SAT Reading & Writing · Command of Evidence (quantitative)
A student claims that the shade cloth was associated with higher seedling survival. Which choice most effectively uses the data to support…
Ecologists measured seedling survival in plots with and without a temporary shade cloth during an unusually hot summer.
| Treatment | Seedlings at start | Seedlings alive after 8 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Shade cloth | 120 | 84 |
| No shade cloth | 120 | 60 |
A student claims that the shade cloth was associated with higher seedling survival. Which choice most effectively uses the data to support the claim?
| Treatment | Seedlings at start | Seedlings alive after 8 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Shade cloth | 120 | 84 |
| No shade cloth | 120 | 60 |
A student claims that the shade cloth was associated with higher seedling survival. Which choice most effectively uses the data to support the claim?
Answer and explanation
Answer: D: Seventy percent of shaded seedlings survived, compared with 50% of unshaded seedlings.
The claim concerns survival rate, and D converts the raw counts into the comparable percentages the claim needs: 70% versus 50% survival. A and B report only the starting counts, which were identical between groups and therefore cannot support a claim about differing outcomes. C reports raw deaths in only one group without a comparison point in the other group.
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