate.
Worked example
An original question in the SAT format, already answered.
In a survey of a town’s 400 commuters, 180 drove alone, 120 took the bus, 60 biked and 40 walked. A planner argues that more than a quarter of commuters already use the bus.
Which choice most effectively uses data from the survey to support the planner’s claim?
- A120 of the 400 commuters, or 30 percent, took the bus.
- BMore commuters drove alone than took the bus.
- C60 commuters biked, half as many as took the bus.
- DWalking was the least common way to commute.
Answer: A. A quarter of 400 is 100. A shows 120 commuters, 30 percent, took the bus, which supports the claim. B, C and D are accurate but don’t address the bus share.
The most common trap
True statements that don’t touch the claim. Accurate isn’t enough; the data has to support the specific point.
Practice it
Hourly Prep’s daily sets mix command of evidence: quantitative with the rest of SAT Reading and Writing, and send more of it your way when it’s a weak spot. See how the SAT prep plan works, or browse the other SAT skill guides.